Modesta Sanginés Uriarte

Her philanthropic works provided social services for the elderly, orphans and poor, building a hospital wing to care for those who were unable to provide for themselves. She also used her musical talents to raise funds to assist the wounded and prisoners of war during the war between Bolivia, Chile and Peru over control of the Pacific coast of South America.

• Name — Modesta Sanginés Uriarte • Birth Name — Modesta Cesárea Sanginés Uriarte • Born — 26 February 1832 • Birthplace — La Paz, Bolivia • Died — 5 February 1887 • Place of death — Paris, France • Other Names — Modesta Sanginés, Modesta C. Sanginés U. • Occupation — composer, journalist, philanthropist • Years Active — 1848–1887

Modesta Cesárea Sanginés Uriarte was born on 26 February 1832 in La Paz, Bolivia to Manuela Uriarte Sagárnaga and Indalecio Sanginés y Calderón. Though customs of the time restricted education to men, Sanginés' parents enrolled her in a school which had recently been created by Dámasa Cabezón, a Chilean educator. Cabezón had founded a school for women, which was successful in Chile, and at the invitation of the government of Bolivia was asked to found a school in La Paz in 1845, which operated for three years. Sanginés entered the school and studied French and Italian languages, the arts and music. She was particularly talented on the piano and often gave recitals in tandem with Adolfo Ballivián, who would later become president of Bolivia. Sanginés chose not to marry, though she had suitors, preferring to keep her freedom. When her parents died, she maintained her own home, rather than moving in with her brother, as was customary.

Known as a talented vocalist, as well as a pianist, Sanginés and Bernandino Sagárnaga founded the Philharmonic Society of La Paz in 1863. Sanginés began to compose music and though trained with a familiarity of Beethoven, Bellini, Liszt, Mozart, and Strauss, among others, her music tended to reflect patriotic and religious themes. Her sentimental waltz, Sueños de color de rosa (Rose-colored dreams) was typical of her tender and nostalgic style. Though most of her works remained unpublished, she wrote over 50 compositions and published two volumes of works in Paris. Among her works, she wrote the collection El Alto de la Alianza (The Height of the Alliance), and songs Arroyuelo (Rivulet), Cantos a la Virgen (Songs to the Virgin), La brisa del Uchamachi (The Breeze of the Uchamachi), Pensamiento (Thought), Plegaria a Jusús Crucificado (Prayer to the Crucified Jesus), Recuerdo de los Andes (Memories of the Andes), Villancicos (Christmas Carols), Zapateo Indio (Zapateo Indian), and compositions to commemorate Rigoberto Torrico, Juan Ondarza and her brother Bernardino Sanjinées Uriarte, as well as Variaciones sobre el tema del Himno Nacional (Variations over the theme of the National Anthem). In addition to her musical compositions, from a young age, Sanginés wrote literary compositions, translated works of other authors, and gave language lessons. She published contributions in the newspaper El Jardincito de Maria (Mary's Little Garden) writing useful tips for women and their domestic work. She became editor of the paper publishing 267 issues, though the newspaper later changed its name to Semanario Católico in 1878. In a similar genre, she published the book Trabajos de aguja – nociones de economía doméstica – sencillas preparaciones para alimentos (Needlework – home economic notions – simple food preparations, 1874). Other works included Leyenda "El Desertor" (The legend of the Deserter) which was published in a national anthology, Las dos Claras (The Two Claras) and El Hijo del Cóndor (Son of the Condor). She also wrote a poetic elegy to her mother, which reflected the romantic sentiment of her loss. As a benefactor, Sanginés had a special affinity to care for the poor and sick. She financed and had built, a section of the Hospital Loaiza to provide care for the destitute, the elderly, orphans and women. A member of the Sociedad de Beneficencia (Society of Charity), she worked on many social welfare projects, including feeding those who were without food during the famine of 1878. During the War of the Pacific, Sanginés organized efforts to care for the wounded and prisoners of war. Hosting musical salons and concerts in her home, she raised funds for the war effort. When the war ended, wishing to travel and improve both her education and her health, Sanginés went to Europe. In her will, she left bequests to many of her woman employees, family, friends, specifically noting that the funds were to give the women their own source of earnings for necessities and education, free of male intervention.

The following is established of the heading itself.

The following is established of origins and background. Born in 1832 at La Paz. Institutional cataloguing adds that modesta Sanginés Uriarte died in 1887 at Paris. Institutional cataloguing adds that modesta Sanginés Uriarte is recorded at birth as Modesta Cesárea Sanginés Uriarte.