For this journal I listened to a collection of music by Mexican composers. All of these pieces were written between 1932 and 1950, yet they cover a wide range of styles and genres. The works range from transcriptions of Baroque and Classical pieces to modernist atonal works. They can be humorous and playful at times and wistfully sentimental at others. Some of the works feature Mexican folksongs, while others sound positively European. This recording portrays a wide and diverse musical scene in Mexico around the turn of the century. I had no idea that the Mexican music scene was so diverse and vibrant in the early twentieth century.
European classical music in the early twentieth century can be defined by a wave of nationalism. Composers from the various countries tried to create a style that drew upon the traditions, personalities, and melodies of their homelands. Across the ocean, Mexican composers were following this trend. Perhaps they were merely jumping on the bandwagon of nationalism because Europe had always been the center of musical development, but I believe there is a deeper explanation for this trend. The Mexican Revolution which lasted from 1910 to around 1920 had just recently freed Spain from the longtime rule of dictator Porfirio Diaz. Perhaps their new found social freedom inspired their nationalism much in the way that the creation of new European countries inspired its composers. The different artists presented here each tackled this nationalistic task with a different technique.
Like Bartók and some other European composers, Mexican composer Blas Galindo Dimas sought to incorporate native folk music into his works. Dimas' Sones de Mariachi from 1940, is a tribute to the Mexican mariachi band. The work is written for full orchestra, but the trumpets, clarinets, violins, and percussion—which often make up the core of a small mariachi group—are prominently featured. The work is light hearted, using traditional melodies and dance rhythms. It is in ABA form, with quick and happy A sections and a sentimental and lyrical B section. Harmonically, this piece is not very adventurous, staying decidedly tonal throughout. Dimas' use of the orchestral palette is wonderful, though. He takes the basic textures of a small mariachi group and expands them to encompass a whole orchestra. The dance-able rhythms and joyous rhythm make this a rousing listening experience.
Rodolfo Halffter shows evidence of the influence Stravinsky had over Mexican (and most other) composers of the time. Halffter draws mostly on the master's later “neo-classical” style. He has two works presented on this CD. The first is three Classical harpsichord sonatas by Antonio Soler that Halffter arranged for full orchestra. The orchestrations are not particularly compelling, but show that he was highly aware of older musical styles and wished to share them with the people of his time. The second work is Obertura Festiva, op. 21, written in 1952. Despite being described as “neo-classical” this piece has numerous thoroughly modern features. His harmonic language is highly chromatic, yet never atonal, and his rapid shifts in orchestration show, yet again, the influence of Stravinsky. Often, he deals with juxtaposing blocks of sound, but, unlike Stravinsky, the melodic line will continue. It threads a path through the rapid textural and timbral changes. In these examples, Halffter shows how he wanted to combine the traditions of the past with new musical devices.
On this less modern side of the musical spectrum, Manuel Ponce's Estrallita shows the influence of European art and parlor songs. The piece was originally a song with piano accompaniment, but the version on the CD is an instrumental arrangement for string orchestra. It is a very simple tune, but with a distinctly Mexican flair. It has short phrases with many repeated notes that create a lively, almost frivolous character. The accompaniment style and are harmonization, though, are purely Romantic. This string version delivers the melody in a highly syrupy, sentimental way. This tune was very popular in its day and was probably distributed mostly by sheet music sales.
The star of this CD is undoubtedly Silvestre Revueltas. He was the only composer on this disc that I had heard of before, though only in passing, and I had never heard his music. The set includes three of his works: Janitizio (1933), Ocho por Radio (1933), and Sensemayá (1938). The last of these is Revueltas' most widely known piece. The piece is often compared to Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, and with good reason. Firstly, the pieces share similar programmatic stories. Sensemayá is based off of a poem describing the ritual killing of a snake—similar to Stravinsky tale of a young virgin's death. Primitive rhythms, haunting timbres, violent brass, dissonant voicings, and block-style changes are elements that both composers utilize in their pieces. Nonetheless, Sensemayá would probably not be confused for a Stravinsky work. Revueltas may have used some of Stravinsky's ideas, but he put his own nationalistic stamp on it. The main difference in Revueltas' style is his use of melody. While he does not quote folk tunes directly, the piece has a melodic line with a few large leaps and many repeated notes that is uncannily Mexican. Elements of Stravinsky technique of juxtaposing blocks of sound can be heard frequently in this piece, but the infectious melody always pervades despite radical style changes in the accompaniment. This technique can be heard often in Janitizio and Ocho por Radio, as well. Sometimes he juxtaposes musical blocks that share no instruments, but the melodic line will continue uninterrupted in a new voice. This gives the piece a unity and flow that Stravinsky did not strive for. The technique makes the piece more accessible because it is easier to follow.
Overall, Revueltas works are more predictable than Stravinsky's, especially in the rhythms, which tend to be more repetitive. His works show a light-hearted nature that seems to be a hallmark of the Mexican nationalist style.
Mexico certainly had a wide variety of music happening between 1930 and 1952, but there is little revolutionary. The works continue the nationalist trends of incorporating folk melodies and rhythms into the music, but the orchestrations, harmonies and forms are all drawing on the pioneering works of others. The one exception to this is Revueltas. His music, while drawing heavily on Stravinsky, shows more of a digestion of his break-throughs more than direct copying. It has a sense of daring and individuality that makes it compelling even today. Sensemayá is already a well-known piece played by many orchestras and it certainly deserves to be a part of the Canon. The other works on the disc, while charming and a worthwhile listen, are not essential to the understanding of Western music.
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