Music we've been missing (Part 3): the Latin connection
This week's music-we've-been-missing installment continues in an instrumental vein and looks at an area every North American orchestra ought to be exploring a lot more often -- Latin American repertoire.
The Baltimore Symphony, to pick the most obvious local example, needs to spread its wings much wider to embrace music from other parts of the hemisphere, digging into the sonic riches from Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil and more. This should be an easy stretch, technically and stylistically, and it sure would liven things up a great deal.
Where to start beefing up Latin music programming? An obvious candidate would be Heitor Villa-Lobos. Some items from his Bachianas brasileiras series turn up around here every now and then, but several more need attention. Then there is his Choro series, not to mention his symphonies and concertos. Alberto Ginastera deserves more recognition. A lesser known figure well worth checking out is Evencio Castellanos, whose Santa Cruz de Pacairigua is a strikingly colorful creation. But I think I'd begin a Latin exploration with ...
Carlos Chavez. His concertos would be cool, if you could find any soloists who know them. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with the Sinfonia india (Symphony No. 2), a great introduction to this much overlooked, but highly significant, composer. Here's a taste, with the Berlin Philharmonic led by Gustavo Dudamel:
Comments
I would love to hear a live performance of Silvestre Revueltas' "Night of the Mayas" -- complete with conch shell obbligato! There's a whole galaxy of Latin American composers that deserves more circulation in the concert and recital halls.
Si, si. Revueltas. And that 'Sensemaya' is a knock-out. TIM
Posted by: Clayton | July 28, 2009 6:11 AM
I would love to hear Ginastera's operas, but even recordings are not available. Some time ago Domingo was said to have recorded Don Rodrigo, anybody knows what happened to it?
Posted by: Don Ciccio | July 28, 2009 4:40 PM
BIS records has a stunning series of recordings with the Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra of composers who are not much known outside of Brazil, like Guarnieri. There are several really strong, impressive pieces to be found, the sound is wonderful and the orchestra plays beautifully. The trombone section includes a Baltimore native and School for the Arts alum, Darin Milling.
Funny how orchestras note that latin programs are selling lots of tickets these days but they still present the same old pieces on those programs.
Right you are. (Some orchestras even think they've done their duty by playing Copland's 'El Salon Mexico.') Thanks for the comments and the recommendation. TIM
Posted by: Rudy | July 29, 2009 10:33 AM
The Brazilian composer Carlos Gomes wrote some operas that were quite popular in their day. Domingo recorded his Il Guarany a while back, but there are others such as Salvator Rosa (Siepi made a wonderful recording of the bass aria from this opera) and Lo Schiavo, an opera based on the liberation struggle of Brazilian slaves. One of his opera might be a nice change from yet another Butterfly!
Nice change, indeed. TIM
Posted by: mike | July 30, 2009 7:51 AM
+1 for Revueltas -- both of the pieces mentioned have received performances in other cities during the past two seasons, including Philly and at _least _ two other places; coincidentally, Cinci's doing "Night of the Mayas" in October.
Here's a decent list from Janelle Gelfand, Tim's colleague at the Cinci Enquirer:
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2002/08/07/tem_latin_composers.html
Thanks for the link. Janelle's list is a great reminder of what we've been missing locally. TIM
Posted by: Doug Halfen | July 30, 2009 8:21 AM
We heard Reveultas' La noche de los Mayos several seasons back, and it definitely rocked the house. No, it's not Beethoven, but then not everything needs to be.
I'd like to put in a plug for Alberto Ginastera on concert programs, particularly his Harp Concerto. It'd be great to hear that live, although I don't think I'll live that long. Part of the issue is that the European tradition of concert hall music does not seem as well ensconed in South America and Central America, hence the lack of works. Of course, they have their own rich traditions of folk music and popular music, so....
Posted by: Geo. | July 31, 2009 12:34 PM
Dudamel has an all-Latin music CD (all Latin American composers except a brief encore). Exuberant. Marquez Danzon #2 is out of this world. The CD is called Fiesta, there's material about it on http://www2.deutschegrammophon.com/special/?ID=dudamel-fiesta
You can see him conducting the Danzon at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vwZAkfLKK8
Posted by: Carolyn Curtis | September 5, 2009 1:05 AM