UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
Date: 26 June 2006
I, Cira Guadalupe Parra hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: Doctor of Musical Arts in: Choral Conducting It is entitled: A Conductor’s Guide to Selected Choral Works of Modesta Bor
This work and its defense approved by:
Chair: Dr. Stephen R. Coker______Dr. Earl G. Rivers______Dr. Edward Nowacki______
A Conductor’s Guide to Selected Choral Works of Modesta Bor
A document submitted to the
Division of Graduate Studies and Research of the University of Cincinnati
In a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS
In the Ensembles and Conducting Division of the College-Conservatory of Music
2006
by
Cira Parra 620 Clinton Springs Ave Cincinnati, Ohio 45229 [email protected]
B.M., University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, 1987
M.M., University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, 1989
Committee Chair: Stephen R. Coker
ABSTRACT
Modesta Bor (1926-98) was one of the outstanding Venezuelan composers, conductors, music educators and musicologists of the twentieth century. She wrote music for orchestra, chamber music, piano solo, piano and voice, and incidental music. She also wrote more than 95 choral works for mixed voices and 130 for equal-voice choir. Her style is a mixture of Venezuelan nationalism and folklore with European traits she learned in her studies in Russia. Chapter One contains a historical background of the evolution of Venezuelan art music since the colonial period, beginning in 1770. Knowing the state of art music in Venezuela helps one to understand the unusual nature of the
Venezuelan choral movement that developed in the first half of the twentieth century.
The second chapter contains a biography of the composer and takes into consideration the three main areas of influence in her musical style. In the third chapter, I discuss Bor’s compositional traits as they pertain to melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, form, and performance practice of her works, paying particular attention to providing useful information to conductors. I provided a guide to conductors in matters such as: realizing the rhythmic content of her music and interpreting rests in her music; approaching the polyphonic textures that often accompany a melody; recognizing implied tempo changes and rubato within a work that are not specified in the score; interpreting the presence or absence of dynamics in her scores; understanding the relationship between text and music; providing information to the pronunciation of the nonsense syllables. Bor’s works discussed in Chapter Three are: Balada de la luna, luna, Canto a la vida, La cabrita,
Regreso al mar, Canto de paz, Manchas sonoras and Aquí te amo. Bor’s folk-influenced music and choral arrangements are addressed in Chapter
Four. In some of her aguinaldos and other folk music, rhythmic and textural elements are discussed. Chapter Five consists of a complete list of Bor’s choral compositions and sources where these works may be obtained. A summary and conclusions are presented in
Chapter Six.
Copyright © 2006 by Cira Parra All rights reserved
To God
For giving me the opportunity to study And the strength to continue growing
To my daughter Vero
My fountain of laughter and happiness
To my family
My mother, mamama, mami, My father and cousins always at my side
To my friends
Mark and Tom, Lili, Maria Eglee, Erin, Luis and Jeannette, For believing in me and supporting me always
To my choirs
GARUA, ANONIMO, UNIMET, CEF, With which I will always sing!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I was blessed and very fortunate to have arrived in Cincinnati in 1984, and to have had the support at the College-Conservatory of Music of so many wonderful professors and musicians with such outstanding quality as human beings. I would like to acknowledge the following people: Dr. Robert Zierolf, my advisor in my undergraduate studies who has followed my career closely, and to whom I have always been able to turn for advice; Mr. Teri Murai, my orchestral conducting professor and advisor, who taught me the importance of making the best music possible; Dr. Edward Nowacki and my three choral conducting professors, Dr. Elmer Thomas, Dr. John Leman and especially Dr. Earl
Rivers, who believed and still believe in my talent and in me, always giving the best possible support. I am deeply indebted to Dr. Stephen Coker who accepted the challenge of advising the document of a foreign student he had never taught and who guided me expertly through it. I express special thanks to the CCM College Office and staff: Dr.
Warren George, Ms. Lee Stone, Ms. Dee Macke, and last but not least, Ms. Rose Hensley for their administrative assistance.
Further, I wish to acknowledge my conducting professors in Caracas, Michel
Eustache and Alberto Grau, who discovered my talent and who guided me since my early years. Thank you both; this degree is partly yours. In addition, Alberto Grau’s assistance in finding some of the details of the premieres of Bor’s works has been invaluable.
I could not have written this document without the tremendous support I received from the CCM Music Librarian, my supervisor for five years and now my friend and guardian angel, Mark Palkovic, an extraordinary human being. He got me through the last years at CCM with his conviction, insisting on the highest standards of music research.
Moreover, he dedicated long hours to helping me get my musical ideas clearly stated in
English. I greatly appreciate his hospitality along with Tom Shessler and Ronald Maurer
and family, who helped me with my living arrangements in Cincinnati, receiving me in
their houses and giving me the spiritual and loving support of family, keeping my hopes
high and pushing me to keep going. Special thanks are also due to my friend and teacher,
Ms. Jeannette Bolívar, who, as a professional teacher of the English language has been of great assistance in the last revisions of this document.
I am also grateful to Bor’s daughter, Lena Sánchez Bor and to Francisco Barreto,
librarian in Venezuela’s National Library for providing me with the necessary scores and
helpful information. I also wish to thank Bor’s son, Domingo Sánchez Bor, and Delia
Gutiérrez Campos, a close friend and neighbor of the Bor family.
Finally, I greatly appreciate the love and support of my friends and family.
Thanks for coping with me in my bad moments; thanks for taking care of my daughter; thanks for all the phone calls, errands, the economic support and the so necessary silence to produce. Thank you for being at my side, always. I would like to mention the following people: my mom Mireya and her two sisters, mamama (Olga Marina Sánchez) and mami (Cira Amanda); my father Juan Parra, my daughter Veronica and my cousins
Ana, Carmen, Cira and Laura; my invaluable supporters Emil and Elvia Friedman and
Pablo Argüello, and my friends, Lilian López, María Eglée Pérez, Erin Vargas, Claribel
Camero, Marianella Machado, Félix Bellorín, Luis Echarry, Miguel Asuaje and Jesus
Ferrer.
CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES ...... xi
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ...... xii
LIST OF ABREVIATIONS ...... xiv
GLOSSARY ...... xv
Chapter
I. EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF VENEZUELAN ART MUSIC ...... 1 A. The Colonial Period ...... 1 B. The Nineteenth Century ...... 5 C. The Twentieth Century ...... 8
II. MODESTA BOR ...... 10
A. Life of Modesta Bor ...... 10 B. Works and Prizes of Modesta Bor ...... 17 C. Influence of Nationalism, European Styles, and Folk Music on Bor’s Musical Style ...... 20 1. Nationalism in Bor’s Music ...... 21 2. Russian and International Elements in the Music of Modesta Bor ...... 27 3. Folk Music Traits in Bor’s Choral Music ...... 30
v
III. A STYLE STUDY AND CONDUCTOR’S GUIDE OF BOR’S SELECTED CHORAL WORKS
A. Early Period: 1954-60 ...... 35 1. Balada de la luna, luna (1954) ...... 36 2. Canto a la vida (1954) (1967) ...... 42 3. La cabrita (1956) ...... 47
B. Middle Period: 1961-90 ...... 53 1. Regreso al mar (1962) ...... 54 2. Canto de paz (1969) ...... 64 3. Manchas sonoras ...... 70 a. Requiebros (1975) ...... 74
C. Mature Style Period: 1991-98 ...... 78 1. Aqui te amo (1993) ...... 78
IV. FOLK INFLUENCED MUSIC AND CHORAL ARRANGEMENTS
A. Aguinaldos and Christmas Songs: El Pavo, Al llegar aquí, Aguinaldo oriental (1960’s), Sobre tus cholitas, Parranda Margariteña (1970’s), Con esta Parrandita, Los tres reyes magos, Por un camino arenoso (1986), Bajaste del cielo con luz primorosa (1996) ...... 87
B. Popular Songs: El Periquito, Polo Margariteño, Fulía de Cumaná, Maria Pancha, La Galera ...... 93
V. CHORAL WORKS AND SOURCES OF PERFORMING MATERIALS ...... 97
A. Choral Compositions for Equal Voices ...... 102
B. Choral Compositions for Mixed Voices ...... 103
VI. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ...... 110
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 116
vi
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. Balada de la luna, luna ...... 38
2. Canto a la vida. Text and Translation ...... 42
3. Canto a la vida ...... 45
4. La cabrita. Text and Translation ...... 47
5. La cabrita ...... 49
6. Regreso al mar ...... 54
7. Regreso al mar. Text and Translation ...... 59
8. Canto de Paz. Text and Translation ...... 65
9. Pronunciation guide to nonsense syllables ...... 71
10. Requiebros ...... 75
11. Aquí te amo. Text and Translation ...... 79
12. Aqui te amo...... 81
vii
ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure Page
1. Graphic analysis of Balada de la luna, luna ...... 36
2. Balada de la luna, luna, incipit section A ...... 40
3. Balada de la luna, luna, melody section B ...... 41
4. Balada de la luna, luna, incipit section C ...... 41
5. Canto a la vida, motive “x” ...... 43
6. La Cabrita, motive “x,” mm. 1-4 ...... 48
7. Regreso al mar. Incipit of theme “a” ...... 55
8. Regreso al mar. Incipit of theme “b” ...... 55
9. Regreso al mar. Incipit of theme “c”...... 56
10. Regreso al mar. Incipit of theme “d”...... 56
11. Regreso al mar, coda motive (“e”) ...... 57
12. Graphic analysis of Canto de paz ...... 67
13. Canto de paz, mm. 13-15...... 69
14. Requiebros, mm. 109-16 ...... 77
15. Aquí te amo. Recurrent motive “x” ...... 81
16. Aquí te amo. Motive x2...... 83
viii
17. Aquí te amo. Motive x3 ...... 83
18. Aquí te amo. Motive x4 ...... 84
19. Aquí te amo. Motive x5...... 84
20. Aguinaldo rhythmic motives ...... 92
21. Bajaste del cielo con luz primorosa, rhythmic motive ...... 93
22. Fulía. Basic rhythmic pattern ...... 95
ix
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
A alto
Acc. accompaniment
B baritone or bass
B. Ch. Bocca Chiusa. To sing with the mouth closed, humming
CEF Colegio Emil Friedman
Div. Divisi. Term used to indicate that a section divides into two or more different voice parts
Intro Introducction
IFCM International Federation of Choral Music
IPA International Phonetic Alphabet
MM Metronome Marking
mm. measures
S soprano
T tenor
UCV Universidad Central de Venezuela (Central University of Venezuela in Caracas)
ULA Universidad de los Andes (University of the Andes in Mérida City)
UNIMET Universidad Metropolitana (Metropolitan University of Caracas, Venezuela)
x
GLOSSARY
Art music: Art music or “academic music” as it is also known, is a term that defines “the formally taught, notation-reliant European or European derived tradition of music that is associated most closely with educated elite.”1 Art Music includes sacred music as well as secular music compositions intended for performance in concerts.
Fundación: Foundation.
Orfeón: Term used to specify the main chorus in a university or university chorus.
Teatro: Theater or Auditorium.
1 Dale A. Olsen and Daniel E. Sheeby, eds., “Art Music,” in The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music vol. 2: South America, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (New York: Garland Publishing Inc, 1998).
xi
CHAPTER I
EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF VENEZUELAN ART MUSIC
A. The Colonial Period (1770-1811)
Venezuelan colonial music developed much later than the music of other
countries in Latin America. European art music, especially sacred music, must have been
performed in Venezuela during the beginnings of the Colonial Period, but no records or
writings on musical practice have been preserved.1
Juan Bautista Plaza, in his lectures about the colonial period, affirms (that):
Previous to 1770 no musical movement worthy of mention had taken place in what was then called the Captaincy General of Venezuela. Our country, in contrast to the Viceroyalties of Mexico and Peru, was one of the poorest and most neglected colonies of the American Continents during the Spanish domination. Under these conditions, the flourishing of the arts was difficult, and only an extraordinary chain of circumstances could have brought about their unexpected development.2
1Francisco Curt Langue, “Introduction” to Compositores Venezolanos, by Numa Tortolero (Caracas: Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo, 1993), no page number. 2Juan Bautista Plaza, “Conferencia XIX: Music in Caracas during the Colonial Period (1770- 1811)” in Escritos Completos, Compiled and Edited by Felipe Sangiorgi CDROM, Caracas, Fundación Juan Bautista Plaza, 2004. Originally edited by Musical Quarterly, year 29, no.2 (April 1943), 198-213.
