Episode 363. Orchestral Song of Latin America, Part 1
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A few weeks ago I had the idea of doing a program devoted to American orchestral song. It did not take me long to realize that once again “American [that is to say, US] Exceptionalism” was distorting my viewpoint, because there is a rich legacy of orchestral song not only in the United States, but also in both Canada and Latin America. Therefore I will concern myself separately with each of these diverse Americas. Today’s episode is the first of two that plunges into a repertoire that, with a few exceptions, is, I daresay, virtually unknown to the majority of my audience: Latin American orchestral song. The exception is, of course, Heitor Villa-Lobos. Though vocal music was not a focal point of his output, there remain, nonetheless, songs of his which are known throughout the world. I use these, and the semi-classical songs of Mexican Manuel M. Ponce, as a launching pad to this fascinating “dipping of the toes” into a repertoire that fully deserves our attention, and which includes a segment on another Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas, as performed by a wide array of singers, including Bidú Sayão, Irma González, Ana Maria Martinez, Jennie Tourel, Lourdes Ambriz, Maura Moreira, and Nina Koshetz. We pay special tribute to iconic Brazilian (mezzo-)soprano Maria Lúcia Godoy, who recently died at the age of 100, and whom none other than Sayão claimed as her musical heir.
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Ruth Valladares Corrêa: Aria. Cantilena [excerpt] (Bachianas Brasileiras, No. 5). Maria Lúcia Godoy, Alceo Bocchino, Orchestra of Eight Cellos [Alceu De Almeida Reis, Ana Devos, Atelisa De Salles, Edmundo Oliani, Eduardo Rodríguez Guaita, Giorgio Bariola, Watson Clis, Zygmunt Kubala] [1977]
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Dora Vasconcelos: Melodia Sentimental [Sentimental Melody] l(Floresta do Amazonas). Bidú Sayão, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Symphony of the Air [1959]
Alberto Ginastera, Anonymous text, orchestrated Shimon Cohen: Triste (Cinco canciones populares argentinas, Op. 10/2). Ana Maria Martinez, Gisèle Ben-Dor, Santa Barbara Symphony [2016]
Manuel M. Ponce: Estrellita. Irma González, André Kostelanetz and His Orchestra [radio broadcast 20.IX.43]
Manuel M. Ponce: Serenata mejicana [Alevántate]. Nina Koshetz [1928]
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Manuel Bandeira [AKA Manduca Piá]: Modinha [Love Song] (Seréstas, No. 5). Jennie Tourel, Orchestra conducted by Heitor Villa-Lobos [1945]
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Olegário Mariano: Canção do carreiro [Song of the Ox-Cart Driver] (Seréstas, No. 3). Jennie Tourel, Orchestra conducted by Heitor Villa-Lobos [1945]
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Dora Vasconcelos: Veleiros [Sails] (Floresta do Amazonas). Maria Lúcia Godoy, Henrique Morelenbaum, Orquestra Sinfônica do Rio de Janeiro, Coral Masculino do Rio de Janeiro [1988]
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Dora Vasconcelos: Canção do Amor [Love Song] (Floresta do Amazonas). Natalia Gerasimova, Yevgeny Svetlanov, Russian State Symphony Orchestra [1992]
Silvestre Revueltas, Federico García Lorca: V. Canción de Cuna (Cinco Canciones para Niños y Dos Canciones Profanas). Margarita Pruneda, Luis Herrera de la Fuente, Xalapa Symphony Orchestra [1980]
Silvestre Revueltas, Federico García Lorca: VII. Es verdad (Cinco Canciones para Niños y Dos Canciones Profanas). Margarita Pruneda, Luis Herrera de la Fuente, Xalapa Symphony Orchestra [1980]
Silvestre Revueltas, Daniel Castañeda: Ranas [Frogs] (Five Songs). Lourdes Ambriz, Enrique Arturo Diemecke, Camerata de las Américas [1996]
Silvestre Revueltas, Nicolás Guillén: No sé por qué piensas tú [Why do you believe?]. Jesús Suaste, Enrique Arturo Diemecke, Camerata de las Américas [1996]
Silvestre Revueltas, Nicolás Guillén: Caminando [Walking]. Jesús Suaste, Lourdes Ambriz, Enrique Arturo Diemecke, Camerata de las Américas [1996]
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Carlos Drummond de Andrade: Poema de Itabira [Viagem na Família]. Maura Moreira, Walter Hendl, National Symphony Orchestra [live Fourth Inter-American Music Festival, Maryland VI.68]
