The heart of this film revolves around the life and music of Antonio José Martínez Palacios from his birth in Burgos in 1902 until his murder in Burgos at the hands of the Falange, the Spanish Fascist party, almost thirty-four years later. Through his biography, we will reflect the intense historical moment in which he lived in both in his hometown and Spain. Through his works, we can rediscover how brilliant his art was, his importance to Spanish classical music, and his place in the pantheon of European classical music.
He had an extraordinary devotion to his hometown, to the ones excluded from culture and to the traditional popular music from Burgos and Castilla. He made this music universal.
He wanted the citizens of his country to be more open to the world, musically trained, free of treacherous acts and social backwardness, creative and contemporary with their time. This wish makes him a cultural reference point as it is shown in this portrait of him.
Antonio José, with his musical score, walking by the Teatro Principal, Burgos. (Photo: Arch. Mun. de Burgos)
Why doing this documentary film?
This year 2016 marks the eightieth anniversary of the tragic death of the musician and composer from Burgos Antonio José Martínez Palacios (Antonio José), who was shot and killed in October 9th 1936, at Monte de Estépar, near his hometown, few months before the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.
Those responsible for his murder pretended to silence and bury his memory forever. Fortunately his talent and personality were much more stronger than the bullets and the oblivion and his name and music have been able to go beyond the barriers of time and history.
But Antonio José is one of those composers who has not been given the place he deserves in today’s musical culture.
Most of the life and works by this relentless author and worthy representative of the Generation of ’27 still remain neglected and have not been spread enough.
That is why this project emerges to overcome the usual lack of knowledge of Antonio José being an essential figure in the Spanish musical scene by the first decades of the 20th century.
Shooting a escene with Mar Codina y Diego Crespo. (Photo: Luis Mena)
Musical performances recordings and interviews
The focus will be on the social, cultural and political context in the early decades of the 20th century where Antonio José’s convulsed end takes place. The structure of the storyline is essentially based on the creative evolution of his work.
The performers, most of them confirmed and some of them already recorded, will be:
José Antonio Escobar, Chile (guitar)
Guillermo Díez Arnáiz, (organist of the Cathedral of Burgos)
Jorge Benito (tenor)
Mar Codina (soprano)
José Abel González (piano)
Diego Crespo (piano)
Cira Qu (folk group)
Orfeón Burgalés (choir)
Schola Cantorum (choir)
University of Aveiro Symphony Orchestra, Portugal
Burgos Symphony Orchestra
Shooting with the University of Aveiro Symphony Orchestra in Portugal. (Photo: Luis Mena)
We also have a team of experts in the life and work of Antonio José, like:
Alejandro Yagüe (composer and expert in the work of Antonio José)
Javier Castro (conductor of the Burgos Symphony Orchestra)
Andrés Ruiz Tarazona (musician and historian)
Gonzalo Pérez Trascasa (Spanish National Radio journalist)
Ricardo Iznaola, Cuba (guitarist, pupil of Regino Sainz de la Maza)
Jesús Domingo (rep. Schola Cantorum, Burgos)
Robert Lincoln Long, EEUU
(Ph. D. in History and expert in the work of Antonio José)
Sanéyuki Maekawa, Japón
(writer, guitarist and expert in the work of Antonio José)
Ion Bressan, Brasil (orchestra conductor)
IPicture of the interwiew with Alejandro Yagüe. (Photo: Luis Mena)
# Who we are?
Gregorio Méndez - director, script and edition
Enrique del Rivero - script and media
Sergi Gras - executive producer
Luis Mena - lighting and photography
Enrique Garcia Revilla - musicologist
Alex Tapia - sound recording director
Alfredo de la Fuente - web management and design
Estela Rojo - media and social network
Julia Gründler - graphic design
Álvaro Alonso de Armiño - camera assistant
Román Casado - camera assistant
The team is formed by professionals related to the audiovisual field. Gregorio Méndez is an artist who focuses his work mainly on video art. Sergi Gras besides video editing he works as a musical and theatrical events production manager. Enrique del Rivero is a photographer, naturalist and collaborates regularly with print and radio media. Luis Mena is a photographer whose work covers issues from mass media, to art, industry or fashion.
We are adding more professionals from the audiovisual and musical fields.
From left to right: Sergi Gras, Enrique del Rivero, Luis Mena and Gregorio Méndez. (Photo: Luis Mena)
Broadcast and media
Is our aim to distribute and promote the film at Film Festivals before it will be premiered.
In addition, as the project has an educational purpose, the film will be screened in schools, high schools and public or private venues to spread the knowledge of the life and works of Antonio José.
How your money will be used?
Our main goal is to make Antonio José, el documental real
because we believe is essential to spread out the music of this distinguished composer as widely as possible.
At the moment, the shooting is in a fairly advanced stage. However our own pockets are not longer enough, ;).
With the 10.000€ we would be able to finish the shooting and begin the post-production phase.