1 2
Due to the economic growth boosted by the exportation of cacao and agricultural
products to Europe in the middle of the eighteenth century, a cultural interchange
between Europe and Venezuela was possible. A new and more productive time for the development of music flourished between 1771 and 1811, promoted by Father Pedro
Ramón Palacios y Sojo (1739-99), a notable patron of music.
Father Sojo traveled to Spain and Italy to obtain royal permission and the approval of Pope Clement XIV to found the religious order called Congregación del
Oratorio San Felipe Neri (Congregation of the Oratory Saint Philip Neri) in Caracas, modeled after the original Italian order. In his travels, he became acquainted with the music in vogue in Europe; there he acquired instruments, music teaching materials and scores. The Congregación was founded in 1771, and the Academia de Música (Academy of Music) was established there in 1784 with Juan Manuel Olivares (1760-97) as its
Director. In the church Oratorio San Felipe Neri,3 and on retreat at a hacienda (such as
the one in Chacao), “his fellow priests, together with certain friends and neighbors, often
performed concerts of sacred music, much of it composed by the musicians themselves.”4
The Academia de Música developed an extraordinary group of composers of mostly sacred music. This group of musicians is known as the Escuela de Chacao (Schola of
Chacao).
3Site today of the Santa Teresa Church in Downtown Caracas. 4Marie Labonville, “Musical Nationalism in Venezuela, the Work of Juan Bautista Plaza (1898- 1965)” (Ph.D diss., University of California, Santa Barbara, 1999), 34.
3
According to Calcaño, Father Sojo created a historical phenomenon that was remarkable:
His fruitful efforts lasted for more than fifteen years and during that time, he gathered around him all of the significant musicians in Caracas. His labor was both integrative and formative; if he is not the founder of music in Caracas, as is being said, he was its principal mentor. By organizing the music and the musicians, and by systematizing the studies of music, making it accessible to the youth, he made the greatest musical impact in all of [South] America at that time. More than thirty composers and more than one hundred and fifty performers participated in his activities.5
Of the musicians that developed there, it is noteworthy to mention the first generation: Juan Manuel Olivares (1760-97), José Francisco Velázquez (1756-1805),
José Antonio Caro de Boesi (ca. 1750-ca. 1814), 6 Bartolomé Bello (1758-1804) and
Francisco Javier Ustáriz (1772-1814). They produced almost exclusively sacred music: masses, Requiems, Te Deums, Salve Reginas, Stabat Maters, lamentations, psalms, offertories, hymns and motets. The style shows Italian and Baroque influences, featuring solos and chorus with orchestra and figured bass.
Of the second generation, important music figures include José Angel Lamas
(1775-1814), Juan José Landaeta (1780-1814), Cayetano Carreño (1774-1836), José Lino
Gallardo (ca. 1774-1837), Pedro Nolasco Colón (1770-1813), Juan Francisco Meserón
(1779-1845) and Atanasio Bello Montero (ca. 1802-ca. 1876). This second generation
5José Antonio Calcaño. La Ciudad y su Música (Second Edition. Caracas: Ediciones Fundarte, 1980), 73. 6Alejandro Enrique Planchart. “Caro de Boesi, José Antonio” Grove Music online ed. L. Macy (accessed 9 October 2005)
4
received a donation from the emperor of Austria (c. 1783) consisting of teaching
materials in the form of music textbooks, dictionaries and the scores of Mozart, Haydn and Pleyel. “In their works they demonstrated that they have assimilated the spirit of sacred European music of the eighteenth century.”7 Gerard Béhague explains:
Usually, these works call for a four-part mixed chorus with a characteristic settecento accompaniment including two oboes, two horns, and strings, which mainly doubled the vocal parts. Choral homophony prevails with little imitation. Short solos alternate with choral sections.8
This musical development was truncated by the war for independence that began
in 1810 and lasted until 1824. Father Sojo had died in 1799, and musical meetings in the
Oratorio ceased by 1811. Many musicians of the Oratorio became personally involved
with the revolution, composing patriotic songs to support the independence movement.9
Others were forced to move to different cities. Music making in Caracas was fragmented into little groups called capillas musicales. According to Tortolero, by 1814 “there was practically no art music activity in the country.” 10
7Walter Guido, “Síntesis de la Historia de la Musica en Venezuela,” Revista Musical de Venezuela (May-Augst, 1980), 28. 8Gerard Béhague, Music in Latin America: An Introduction (Prentice Hall History of Music Series. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc, 1979), 2. 9One of the patriotic songs “Gloria al bravo Pueblo” (Glory to the Brave People) by Juan José Landaeta is, since 1881, the national anthem of Venezuela. 10Numa Tortolero, Compositores Venezolanos: desde la Colonia hasta Nuestros Días (Caracas: Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo, 1993), 3.
5
B. The Nineteenth Century
With the final independence battle of Carabobo in 1821, independence from Spain had been achieved. 11 However, the political situation in Venezuela continued to be unstable. “During the second half of the nineteenth century, the presidency of the republic passed violently from one dictator to another.”12 The country became ensnared
in a Federal War, suffering political and economic devastation.
