e was the author of a great number of the renowned tangos that in the twenties sprang up in connection with the appearances of the Troupe Ateniense.

Many of his numbers, composed in collaboration with Gerardo Matos Rodríguez, Adolfo Mondino, Juan Antonio Collazo, among others, have reached international acclaim since the time of its premiere, especially his tangos “Maula”, “Garufa”, “Negro” and “Niño bien”.

He was born in Bayona, province of Pontevedra, Galicia. When he was fourteen months old, his parents moved to Uruguay and the family settled in Montevideo.

Around 1914 he began with his artistic inclinations. He wrote a large number of revues, premiered on the Royal and the Albéniz theater stages, and the one-act farce (sainete) Doña María, la curandera (Mrs.Maria, the quack).

Founding member of the Club Atenas, he was also founder of the renowned Troupe for which he released, together with César Gallardo and Roberto Fontaina —and later he alone— the scripts for the performances of the above mentioned cast in Montevideo and in Buenos Aires.

He was member of the AETU theatrical company. A well-remembered and fertile effort of a high level theater in which also Ángel Curotto, Mario Soffici and other outstanding figures connected with the scene contributed with their artistry.

In 1931 he helped in the founding of Radio El Espectador, a radio station in which he was script writer, informal lecturer and soap opera director. At different times of his career he also worked as editor of El Plata newspaper, director of the Asociación General de Autores and as president of the Asociación Nacional de Broadcasters Uruguayos.

His tango “Maula” was awarded the first prize at the contest carried out in 1927 at the historical Teatro Solís of the Uruguayan capital.

In his prolific oeuvre, besides the above mentioned numbers, very important titles are standouts: “Mocosita”, “Volverás”, “Adiós mi barrio” —a long lasting hit in the local milieu of Montevideo—, “Mi papito”, “Artículo de lujo”, “Patoteros”, “T.B.C.”, “Vieja loca”, “Cuando llegue el otoño”, “Ingrata”, “Saber vivir” —one of his early lyrics—, “Perdonala”, “Boca abierta”, “Puras plumas”, “Sos una fiera”, “Mozo rana” and, furthermore, he ventured in other genres: folk songs, foxtrots and waltzes.

Excerpted from Horacio Ferrer’s Libro del Tango, editorial Antonio Tersol, 1980, Spain.