Juan Pedro Esnaola

Juan Pedro Esnaola ( born September 17, 1808 in Buenos Aires, † July 8, 1878 ) was an Argentine composer.

Esnaola had first lessons from his uncle, José Antonio Picasarri. Because of royalist attitude during the Argentine independence movement in 1818, the family was forced to leave Argentina. Esnaola continued his musical education at the Conservatoire de Paris, continuing in Madrid, Rome, Naples and Vienna.

After returning in 1822 after an amnesty by the government Martín Rodríguez, he founded with his uncle in Buenos Aires, the Academia de Música, by which it, inter alia, the works of contemporary composers such as Jan Ladislav Dusík, Gioachino Rossini and Ferdinando Paër made ​​known in South America.

Esnaola was considered significant pianist and singer. Since 1833 he was also active as a composer. In addition to songs by Vicente López, Juan Cruz Varela and Esteban Echeverría, he composed church music, including masses, motets, psalms, Requiem, hymns and lamentations.

In addition to Juan Bautista Alberdi and Amancio Alcorta Esnaola is counted among the representatives of the Grupo de los Precursores, the pioneers of independent political, social and artistic culture in South America.