There was some interest by the governments to develop cultural activities to
create the illusion of a national state. During the short periods of social stability between
wars, isolated cultural events were organized. On one hand, opera and zarzuela touring
companies visited Venezuela, and some new operas and zarzuelas were composed by
local composers. On the other hand, in order to earn a living, Venezuelan musicians
formed bands to play at hotels and private parties. Some composers and amateur
musicians began to write music for dancing and singing, favoring small European
romantic forms like waltzes, fantasies, rhapsodies, fandango, arrangements of zarzuela
themes, and opera arias. At private parties and other salon events, when live musicians were not available, the player piano was also favored, especially at the beginning of the
20th century. Thus, secular music became more and more common.
11Carabobo is one of the Central States of Venezuela. 12Labonville, “Musical Nationalism in Venezuela,” 42.
6
In these times and within this secular movement, a new style of waltz developed.
It was known as the vals venezolano or vals criollo (creole waltz).13 The main difference
between the vals venezolano and the Viennese waltz is found in their respective rhythms.
While the Viennese waltz features a straight forward delivery in 3/4 with an emphasis on
the initial beat, the vals venezolano alternates the 3/4 with a 6/8 meter, creating
syncopations and cross-rhythms. In addition, the main accent of the measure is moved to
the second beat or the last beat of the measure. The vals venezolano became popular
during the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries and began to change from popular,
simple folk-style music for dancing to a more formal concert work, usually for piano.
Luis Felipe Ramón y Rivera classified them as vals popular (popular waltz), vals
aristocrático (aristocratic waltz),14 and vals-canción (song-waltz).15
The canción romántica (romantic song) also developed during this period. It is a
vocal or instrumental work written as a waltz, an aria, a fandango or even a folk-song,
usually in a gallant style to serenade women. Both the guitar and/or the piano were the
preferred instrumental accompaniment. Many of these songs were written in the vals
venezolano style, gaining great popularity in the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century.16
13“Creole” means “native” in this case. Nicolas Slonimsky in his book Music of Latin America defines creole as the adjective added to the title of new compositions, dances or songs, with a European style “acclimatized” in Latin America. (New York: Th. Y. Crowell Company, 1945), 64. 14Luis Felipe Ramón y Rivera, La Música Popular de Venezuela (Caracas, Ernesto Armitano Ed, 1976), 45. 15Luis Felipe Ramón y Rivera, La Música Indígena, Folklórica y Popular de Venezuela (Buenos Aires: Ricordi Americana, 1978), 52. 16Luis Felipe Ramón y Rivera “Canción: Venezuela.” Diccionario de la música española e hispanoamericana. (Emilio Casares Rodicio et al, eds. Madrid: Sociedad General de Autores y Editores, 1999-), 25.
7
The most important composers of the nineteenth century wrote patriotic songs, operas, zarzuelas, valses venezolanos and romantic songs. The two that gained international recognition were Teresa Carreño (1853-1917) and Reynaldo Hahn (1874-
1947).
According to Calcaño:
[Composers] principally dedicated to the vals squandered their valuable natural gifts on the low-quality tastes of the society of that time… This group [of composers] could have been a very valuable point of departure for a great musical flowering. But the general life of the nation, which was politically bad and its economy in decay, did not permit the growth of music, and caused a prolonged decline.17
The worst situation in Venezuela at the beginning of the twentieth century was the complete unawareness of the contemporaneous musical developments in twentieth century Europe:
In Europe, events of the greatest importance in the music world had occurred. The Russians had appeared with their new music; Wagner had carried out one of the most far-reaching revolutions; Impressionism had appeared in France, the English were excelling, and even sleeping Spain had opened its eyes, without Venezuelan musicians having realized any of it. Venezuelan composers from Guzmán [Blanco] until 1919 were familiar with Chopin—who has died sixty years before, and the vacuous Gottschalk; they now, in this century, began to play the little piano pieces of Grieg, Godard, and Chaminade. All this reveals an outmoded orientation. Our colonial musicians—with great difficulties that existed at the time in communications with the old world—knew Haydn, Mozart, [and] Pleyel, who at the time were still living and represented the newest of that period. After that colonial beginning, so wonderful and surprising, our music did nothing but descend until it almost disappeared at the beginning of the government of Gómez . This sad development paralleled the general life of the country.18
17Calcaño, La Ciudad y su Música, 439. 18Ibid, 440.
8
Choral music in the nineteenth century was largely limited to patriotic and romantic songs that were sung mainly in unison (although sometimes harmonized for two or three mixed voices) and that were composed for political or social occasions. Some choral Te Deums were performed in the Caracas Cathedral for important political events. Other than the activity of Jose Angel Montero (1832-
81), there was “no other, in these years, directly related to choral activities …
Between 1880 and 1920, choral activities were immersed in an unfortunate dark period and completely abandoned.”19
C. The Twentieth Century
The turn of the century did not bring improvements in the development of art music. In December 1908, the ruthless dictator Juan Vicente Gómez came to power and governed until 1935. Alfredo Tarre Murzi says about culture in those days:
To our shame, Juan Vicente Gómez was almost an illiterate, and he governed us for twenty-seven years. As an even greater disgrace, the intellectuals and writers of greatest prestige in those days (Vallenilla Lanz, Gil Fortoul, Arcaya, Pedro Emilio Coll, Diaz Rodríguez, Zumeta, etc.) were his ministers and ambassadors. During those years, culture was a bad word or a suspicious activity. Venezuela was the most backward nation of the hemisphere.20
19Ana Mercedes Azuaje de Rugeles, Bolivia Bottome and Maria Guinand, Historia del Movimiento Coral y de las Orquestas Juveniles en Venezuela (Caracas: Cuadernos Lagoven Ediciones Lagoven, 1986), 23. 20Alfredo Tarre Murzi, El Estado y la Cultura: La Política Cultural en Venezuela (Caracas: Monte Avila Editores, 1972), 61. Quoted and translated by Labonville Music Nationalism in Venezuela…, 52.
