Bella Cubana by Jose White as played by IberoAmerica Ensemble

Watch a live concert video of La Bella Cubana played by IberoAmerica Ensemble

Jose White Lafitte (1836-1918) was a Cuban violinist and composer. Mr. White attended the world reknowned Paris Conservatoire de Musique where he studied the violin with Jean Alard, and won a premier prix in 1856.

From 1857 to 1858, he was first violinist of a quintet, but then decided to leave Paris to return to Cuba. Upon this return, he performed with Louis Moreau Gottschalk, a well known pianist of the time.

Based in Paris again from 1861 to 1874, through various performing engagements, he increased his reputation as a soloist and chamber player. In 1866, he became a member of the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire; among his students were George Enescu and Jacques Thibaud. Along with teaching he went on a performance tour of Europe in the early 1870s, performing frequently with his wife who was brilliant violinist. He also toured widely in South America during the mid to late 1870s.

Due to his success he became the court violinist to the emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil, and with Napoleão dos Santos he founded the Sociedade de Conciertos Clasicos. From 1889 he lived in Paris and continued his life as a player, teacher, and composer. His few compositions, most of them highly influenced by European models such as Wieniawski and Vieuxtemps, include a violin concerto, string quartet, a Bolero for violin and orchestra, Variaciones for harpsichord and orchestra, six concert studies for violin and several pieces for violin and piano, including La Bella Cubana, a kind of Cuban national music based on the rhythms of the old Haitian guaracha and the Dominican merengue. Anyone looking for his original manuscripts can find them in the Biblioteca Nacional in Havana, Cuba.

This page has a very complete account of his life.