# Mexican Classical



## charles_arthur_bosch (Aug 18, 2008)

Hello, Charles Arthur Bosch here. I am new, and I wanted to sign up expressly for the intention of venting about the neglect of Mexican classical by the fine arts community, and even by the Mexican-American community. It is thoroughly disheartening to see such an immense and brilliant tradition of music so ubiquitously dismissed or ignored.

For the uninitiated, Mexico has been doing classical music for almost as long as Europe, before there was Mozart, or Bach, there was Mexican classical. The standards were insanely rigorous, and Mexico has produced many composers that were at least at par with the greats. This runs throughout the entire span of Mexican history, from what I have seen, although I need to become more familiar with the romantic era.

It is a universe unto itself, with everything I love about classical music. But try sharing this with someone who should appreciate it. Uggh.


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## opus67 (Jan 30, 2007)

Hello, Charles, welcome to TC. I hope you will shed light on this rather neglected genre of Mexican Classical, and I, and am sure many others as well, will be interested in learning more. The only name I am familiar with is that of Silvestre Revueltas, but that's because his name came up in a sort of composers game that we used in play in forums.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

I recall that our (very) occasional contributor *Reb* included the Carlos Chávez symphonies in his Basic Repertoire List. Good luck finding Chávez symphonies in your local Barnes & Noble, though.

Usually, the cursory pass-through on "Latin-American composers" in music-appreciation texts mentions Villa-Lobos, Ginastera, and Chávez. I like the _Bachianas_ and a lot of Ginastera. How does Chávez compare with those artists?

P.S.: One of my Ginastera perfomance discs is by the Mexico City Phil...


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## Mark Harwood (Mar 5, 2007)

Tell us more, Charles. Anything for the guitar?


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## charles_arthur_bosch (Aug 18, 2008)

*Mexican Baroque*

Right now, what I have been immersed in is a period called Mexican Baroque, which does not seem equivalent to European Baroque. Mexican Baroque seems to encompass Renaissance through Classical styles, and the two major composers I have come across are Juan Gutierrez de Padilla and Ignacio de Jerusalem.

One of the most magnificent classical albums I have listened to is Missa Mexicana by the Harp Consort. It is a compilation (yes, the title is misleading) of early Mexican composers, and it includes sacred and secular music. The beauty of it is that it is set to period and regional instruments, which in my opinion really showcases the pride of place the guitar came to hold in Latin cultures. The album includes Missa ego flos campi by Gutierrez de Padilla, and a host of others.

Another wonderful album is Matins for the Virgin of Guadalupe, by Ignacio de Jerusalem, performed by Chanticleer. Matins was a wildly popular genre of vocal music in the New World, equivalent to opera in Europe, and de Jerusalem's Matins was the most popular. It is Classical style, and it is brilliant.

I am just now losing myself in this little musical universe, but outside of Mexican Baroque, there is a brilliant comtemporary composer named Alicia Urreta. I have never heard anything quite like her, but as mentioned previously, this genre is much neglected and difficult to find.


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## YsayeOp.27#6 (Dec 7, 2007)

Hi, Charles



charles_arthur_bosch said:


> For the uninitiated, Mexico has been doing classical music for almost as long as Europe, before there was Mozart, or Bach, there was Mexican classical. The standards were insanely rigorous, and Mexico has produced many composers that were at least at par with the greats.


Could you please elaborate a bit more? Like giving out some names, dates, etc.

Henryk Szeryng fell in love for Mexico, a country in which he got his citizenship in 1946. As I understand, he gave the USA premiere of the violin concerto by Manuel Maria Ponce. (Not a great work... but he did it).


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## charles_arthur_bosch (Aug 18, 2008)

*Mexican history*

Well, Mexico was colonized in the early 1500's, and composers from that time on competed to fill the posts at cathedrals and other institutions. Matins for the Virgin of Guadalupe is dated 1764. Juan Gutierrez de Padilla was the maestro de capilla at the Puebla Cathedral in 1626. This was the most prestigious musical appointment at the time, as Puebla was the fine arts capital of colonial Spain.


