Perucho Figueredo's La Bayamesa
The following are excerpts from the biography of Perucho Figueredo
The revolutionaries in Oriente continued to plan their uprising and, at a meeting on August 14, 1867, one of them asked Perucho, as a musician, to compose what he called “our Marseillaise”. The next evening more than 30 people gathered at Perucho’s home and were the first to hear his new march, La Bayamesa, played on the piano by Figueredo.
On June 11, 1868, Perucho’s La Bayamesa was performed in public for the first time at the Old Church of Bayamo during the procession of Corpus Christi. Present was the Spanish governor, Udaeta, who, after the procession, ordered Perucho to appear before him and accused him of writing, not a religious hymn, but a patriotic march. Perucho replied that Udaeta, not being a musician, was in no position to say that it was a patriotic march, to which Udaeta replied “You are right, I am not a musician, but rest assured, I am not deceived. You may leave convinced of it.”
On October 18, 1868, the revolutionaries advanced towards the town of Bayamo. The Spaniards, resisted for three days, but on October 20, 1868, Udaeta surrendered and was placed in the city jail. The rebels demanded of Figueredo, words to the music of La Bayamesa and, sitting on his horse, Pajarito, he wrote the first two verses which are shown below. He couldn’t write more as the paper was snatched away and before long the whole village had learned and were singing the words. From the jail, Udaeta could hear the sound and is said to have exclaimed: “I wasn’t mistaken - it was a war song.”
La Bayamesa quickly became the hymn of the revolutionaries and a version of it has since become the National Anthem of the Republic of Cuba.
La Bayamesa
| Al combate corred, Bayameses. que la Patria os contempla orgullosa no temáis una muerte gloriosa que morir por la Patria es vivir. En cadenas vivir, es vivir en oprobio y afrenta sumido. Del clarín escuchad el sonido a las armas, valientes, corred. |
Bayamese, rush to arms! Your country looks on in pride Fear not a glorious death Who dies for his country lives. To live in chains is to live beneath disgrace and shame. Listen to the sound of the trumpet! To arms, valiant ones, run. |
| Click here to hear the music of Perucho's La Bayamesa: |
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More on PERUCHO'S LA BAYAMESA:
A copy of La Bayamesa made by Perucho Figueredo in November 1869
Perucho writing the words to La Bayamesa on his horse Pajarito