The Waltz ‘Alejandra’ a song that premiered in Mazatlan and went around the world

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This piece, created by Enrique Mora Andrade from Mazatlan, has been played by different symphony orchestras not only from Mexico and the American continent but also from Europe.

MAZATLAN.- We always talk about the talent that exists in Sinaloa and on this occasion we will talk about a fundamental piece in the symphony orchestras and that from being premiered in the Machado square has already gone around the world, we refer to the waltz “Alejandra”.  

That’s right, this piece is 100 percent from Mazatlan, its author is Enrique Mora Andrade and it is considered the composer’s greatest musical creation. Do you know that it has a love story behind it?  

The waltz song was requested from Enrique by the young Rafael Oropeza, who was in love with a young woman who was walking through the Machado square, seeking to captivate her, her name was Alejandra Ramírez Urrea.  

We even know the address where she lived, Calle Libertad, number 22, in what is now the Historic Center, and yes, her beauty was the reason for not one, but several suitors at her young age.  

She was the niece of Ignacio Ramírez, known as “El Nigromante”, a character in the history of Mexico who was a Mexican liberal writer, poet, journalist, lawyer, politician and ideologue. 

By the age of 17, she had plenty of suitors, and among her activities, touring the Machado square and the Rubio theater (today Ángela Peralta), was her favorite, on one of these walks, she met Rafael Orozco, who was captivated.  

The waltz “Alejandra” was born from this story, which was premiered on July 15, 1907, right there in Plazuela Machado, from above the kiosk by the Eligio Mora orchestra, a premiere to which Alejandra was invited.  

At the end of the show, the story goes that the composer approached Alejandra to give her the melody and she excitedly thanked her, however, when Rafael approached her to ask her to seek a formal relationship with her, she refused and left.  

Years later Alejandra married José María Retes, at 26 years old, they had three children; Rafael also got married and went to live in Mexico City.  

Alejandra eventually became known as a country writer and proud of her waltz, which accompanied her at her funeral when she died in Monterrey, Nuevo León.  

And Enrique Mora? 

Well, the composer continued with his talent until he was 37 years old; It is said that he ceded the rights to the song in exchange for 25 pesos and 50 printed copies.  

This song, in addition to being presented by the Ángela Peralta Theater Symphony Orchestra, has also been performed by the Sinaloa Symphony Orchestra, and outside the state by countless orchestras in Mexico and even orchestras in Europe, considered among the favorites. 

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Enrique Mora Andrade edit ]

He was born on July 14, 1876 in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, where he died on January 7, 1913. He never left his hometown. His brother Eligio, director of the orchestra he had formed with three of his brothers, practically forced him to study the violin. He was a teacher and synodal at the Music Academy of Francisco Martínez Cabrera and Roberto Contreras. Rafael Oropeza commissioned him to compose the waltz “Alejandra” for the young writer Alejandra Ramírez Urrea, with whom he was madly in love. Great-niece of Ignacio Ramírez“El Nigromante”, the beautiful young woman felt very flattered in 1907, with the public premiere of the waltz that bore her name, but it did not correspond to Oropeza. In addition to “Alejandra”, Mora Andrade’s most notable works were: “Emilia”, “Eliza de la Maza”, dedicated to the Spanish actress of the same name; “La voz del Amor”, composed by order of the English subject Roberto Henderson, who dedicated it to his wife Virginia Muro; and “Carlotita”, in honor of Carlota Félix Díaz, to whom the author dedicated it.

The lyrics of the waltz “Alejandra” say:

It’s you, queen of my love
Like a blue dream that came to my life.
I adored you since I saw
you I gave you my soul and for you I am happy
I adored you since I saw you I gave you
my soul and for you I am happy .

Hear my singing, my heart, call yours.
Let me tell you that you are my love
My obsession, my illusion
Let me say that I left my pride for you.
I love you Alejandra, with all my love.
Now for you, my sky, it’s redol
Now for you, now for the soul my sun
Hear my singing my heart call yours.
Let me tell you that you are my love
My obsession, my illusion
Let me say that I left my pride for you.
I love you Alejandra, with all my love.

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