9
But Gómez was astute enough to use cultural activities to reinforce national
identity. This nationalistic idealism was the point of departure for a new period of musical rebirth in Venezuela, known as Venezuelan Nationalism. This movement, first stimulated by Vicente Emilio Sojo, began in the 1920’s and was consolidated by the end of the 1930’s. Vicente Emilo Sojo “gave sense, purpose, and logic to a musical
movement which, until then, had survived only in the few homes of the privileged, who
could afford to travel to other countries or to pay private teachers.”21
According to Marie Labonville in her Ph.D. dissertation:
This musical growth [of Venezuela after the 1920’s] was the product of three factors: an increasing desire among Venezuelans to concretize a national and cultural identity; a desire to combat a nagging sense of national inferiority by improving cultural conditions along European models; and the combined efforts of three talented, idealistic, patriotic and articulate musicians: Juan Bautista Plaza, Vicente Emilio Sojo and José Antonio Calcaño.22
Sojo, Plaza and Calcaño founded the Orfeón Lamas (Lamas Choral Society) in
1928 and the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra in 1930. They rediscovered Venezuelan
colonial music unheard by Venezuelans since the eighteenth century, and worked
together to develop the Escuela Nacional de Musica (National School of Music), later
named Escuela Superior de Música José Angel Lamas, that influenced most musicians
and music composition of the next three generations that studied there.
A new page in the history of art music in Venezuela began. Composers began to
compose music for symphony orchestras and choirs, and it was within this resurgence
that Modesta Bor was born.
21Felipe Izcaray. “The Legacy of Vicente Emilio Sojo: Nacionalism in Twentieth-Century Venezuelan Orchestral Music.” (Thesis. University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1996), 11. 22Labonville. Musical Nationalism in Venezuela, 56.
CHAPTER II
MODESTA BOR
A. Life of Modesta Bor
Modesta Bor, daughter of Armando Bor and Isabel Leandro, was born in the
village of Juan Griego on Margarita Island, 15 June 1926. Born into a family of
musicians, she was immersed in the ambience of folk and symphonic music. Her father
played the guitar and the cuatro,23 her uncle Nicolás played the mandolin, and her uncle
Leandro was one of the violinists of the Orquesta Sinfónica Venezuela. Modesta and her
cousins learned to play the guitar and the cuatro, and the Bor family regularly
participated in their town’s festivals and folk events, through dancing, playing and
singing.24
Bor began her musical studies in her hometown in 1940, attending elementary
music theory classes with Luis Manuel Gutiérrez and taking private piano lessons with
Alicia Caraballo Reyes. In 1942, she traveled to Caracas to begin her formal music
23The cuatro is a four-string folk instrument similar to the guitar but smaller, used to accompany Venezuelan and some Colombian music. 24Felipe Sangiorgi, “Biografía y Catálogo de Obras,” En Modesta Bor Cuatro Fugas para piano (Caracas: Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo, 1991), 29.
10 11
studies at the Escuela Superior de Música José Angel Lamas. There, she studied theory and solfège with María de Lourdes Rotundo, piano with Elena Soriano de Arrarte, music history and aesthetics with Juan Bautista Plaza, harmony and orchestration with Antonio
Estévez, and musical form, counterpoint and composition with Vicente Emilio Sojo.25
While still in school, Bor began a career as an ethnomusicologist and as a teacher
and married Domingo Sánchez Bor. From this union, they had three children: Domingo,
Liliana and Lena. Then, between 1948 and 1951, she worked at the Servicio de
Investigaciones Folklóricas Nacionales (National Service for Folklore Research) and
became the director of its musicology department. As a teacher, she taught in public and municipal schools in Caracas and conducted children’s choirs.
In 1951, just before her graduation piano recital, she contracted an illness known as Guillain-Barré syndrome or polyradiculoneuritis.26 This disease attacked her peripheral
nervous system, affecting the mobility of her arms and legs, thereby impeding her ability
to perform as a concert pianist and making it impossible to complete a performance
degree. Thanks to Vicente Emilio Sojo, she found a new direction as a musician. As
Felipe Izcaray informs us, in 1953, after a slow and painful recovery from her illness,
Sojo gave Bor a poem of Federico García Lorca to set to music. Bor set it first as a work
for voice and piano, and later as a choral work for mixed voices. To her delight, this
choral song, Balada de la luna, luna, was premiered by the Orfeón Lamas at its next
concert.
25Felipe Izcaray, “The Legacy of Vicente Emilio Sojo: Nationalism in Twentieth-Century Venezuelan Orchestral Music” (University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1996), 109-10. 26Magaly Alfonzo, “Modesta Bor,” in Enciclopedia de la Música en Venezuela. 12
From then on, Bor dedicated her life to composition and research. She received
the diploma of Maestro Compositor in 1959 with the Suite for Chamber Orchestra, premiered by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Venezuela conducted by Antonio Estévez in the
Teatro Municipal de Caracas. One year later, she received the first of ten National Prizes for her chamber work Sonata para viola y piano.
As a supporter of the Venezuelan Communist Party,27 Bor traveled to Europe in
1960 to attend the Congreso Internacional de Jóvenes Comunistas (International
Congress of Young Communists).28 Following the Congreso, Bor went to Moscow where
she auditioned and was interviewed by the Armenian composer, conductor, and teacher,
Aram Khachaturian (1903-78). Izcaray tells of her audition:
She had with her a score of her sonata for viola and piano, and [Khachaturian] played the piano while she sang the viola part. Khachaturian was impressed with her accomplishments as a composer and her proficiency in counterpoint, so he invited her to stay as his student at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory under full scholarship from the Soviet Government.29
The decision to go to Moscow was not an easy one for Bor as she would be separated from her husband and three children for a considerable length of time. She stayed in Moscow from 1960 to 1962, studying polyphony with Sergéi Skripkov, music literature with Natalia Fiódorova, orchestration with Dmitri Rogal-Lewitsky, Russian
27Venezuela began a democratic form of government in 1936 after the death of the dictator Juan Vicente Gomez. This allowed the establishment of two political parties: Partido Democrático Venezolano (Venezuelan Democratic Party) and the Partido Comunista Venezolano (Venezuelan Communist Party). 28Izcaray mentioned Bulgaria as the country she visited. Alfonso Peyre declared it was Denmark. The other sources only mention Moscow, ignoring the political implications of the entire trip. 29Felipe Izcaray, “The Legacy of Vicente Emilio Sojo: Nationalism in Twentieth-Century Venezuelan Orchestral Music” (University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1996), 109-10. 13
with Nina Vlásova and composition with Aram Ilich Khachaturian. She became the first
Venezuelan woman to undertake graduate studies in music abroad.30
Bor returned to Venezuela in 1962, a year of turmoil in the western world because the relations between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
(U.S.S.R.) had collapsed due to the establishment, in 1961, of a Russian military base
with nine missile sites in Cuba.31 The international tension ceased in November of 1962
when U.S. President John Kennedy and U.S.S.R. Premier Nikita Khrushchev made an
agreement that resulted in the missiles being taken away and the American naval
blockade and quarantine on the Cuban Island being lifted. Many countries in the world
supported the U.S., as did Venezuela. At the time, Venezuela was suffering from terrorist
attacks related to the Russian-Cuban crisis. Communism was considered dangerous for
the democracy that was being established.
