The Cypress String Quartet
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CUARTETO LATINOAMERICANO Saúl Bitrán, violin I 2:30 PM, April 22, 2012 Arón Bitrán, violin II Faye Spanos Concert Hall Javier Montiel, viola In cooperation with Pacific’s TH Alvaro Bitrán, cello Conservatory of Music 56 SEASON WWW.CHAMBERMUSICFRIENDS.ORG Fantasia for String Quartet (1946) Gonzalo CASTELLANOS YUMAR (Venezuela, 1926) Barcarola (1932) Francisco MIGNONE Minuetto (1924) (Brazil, 1897–1986) Tres Canciones Españolas (1929) Cuarteto en Sol (Quartet in G) (1958) Domingo LOBATO Lento (Mexico, 1920) Largo Rudo –intermission– Echú* (2010) Alejandro CARDONA (Costa Rica, 1959) Lullaby (1919) George GERSHWIN (Brooklyn, 1898–1937) String Quartet No. 5 (1931) Heitor VILLA-LOBOS Poco Andantino (Brazil, 1887–1959) Vivo ed Energico Andantino—Tempo Giusto Vivo ed Energico * Dedicated to Cuarteto Latinoamericano CUARTETO LATINOAMERICANO is represented in the USA by Thomas Gallant, MCM Artists, P.O. Box 825, Highland, NY 12528 845.691.4960 tgallant@mcmarts http://www.mcmarts.com http://www.cuartetolatinoamericano.com/en/ Artists Program Conservatories, Mignone returned to São Paulo in 1929 to teach harmony, and in Cuarteto Latinoamericano is a world "Spanish music" or "Latin rhythms” are 1933 took a post in Rio de Janeiro at the renowned string quartet from Latin standard labels used to describe music Escola Nacional de Musica.. Mignone America that will celebrate its thirtieth from Latin American sources. If you was a versatile composer, writing solo anniversary season this year. Founded in replace "Spanish" and "Latin" with songs, piano pieces, chamber instrumental Mexico in 1981, Cuarteto "American" and "Anglo", the ambiguity of works, orchestral works, choral works, Latinoamericano is the leading proponent such terms is obvious. In Latin America, five operas and eight ballets. of Latin American music for string quartet. there is usually some local musical flavor, Much of Mignone's music is strongly Three members are brothers, but all four and the inherent cultural and ethnic factors nationalistic in which he uses the folk and share a mission to spread Latin American of a region or group are more strongly popular melodies and forms of his native chamber music to the world. They have expressed than their political frameworks Brazil as a basis for his compositions. His toured extensively in Europe, the or boundaries. Today you may compare solo vocal and piano works earned him Americas, Israel, China, Japan and New the music by composers from four different particular acclaim for their expression of Zealand. The quartet has introduced more Latin American locations.1 Brazilian musical styles, such as the than a hundred works written for them Castellanos Yumar—Fantasia choro, the modinha, and the valsas and participated in over a hundred world (waltzes) of which he wrote a series called Gonzalo Castellanos Yumar, premieres. They are the recipient of a Valsas da Esquina, for various instruments. Venezuelan composer and conductor, 1983 Mexican Music Critics Association Brazilian musicologist Osvaldo began his musical studies at age 6 with award and "most adventurous Colarusso has this to say about the his father, an organist and choirmaster. programming" awards from CMA/ASCAP three pieces in today's concert: "The He studied composition in 1940 with in 1997, 1999, and 2000. Barcarola was written at the beginning Vicente Emilio Sojo at the Escuela Cuarteto Latinoamericano was quartet- of Mignone's period of collaboration Superior de Música, Caracas. In 1947 his in-residence at Carnegie Mellon with Mario de Andrade. It begins with Suite Caraqueña won the National University in Pittsburgh from 1987 until the characteristic flowing rhythm of Composition Prize. His symphonic work 2008. They have collaborated with many the Italian Barcarolla, but there is also Antelación e imitación fugaz won in the artists including cellists János Starker and an element of nationalist character in 1955 Belgian Queen Elisabeth Yehuda Hanani, pianists Santiago the middle section, in 3/8, where we Competition. From 1959 to 1963, he Rodriguez, Cyprien Katsaris and Rudolph can foresee the Valsas da Esquina. studied conducting, analysis and Buchbinder, tenor Ramón Vargas, and “The Minuetto is the oldest work for orchestration, and attended classes of guitarists Narciso Yepes, Sharon Isbin, string quartet by this author. Written in Celibidache and Messiaen. David Tanenbaum and Manuel Barrueco. 