Mexican composer and violinist, one of the best known Mexican composers of salon music, as well as the one with the highest number of editions abroad and of sound recordings, the first of them released in 1898. Rosas’s best known work is “Sobre las Olas” (or “Over the Waves”). It was first published in Mexico in 1888. It remains popular as a classic waltz, and has also found its way into New Orleans Jazz, Bluegrass Music, Country and Western music and Tejano music. In the United States “Sobre las Olas” has a cultural association with funfairs, circuses and trapeze artists, as it was one of the tunes available for Wurlitzer’s popular line of fairground organs. The music was used for the tune “The Loveliest Night of the Year”, which was sung by Ann Blyth in MGM’s film The Great Caruso. It remains still popular with country and old-time fiddlers in the United States.
Rosas began his musical career as a street musician, playing with dance music bands in Mexico City. In 1884-1885 and 1888 he enrolled at the conservatory, both times leaving it without taking any examination. In the late 1880s, Rosas was reported as a member of a military band, and in 1891 he worked in Michoacán. In 1892–1893 Rosas lived near Monterrey before joining an orchestra in 1893 for a tour through the USA. During this tour, the group performed at the World Columbian Exposition World’s Fair in Chicago, Illinois.
In 1894, Rosas went for a several-month tour to Cuba with an Italian-Mexican ensemble, where he came down with major health problems, having to stay behind in Surgidero de Batabanó. As a result of spinal myelitis, he died there on 9 July 1894 at the age of 26. Fifteen years later, in 1909, his remains were brought back to Mexico. The 1950 film Over the Waves was based on his life, with Pedro Infante playing him.
Link to Wikipedia biography