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## oisfetz (Dec 11, 2006)

The 4 Silvestre Revueltas SQ are master pieces IMHO. Also the Chavez v.c.
(by Szering-Chavez). Great works nearly nobody ever plays live.


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## linceed87 (Oct 21, 2008)

hi, could you elaborate on some mexican composers?, i know chavez, the chacone in mi menor is great, and you could check also Moncayo, specialy the huapango, is amazing
regards
mau


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## shsherm (Jan 24, 2008)

A week ago I attended a concert of The Pasadena Symphony which was entirely devoted to music of Mexican composers. They included Syphonia India by Chavez, a concerto for Mariachi and orchestra by Nevin called Pasion Mexicana, La Noche de los Mayas by Reveultas, and ended with Huapango. The conductor is Jorge Mester and he is a native of Mexico City.


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## andruini (Apr 14, 2009)

i have to say, being a Mexican, i was really interested in finding out what happened and is happening in the classical world here.. the neglect for Mexican composers is just criminal, in my opinion..

i really recommend the disc "Musica Sinfónica Mexicana del Siglo XX" (Mexican Symphonic Music of the 20th Century).. i think you can find it on Amazon.. there are some real gems.. Especially the "Canto Latinoamericano" by Mario Kuri-Aldana..

i really enjoy Silvestre Revueltas, Chávez, Ponce, Moncayo.. it's really baffling how neglected most of them are by the international community..

oh, and everyone should check out Arturo Marquez' works (i'm hoping to study composition with him in the fall).. here's a couple of his "Danzones":


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

I am familir with some of the orchestral works of Revueltas. Amazing stuff. I would love to see La Noches de los Mayas performed live.


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## pucheng (Apr 20, 2009)

Hello charles.
Mexicans to have a good music.
Its very cultural and unique.
Using guitars, maracas, etc.
I often hear mexican music usually on boxing shows, welcoming mexican boxers until they reach the ring.
_________________________
It feels good listening to music


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

The Chavez symphonies are well crafted and a delight. I remember my first introduction to them was the Vox box series.

Jim


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## JoeGreen (Nov 17, 2008)

_Caminos_ by Silvestre Revueltas is another great piece that I recommend to those who might just be discovering this neglected part of the classical world.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

What is Caminos? Work for orchestra?


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## JoeGreen (Nov 17, 2008)

Tapkaara said:


> What is Caminos? Work for orchestra?


Yes it's a 3-part Orchestral Tone Poem.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

JoeGreen said:


> Yes it's a 3-part Orchestral Tone Poem.


Ooh, this sounds like one I'm gonna have to track down. I'm blown away by his other orchestral work, so I'm sure this one is _fantastico._


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

handlebar said:


> The Chavez symphonies are well crafted and a delight. I remember my first introduction to them was the Vox box series.


I agree. I used to have a CD with 3 of *Chavez'* symphonies on it - _Sinfonia India, Sinfonia de Antigona & Sinfonia Romantica_. It was with the New York Stadium Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the composer, on Philips. Probably out of print now. I regret that I don't have that CD any more, along with many others in my original collection...

His style was pretty unique and identifiable as Mexican. It was modern but accessible. In many ways, I think he put Mexico on the map, same as what Sibelius did for Finland. We also must locate him in the context of what happened after the Mexican political revolution in the early C20th, and the emergence of a national character in the arts, shown in music by Chavez, and in painting by people like Siquerios, Orozco and Rivera.

I'm only beginning to get into South American composers. Recently, I purchased a CD of Ariel Ramirez' sacred music, including _Misa Criolla_, and am planning to get more like Brazilian Villa Lobos.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

Another Latin American composer I have recently discovered in Agustin Barrios. He was from Paraguay. His guitar works are superb.

From Cuba there is Leo Brouwer. His is more modern sounding, but highly accessible.


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## EarlyCuyler (Mar 28, 2009)

Revueltas is amazing. CHeck out the Salonen.Los Angeles CD of his works. Also, there are also spectacular pieces of his on other CD's especially the Dorian Label. Arturo Marquez i another great composer, check out the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra playing his _Danzon No.2_. If you want to expand into South American composers check out Alberto Ginastera, Mozart Camargo Guarnieri, and Claudio Santoro.


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