Informationen zu "Michael Montgomery Songs of Old Mexico Double Bass Quartet"
Verlag: Recital Music
Verlagsnummer: RM870
EAN: 9790570458707
ISMN: M-57045-870-7
Beschreibung
Michael Montgomery writes: It has been my pleasure to work for several years
now with a student bass quartet comprised of pre-teen bassists of Mexican
descent. Due to the fact that the four of them have been consistent in their
practice and rehearsals and audience response to their public performances
has been heartwarming, I felt moved to find a way to embellish their
repertory with something that could reflect their heritage. I decided to
arrange for them five well known traditional folk songs which I believe
reflect strongly the character of the Mexican culture. 1, Cielito Lindo
In Hispanic circles the phrase 'Mi Cielo' (My Sky) is used often as a term of
endearment, and this song title might be loosely translated as 'Lovely Sweet
One'. Even though the song's origins have been traced back to the 1700s with
references to the feared bandits of the Sierra Morena Mountains of Spain,
Mariachi bands long ago laid claim to this song, and it is today thought of
internationally as the theme song of Mexico. 2. Las Mañanitas A staple of
Mexican folk repertory, one can expect this piece to be sung as the cake is
cut at any typical Mexican birthday party. This particular song also plays an
important role in the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is observed each
December 12th. The vigil that takes place on the evening before is
traditionally marked by an elaborate concert in many of the big churches, and
Las Mañanitas, often sung by a famous Mexican artist, is perhaps the most
anticipated song of the night. 3. La Adelita The origins of this well
known folk song can be found in the Mexican Revolution of the early 1900s.
The lyrics recount the story of a woman from Durango who follows the movement
of (and in fact falls in love with) the revolutionary leader Francisco
Madero. It is today associated with the many courageous women for fought for
the cause of the revolution in this crusade. 4. La Cucaracha The lyrics
of this song describe a cockroach who can no longer walk correctly because he
has lost one of his hind legs, a symbolic criticism of a political leader.
Apparently there is great difficulty in dating this song due to the immense
number of verses that are associated with it (it would seem that history
offers us no shortage of political leaders deserving our criticism), some of
which date back as far as the Spanish defeat of the Moors in 1492. Be that as
it may, the greatest number of verses seems to be associated with the Mexican
Revolution of the early 1900s, and this song has become entrenched firmly in
the Mexican tradition. 5. Jarabe Tapatío Emerging as a dance form in the
late 1700s, the 'jarabe' was especially popular in the central and southern
parts of Mexico, and remained so into the early 1900s. The people of
Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city, have acquired the nickname
'Tapatio', a word taken from the name for a monetary unit used in
pro-Columbian times in that area. The song Jarabe Tapatio is closely
associated with the Mariachi music that evolved in the Guadalajara vicinity,
and even today every school child learns this tune. [Programme notes by
Michael Montgomery] Double bassist Michael Montgomery, a student of
Robert Rohe and Lucas Drew, has a Doctor of Musical Arts degree, played in
the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra for many years, and now lives in the Ozark
Mountains of Arkansas, where he teaches at the University of Arkansas
Fayetteville and the Suzuki Music School of Arkansas. His articles have been
published in American Suzuki Journal, Bass World, and Pastoral Music.