Bor had a hard time establishing herself professionally when she returned to
Venezuela from Moscow. In her personal life she was undergoing a divorce, and
professionally, she was blacklisted and considered an active communist by the
government. To demonstrate her knowledge as a composer, Bor participated in the 1962
National Music Contest and won her second National Prize with the Segundo Ciclo de
Romanzas (Second Cycle of Romanzas) for mezzo-soprano and piano. Fortunately, she
was still so well regarded in music circles that, thanks to Elena Arrarte, her piano teacher,
the Escuela Superior de Música José Angel Lamas belatedly awarded Bor the diploma of
30Ibid, 110. 31Cuba is a Caribbean Island off the coast of Florida and north of the coast of Venezuela establishing at the time a communist-socialist government under Fidel Castro. 14
Maestro Ejecutante de Piano (Master of Piano Performance) that she should have
received earlier in 1951.32
Bor moved to Lecherías (located in the Venezuelan State of Anzoategui) and
conducted the children’s choir of the Universidad de Oriente between 1963 and 1964.
Because of her concern for the working class and their education, she encouraged the
children of fishermen and oil company workers to participate in the choir.33 For this choir
Bor probably provided easy choral arrangements of their own folk music.34 During this
time period she continued to composed, and in 1963, she won two more National Prizes with entries of instrumental and orchestral music.
Back in Caracas, Bor got married to the poet Fernando Rodriguez and gave birth to another girl, Modesta Yamila.35 Professionally, she was reappointed as director of the
musicology department at the Servicio de Investigaciones Folklóricas Nacionales,
however this appointment lasted for less than a year. Her composition teacher Vicente
Emilio Sojo was, at the time, a member of the Senate for the Partido Acción Democrática
(Democratic Action Party). A good friend of President Rómulo Betancourt, Sojo
convinced the government that his pupil did not represent any danger to the Venezuelan
democratic government, and, as a result, Bor was appointed conductor of the children’s
choir of the Juan Manuel Olivares music school in Caracas, leading it for fourteen years
(from 1965 to 1979). At the Juan Manuel Olivares School, she wrote most of her music
32Fundación Modesta Bor, “Biografia” (coord. Lena Sánchez Bor [consulted 11 October 2005]), http://www.gratisweb.com/modestabor. 33Magaly Alfonzo, “Modesta Bor,” in Enciclopedia de la Música en Venezuela. 34The publications of her choral arrangements for equal voices do not include dates. 35Delia Gutiérrez-Campos, letter to Cira Parra, Missouri, 13 June 2006. 15
and arrangements of Venezuelan folk music for equal-voice choir and founded in 1966
the vocal group Arpegio, a sextet of women’s voices. She produced two recordings with
this group, bringing attention to and popularizing old traditional children songs as well as
polyphonic music and Venezuelan popular and folk music arranged for sextet.36 Later,
between 1971 and 1973, she conducted the CANTV Choir (Choir of Venezuela’s
Telephone Company), with which she produced two more recordings of Venezuelan and
international music.
In 1973, she was appointed professor of composition of the Jose Lorenzo
Llamozas School of Music, a post that she held until 1990. In addition, from 1974 to
1989, she was the head of the Music Division of the Dirección de Cultura of the
Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) where she promoted musical events, festivals, concerts and music publications. After retirement from the Universidad Central de
Venezuela, Bor moved to Mérida City (in western Venezuela) in 1990. There, she served as a professor at the Centro Universitario de Artes (University Centre for the Arts) and later at the Music Department of the Universidad de los Andes (ULA), teaching music composition, harmony and choral conducting and giving workshops and seminars in conducting children’s choirs.
Outside of her home country, Bor participated in various new musical activities in
Havana, Cuba. In 1982, she was invited to serve as part of the jury of the Concurso de
Musicología (Musicology Award) in La Casa de las Américas; then, she participated in
1984 and 1986 in the first and second Festival Internacional de Musica Contemporánea
36Felipe Sangiorgi, “Biografía y Catálogo de Obras,” En Modesta Bor Cuatro Fugas para piano (Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo, 1991), 30. 16
(International Festival of Contemporary Music), held by the Unión de Escritores y
Artistas de Cuba (Cuban Writers’ and Artists’ Union). In the Second International Music
Festival, Bor participated in the compositional contest with Son Venezolano, a new work for choir, winning the Cuban National Prize in Composition José Angel Montero. Also in this Festival, her Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1983) was featured in one of the concerts, performed by Teresa Junco and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Matanzas conducted by Jorge López Marín.
Bor had the discipline of composing every morning while performing job duties in the afternoon. Sometimes she composed music that fulfilled her need to experiment, and at other times, she composed on a more practical basis, taking into account the quality of the musicians, singers, orchestras or choirs, available to her at the moment. In
Caracas, she wrote some of her choral music for the children’s and youth choirs of the
Juan Manuel Olivares Music School, the women’s sextet Arpegio, the CANTV Choir, the choirs of the Universidad Central de Venezuela, the Conjunto de Aguinaldos, the Orfeón of the Universidad Simón Bolivar and the Schola Cantorum de Caracas. The Schola, conducted by Alberto Grau, premiered many of Bor’s works since that group demonstrated high professional quality. In 1974, the Schola won the Guido D’Arezzo
International Choral Competiton, and Bor, in 1975, wrote and dedicated to them her
Manchas Sonoras.
