He was born in Havana, the son of a very successful dance orchestra conductor, composer, and violinist who was his first teacher. He was also taught by the Belgian violinist Joseph van der Gucht, who lived in Havana. A child prodigy, he gave his first public concert at the Liceo de La Habana in 1863, when he was only 11.
In 1869, he went to Paris and was admitted to the Conservatoire National, where he won first prize in 1871. He subsequently performed to great acclaim in Milan, Florence, Berlin, Warsaw, St. Petersburg (the first Cuban to perform on a Russian stage), London, New York, Barcelona, various cities in Central and South America (notably Buenos Aires, where he was given a Stradivarius violin), and of course, Havana.
The French government made him a Chevalier in the Légion d’Honneur. The emperor of Germany, Wilhelm II, gave him the Order of the Black Eagle and the title of Baron de Salas. According to critical reviews of the era, in his prime he was one of the best classical violinists in the world, whose playing combined both brilliance and subtlety — earning him comparison with the legendary Italian violinist Niccolò Paganini.
Sadly, he contracted tuberculosis and his career dwindled, and he died in poverty in Buenos Aires. In 1930, his ashes were brought to Cuba with great honors (they now reside in the Church of San Francisco de Paula in Havana), and in 1958 he was put on a Cuban postage stamp.
And yes, he happened to be a black man, but he didn’t get any help from “affirmative action” or “progressive” measures or being politically correct. He made it to the top through sheer talent, dedication and determination, which makes his achievements all the more remarkable.