To reach this amount means not only the film will be boost but also the people’s support we have received since we started will finally be shown.
What happens if we fulfill the target?
That would be fantastic! We will be facing the immediate future optimistically and we will be able to elevate the artistic and technical quality of all the stages that still need to be done: post-production, audio mixes, buying archive footage, recruiting professional dubbing actors, etc.
Antonio José (Photo: Arch. Mun. de Burgos)
What are the rewards?
We have established different types of rewards depending on your contributions.
You will get a link to watch the film, VOD - video on demand, once it is available.
You will receive the DVD with the film in SD (standard definition)
You will receive the DVD extras with the full performances recorded for the film. Up to now we have 10 performances confirmed.
You will receive the USB with the film in HD (high definition)
You will have your logo or name listed in the film credits and in the web site as a supporter, showing this way your interest and support to the film. And we thank you for that!
Planned Schedule
The documentary shooting started in may 2016, the 50% of the recordings have been already done in a self-financing way. The last shooting stage will take place by the end of the year.
We would like the project to see the light by the spring of 2017. The film will tour to different Film Festivals before giving the rewards. Our intention is to give the rewards by December 2017. 
Antonio José's signature (Photo: Arch. Mun. de Burgos)
+ Info:
antoniojose.org
antonio jose facebook
antonio jose twitter
Prensa:
El Diario de Burgos, September 11th 2016
Academia de Cine, magazine, nº221 / September 2016, pag.69
Academia de Cine, magazine, nº221 / September 2016, full magazine
Cadena Ser Burgos, August 8th 2016
Doce Notas, August 4th 2016
El Correo de Burgos, August 4th 2016
Momento de la grabación
24 comments
If you are already a sponsor, please Log in to comment.
Mª Ángeles Martín
Esperamos que -en estos tres meses-, el comentarista Felipe González Garcia, haya vuelto a ponerse en contacto con el equipo y nos cuente del piano, para que todos podamos saber un poco más. María Ángeles Martín
Antonio José Martínez Palacios
Author
Buenos días, Mª ángeles. Discúlpenos la tardanza en responderla.
No tuvimos más noticias de Felipe Gonzalez Garcia, sin embargo, si nos da su correo, el compañero Enrique del Rivero le escribirá dándole toda la información sobre el piano de la que nosotros disponemos. Si lo prefiere puede escribirnos a: [email protected]
Muchas gracias por su interés, un saludo.
María Ángeles
Buenos días: Escribí una pregunta interesándome por el comentario de Felipe González García, sobre su información del piano de Antonio José. No la veo publicada, por eso la repito. ¿Compartirán la historia?. Saludos. Mª Ángeles
Mª Ángeles Martín Rodríguez
Buenos días:
Me ha parecido muy interesante el comentario de Felipe González García. Confío que haya explicado ya la historia del piano. De ser así, me gustaría que la compartieran para poder conocerla.
Saludos. Mª Ángeles Martín Rodríguez
Antonio José Martínez Palacios
Author
Gracias por sus palabras. La fecha de la muerte de Antonio José es en realidad el 9 de octubre y la de su hermano el 12. Muy interesante los datos de la grabación que apunta.
Un saludo de todo el equipo.
Joaquín Parra
Mi padre confitero, como Antº José. Nací 11/10/1936, día y año que fusilaron al genial músico castellano. Tomás Marco encarga grabación en RN Sonata Gallega 1972. Hora estudio 1,50 Ptas. Buen momento Grabar Vinilo en DVD. Os felicita Joaquín Parra
Antonio José Martínez Palacios
Author
Hola, gracias por su interés y buenos deseos.
Respecto a su pregunta el documental tiene cerradas entrevistas con diferentes estudiosos en la obra de Antonio José y su duración de alrededor de sesenta minutos impide que entre todo lo que nos gustaría. Sin embargo, estimamos su aportación y lo valoraremos.
Un saludo.
Blanca Rosa Amor Huidobro
Este proyecto me parece fenomenal y no tengo duda que quedará muy bien.Entre los nombres que acabo de leer falta Carlos Martínez Pérez quien además de dirigir el Orfeón canto con el maestro Quesada ,coralista con Antonio José.¿Por que ?
Antonio José Martínez Palacios
Author
Hola Mª Rosario, la campaña de micro-mecenazgo que hemos hecho con Verkami ya ha terminado. Si te apetece hacer una aportación igualmente te agredecemos que te pongas en contacto con nosotros a través de nuestro correo: [email protected]
Por otro lado, respondiendo a tu segunda pregunta, nos encantaría que Miguel Ángel Palacios accediera a colaborar con nosotros, pero de momento parece que no va a ser así.
Gracias por tu apoyo!
Un saludo de parte de todo el equipo.
Mª Rosario PérezMora
No hay posibilidad de ampliar el periodo del crowdfounding??? Gracias. Y la segunda pregunta es si en alguna forma participaven el proyecto el profesor Miguel Ángel Palacios Garoz. Muchas gracias