She wrote mostly for the choirs of Mérida City and the Universidad de los Andes, which were conducted by her students Argenis Rivera and Geraldo Arrieche. The Orfeón of ULA, also conducted by Geraldo Arrieche, won several international choral 17
competitions and commissioned several of Bor’s works. She was in the process of
composing two different choral works, a cantata for the children’s choir of the ULA and
other works for the Orfeón ULA, when she died in Mérida City, on 7 April 1998, at the age of 72. 37
B.Works and Prizes of Modesta Bor
In spite of her numerous job duties, Bor remained active as a composer.
Venezuelan choirs and orchestras keep several of her works in their repertoires. The
variety of musical genres and the quantity of works she composed is noteworthy:
• 12 choral works and approximately 83 arrangements of folk, popular and international music for equal voices
• 30 original choral works and nearly 200 arrangements of folk and popular music for mixed voices
• 32 works for piano and solo voice
• 11 works for solo piano
• 6 chamber works
• 6 orchestral works, some featuring a soloist, e.g., oboe, piano or tenor solo
• incidental music for two plays
• A cantata for mezzo-soprano, children’s choir and orchestra: Jugando a la sombra
37That she was working on these pieces when she died was stated by Geraldo Arrieche, conductor of the Orfeón ULA in June 2005, in Caracas.
18
de la plaza vieja (Playing in the Shadow of the Old Square)
Bor was awarded ten composition prizes for her vocal, choral, orchestral and chamber music:
Premio nacional de música de cámara (National Prize for Chamber Music), for Sonata para viola y piano, 1960
1. Premio nacional de música vocal (National Prize for Vocal Music), for Segundo Ciclo de Romanzas for alto and piano, 1962
2. Premio nacional de música de cámara (National Prize for Chamber Music), for Sonata para violin y piano, 1963
3. Premio nacional de música sinfónica para obras breves, (National Prize for Short Orchestral Works), for Obertura, for symphonic orchestra, 1963
4. Premio por la música del Himno de la Federación de Centros Universitarios (Competitive Prize for composing the Music of the Hymn for the Public University Union), 1965
5. Premio nacional de música vocal (National Prize in Vocal Music), for Tres canciones for mezzo-soprano and piano, 1970
6. Premio municipal de música vocal (Municipal Prize in Vocal Music), for the choral work La mañana ajena, 1971
7. Premio nacional de música coral Vinicio Adames (National Prize in Choral Music Vinicio Adames), for Basta, basta, basta, 1986
8. Premio nacional de composición Caro de Boesi, for Acuarelas, for string orchestra, 1986
9. Premio nacional de composición José Angel Montero (National Prize in Composition José Angel Montero) in Havana, Cuba, for the choral work Son Venezolano, 1986
Because of Bor’s stature as a prolific musician, her total commitment to the development of Venezuelan music (especially choral music), and her dedication to 19
education, she received several awards and recognition from different governmental institutions:
1. La República de Venezuela honra a los educadores: Orden 27 de junio (The Venezuelan Republic Honors Teachers: Order 27 of June), 1974
2. Orden Vicente Emilio Sojo en primera clase (Order Vicente Emilio Sojo in the First Class) given by the Legislative Assembly of the Miranda State, 1986
3. Premio especial (Special Prize) given by Concejo Nacional de la Cultura CONAC (National Council of Culture, CONAC), 1986
4. Premio nacional de música (National Prize in Music), awarded by CONAC, 199138
5. Honor al mérito (Meritorious Honor) given by the Universidad de los Andes (ULA) in Mérida
6. Honor al mérito (Meritorious Honor) awarded by the Alcaldía y Concejo del Municipio autónomo Marcano (The Office and Council of the Autonomous Community Marcano)39
38This is the highest honor given to any musician in Venezuela. It includes a stipend for life given by the Venezuela government. 39Fundación Modesta Bor, “Prizes” (cord. Lena Sánchez Bor, [consulted 11 Oct. 2005]), http://www.gratisweb.com/modestabor/ dates of the awards not given.
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C. Influence of Nationalism, European Styles
and Folk Music on Bor’s Musical Style
The choral music of Modesta Bor offers a fusion of styles and, at the same time, a deep respect for the three areas of influence that converge in her output:
1. Venezuelan Nationalism from the beginning of the twentieth century
2. Russian influence and the acknowledgement of modern compositional
techniques used in Europe
3. Venezuelan folk music
Throughout her life, when choosing a poem to set to music, Bor preferred to compose by employing techniques and adopting styles used in the twentieth century
Venezuelan nationalistic movement. She applied many of these traits throughout her late choral works (such as Aqui te amo) for mixed-voice choir.
Secondly, Bor wrote music in a more contemporary style, with no relation to
Venezuelan tradition, using serialism or Russian quartal harmony or impressionism, as in some of her works written after 1960: Concierto para piano y orquesta (1983-85),
Sarcasmos for piano (1978-80), and choral works, Manchas sonoras (1975), Prisma
Sonoro (1980-81), and Espectro sonoro (1995), for example.
Thirdly, she researched folk events and music (El róbalo). When confronted with a popular or folk text, Bor used folk traits to preserve folk idioms (Sin vinos ni hallacas,
21
Con esta parrandita) adding some subtle innovation, either in rhythm, harmony, texture
or melodic style. This practice helped to keep traditional music alive as her compositions
were “folklorized.” Also to maintain tradition, Bor made choral arrangements of folk
music (El Periquito, Aguinaldo) with different combinations of voices, for educational purposes, in order to develop a cultural knowledge of traditional Venezuelan music.
