MUSIC

Pedro Oliver, a generous father with his daughters, facilitates the development of his children’s tendencies. Josefina says:

‘(…) At night the guitar was brought - We tuned it and we messed up (…)’ Notes 1, p.142

‘(…) Around five we went out. I chose a superb Stenway piano. (…) At half past three the piano arrived on a cart. After two hours of suffering, because five Basque could not enter it through the inner door lap, it finally did. (…) I am excited with my new piano, I have no time to used it for the first time.’ Notes 1, p.240 and 241

Since she is young, Josefina very often attends operas, concerts and choral societies at Club Español and Centre Catalá (Casal de Cataluña nowadays).
At the bourgeois homes there are hard working pianos, and Buenos Aires is full of enthusiastic music lovers that receive musical world figures at national theatres.

Both Oliver sisters act in the zarzuela La Verbena de la Paloma, played at the Centre Catalá, a club which Pedro Oliver founds with some friends and directs twice.

‘(…) Sunday 26th- Berbena de la Paloma performance. We dressed at the Patau’s dressing room. Catalina and I for the choir. During the performance, they gave us flowers. After the Berbena dance… We arrived home at 3 (…)’. Notes 1, p.053, September 94

Josefina plays the guitar, the piano and the armonium. Since her adolescence, and all through her life, she records her reviews of the musical programmes she listens to.

‘(…) Saturday 5th- It started to rain and I went down to Raquel’s. We were chatting until Candriani came. After dinner both of them came home to listen to music. Raquel sang and I played Mephistopheles, Manon, Aida, Cavalleria, etc. We ate pastries brought by them (…)’. Notes 1, p.160, December 96

In 1900, she takes photos of his beloved piano teacher, Nicola Justoni:

‘(…) Wednesday 10th- After Cat attended her piano lesson we asked Justoni to come upstairs. Mercedes was there. I took three portraits of Justoni. We went downstairs later to attend the lesson (…)’ Diary 2, p.253 and 254

A friend gives her a postcard with music composed for her:

‘(…) The Llonchs… Luis – an admirer and a closed friend of mine – musician – he dedicated all his pieces to me – he visited me home at 1275, Ecuador St, on the farm - a platonic adorer- (…)’ ‘I’ Autobiography. Diary 16, p.159

She takes two self-portraits playing the piano in her sister and her husband’s houses, in San Martin de las Escobas and in Rosario, Santa Fe. About her first trip to Europe in 1903, she says:

‘(…) We left on the Duchessa di Génova at the beginning of May – Picturesque voyage, unforgettable; Captain Pio Batta Carbone was all the trip my surrendered admirer. I played the piano very well – I accompanied all the singers – we had a great time, a lot of friendliness, a lot of warmth (…)’ ‘I’ Autobiography. Diary 16, p.142

A Tango lover, during her stay in Mallorca, her sister Catalina sends her piano scores from Buenos Aires:

Palma, December 27th 1929
Dear Catalina-
(…) We got with great jubilation your Hogares package- (…) The tangos are gorgeous, we ran to the piano to play them at the moment - (…) What can I tell you? Just thanks one thousand and one thousand times, as well as for the two mates that really made me upset because the package was rummaged and both of the two beautiful galletas were torn to pieces.
(…)Everybody remember the Americans fondly - Distribute this affection on my name among everybody and have a big hug from
Papa