1924, it has absolutely nothing "Brazilian", Castellanos returned to Venezuela in A commissioned guitar quintet from neither in the…main theme or in the Trio. 1963 and held several posts as conductor, American composer Gabriela Lena Frank, It is actually a transcription of an excerpt teacher and administrator. In 1978 he gave Inca Dances, won a Grammy in 2009 for from the opera 0 contratador de diamantes, up conducting to dedicate himself to Best New Latin Composition. written in 1921. composition. In 1990 he received the Cuarteto Latinoamericano has recorded “Between 1927 and 1929 Mignone was National Music Prize of Venezuela for over sixty CDs, which include the in Spain, and during this time he wrote lifetime achievement. Despite his small complete works for string quartet by several songs in Spanish. Vasco Mariz, output, Castellanos is recognized as a Heitor Villa-Lobos, Silvestre Revueltas, the Brazilian historian, said in his History great Venezuelan composer. Alberto Ginastera, as well as most of the of Music in Brazil that is was in this period His Fantasia for String Quartet reflects a Latin American repertoire for string when Mignone became a great songwriter. post-Impressionist nationalist aesthetic quartet. The sixth volume of their Villa- In 1932 he transcribed three of these and introduces elements of Venezuelan Lobos 17-quartet cycle, recorded for songs for string quartet: Nana, ¿Por qué traditional music within a classical Dorian, was nominated for Grammy lloras morenita, and Las mujeres son las framework. Listen for the constant Awards for Best Chamber Music and Best moscas. In these transcriptions the main alternating 6/8 and 3/4 time signatures, a Latin Music. song line is in the first violin, while the hallmark of Venezuelan music. The Cuarteto is credited with the other instruments accompany. The emergence of a new generation of string Mignone—Tres Piezas subtleties of the instrumentation players. Under the auspices of the Francisco Paolo Mignone, son of an (harmonics, tremolo) put us in an almost Sistema Nacional de Orquestas Juveniles Italian immigrant flutist, is one of the most impressionistic atmosphere.” of Venezuela, the Cuarteto has created significant figures in Brazilian classical Lobato—Cuarteto en Sol the Latin American Academy for String music. In 1968 he was chosen Brazilian Domingo Lobato was born in 1920 in Quartets, based in Caracas, which serves composer of the year and is considered Morelia, in the state of Michoacan. In as a training ground for five select young one of the most significant Brazilian 1951, Lobato accepted an invitation to string quartets from the Sistema. The composers. collaborate at the State of Jalisco School Cuarteto visits the Academy four times a A graduate of the São Paulo and Milan of Fine Arts. In 1956, he agreed to teach at year. 1 Five if you count Brooklyn the music school of the University of Guadalajara where he was director for 18 [metaphorical] doors". We could say that Villa-Lobos wrote a total of 17 string years. In 1958, he received the Premio this piece is a contemporary and Latin- quartets and was working on an eighteenth Jalisco for the Arts as a musician, teacher Americanized reinvention of the blues …" at the time of his death in 1959. They span and composer. His works include religious Gershwin—Lullaby a period of forty-two years, are filled with music for choir and for organ, symphonies, the composer's skillful experiments with Speaking of blues, Gershwin's Lullaby is concerti, chamber music, and music for tonality, polyrhythm, color, sonority, texture, a fairly early work, from the same period as theatre and ballet. and his much beloved and ubiquitous his breakthrough hit song Swanee and his Lobatos' Cuarteto en Sol is written in a Brazilian folk language, and are peculiarly Broadway play La La Lucille. He was at language which, although romantic in its and lamentably missing from the customary this same time a devoted student in theory gestures and aesthetic conception, is concert repertoire. His quartets have and harmony of Edward Kilenyi, a Hungarian nonetheless firmly rooted in the 20th pronounced strict discipline, although they émigré who encouraged his gifted pupil's Century. The Lento begins with a highly eschew the structures of classical tradition: interest in popular music. Lullaby started chromatic and slow introduction, followed strict sonata movements, variations, and life as one of Gershwin's exercises, in this by a faster and rocking movement in 12/8. rondos. None is a compositional exercise, case writing for string quartet. It is in The character of the music is easy-going but rather they all display his ability to straightforward A-B-A form, with an and flowing, although you should listen for synthesize his broad range of inspirations. occasional soupçon of jazz (listen for a relentless, bold use of chromatics. The Composed in São Paulo in 1931, the syncopation and "blue" notes) suggestive second movement is one of the most fifth quartet is among the most immediately of Gershwin's popular leanings. poignant pieces ever written for string appealing and at the same time one of the Gershwin never did anything himself to quartet in Mexico. You will hear a lengthy most inventive of all 17 quartets. Its stable promote the piece in its original form, but viola solo, which explores a dark and tonal logic and unmistakable melodies he did turn it into the aria "Has Anyone emotive setting. The movement fades out coexist with astonishing originality and Seen My Joe?” a number in his leaving a sense of vague yearning. creativity.