1. Nationalism in Bor’s Music
In order to discuss nationalism, it is necessary to define what is considered
“national” or “nationalistic” in Venezuela. Jose Peñin in his book about Venezuelan nationalism identifies different expressions.40 The first type of nationalism is “objective nationalism” or “national music.” This refers to folk music preserved in communities, that is, traditional music in the social and cultural environment of its origin. This type of music is also considered native music and sometimes creole music.41
“Subjective nationalism” occurs when folk music is extracted from its normal
social environment and is notated and arranged for performance in concert halls and other
performance venues. Consequently, there are many arrangements of folk music for
40José Peñín, Nacionalismo Musical en Venezuela (Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo, 1999), 20. 41Peñín specifies creole music as the music belonging to the white descendants of European settlers, the criollos, with European influence. In this case, creole, does not represent all the folk music of Venezuela because indigenous and black Venezuelan music are not being considered.
22
different performing forces other than the ones originally intended, for example,
especially in Venezuela, arrangements of folk music for brass quintet as well as for choir
or salon music or romantic songs arranged for large symphonic orchestra, etc. Patriotic
songs and national anthems are considered “intended nationalism” or “political
nationalism.” Such music is used to support or sustain a particular political ideology,
often in autocratic regimes and dictatorships, as well as to stir patriotic feelings. Bor’s
Himno a la Facultad de Centros Universitarios (Hymn to the Faculty of the University
Center) is one example in this category.
“Historical” or “reflexive” nationalistic music is used to evoke a particular
historical act or figure, such as an elegy written to honor a patriotic hero. Examples of
this type would include large-scale cantatas such as Teresa Carreño’s Himno a Bolívar in
the nineteenth century or Juan Bautista Plaza’s Canto a Bolívar (1928). “Stylized
nationalism” refers to music based on the essence of folk music that employs some folk
elements in new compositions. It does not necessarily preserve the original characteristics
of the folk music it is based on, for example its melody, harmony or form, but rather, it
seeks to evoke the general nature of the original music. “Figurative nationalism” or
“atmosphere of nationalism” is the category in which academic musicians, as individuals
or as a group or schola, use folk or traditional elements as inspiration, motivation, or
primary source material to write a piece of art music. Society recognizes these academic composers as nationalistic even though they use the traditional European forms, such as
23
concerto, symphony, cantata, and even salon music.42 Musicians in this group cite or
develop aspects of regional music, rhythm, melody and even folk stories in their
compositions. It is not necessary to quote the source material exactly or to use a particular
technique. Simply by alluding to or citing an aspect of folk elements is sufficient to
qualify the music as figurative nationalism.
“National music” differs from “nationalistic music.” National music includes
those elements and values considered to be representative of a particular society.
Nationalistic music is that which uses a national style for political, religious, artistic or
cultural reasons. Therefore, nationalistic music has an objective; national music does not.
Bor’s choral music is found in several of the categories listed above. Here,
however, the focus is on the nationalistic movement at the beginning of the twentieth
century. The musical movement that originated between the 1920’s and the 1930’s in
Venezuela is considered “figurative nationalism.” It consists of the musicians of the
Escuela de Música José Angel Lamas, known as the Escuela Santa Capilla (Santa Capilla
School) since its site is situated in downtown Caracas on the Santa Capilla corner.43 For sources for their nationalistic music, musicians in Santa Capilla used not only folk elements, but they also looked to eighteenth and nineteenth century art music.
The founders of the Santa Capilla School, Juan Bautista Plaza, Vicente Emilio
Sojo and Jose Antonio Calcaño, were involved in invigorating musical culture by
42José Peñín, Nacionalismo Musical en Venezuela (Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo, 1999), 301. 43Downtown Caracas addresses are marked by its corners, and not by names of the streets.
24
promoting, researching, publishing and performing of Venezuelan music of all kinds,
both popular and art music. Of the three founders of Venezuelan nationalism, Vicente
Emilio Sojo, Bor’s professor in composition, was the most influential. He encouraged his
students, including Bor, to incorporate elements of folk and indigenous music to create
works of art. His students had to compile, harmonize, compose and publish popular
music for everyday use. Sojo undertook the task of compiling the most authentic and
traditional expressions of nationalism, by transcribing and harmonizing the old and
largely forgotten melodies that Venezuelans used to celebrate Christmas. 44 He
enthusiastically promoted the composition of essentially Venezuelan songs and dances.
When Bor began composing music, she simulated the style of the nineteenth century
romantic song and the Venezuelan waltz. Bor’s songs Balada de la luna, luna and Canto
a la vida are good examples of the Venezuelan waltz in her choral music.
Sojo’s concept of music composition was very strict and demanding, requiring his
students to follow his procedures. For example, he emphasized the strict use of
polyphony with the application of techniques such as point of imitations, canon, fugues, inventions or stretti. Bor followed Sojo’s teachings and began to alternate polyphony and homophony in her choral works after 1956. In addition, Sojo preached that the rhythm of music should be faithfully adapted to the rhythm of the words. Bor also espoused this practice, even when the music demanded meter changes.
44Eduardo Lira Espejo, Vicente Emilio Sojo (Miranda: Comision de Educación y Cultura del Concejo Municipal del Distrito Sucre, 1977), 48.
25
The melodic style of Sojo is similar to Gregorian chant and the typical
Venezuelan tono llanero (song from the plains), simple and pure with a narrow range,
well-prepared cadences and an abundance of repeated notes. The tono llanero is sung in
three-voice harmony: the lower voice, la de alante (the one that leads), carries the tono or
Gregorian chant; the tenor (middle voice) and the falso (falsetto or contratenor) join the
music making in the last syllables of the first word, creating three-part harmony. The tono llanero was usually sung by three unaccompanied male voices, but sometimes an ad libitum accompaniment is used, played by the cuatro (Venezuelan four-string guitar).45
In addition, Sojo looked for equilibrium and proportion of the structures and clear
harmonies. The preferred structures were the bi-partite AB form (with repetitions of both or one of the sections) and the ABA form for choral works. Many of Bor’s choral works follow these formats. Venezuelan harmony was mainly tonal during the first half of the twentieth century and it began to evolve when composers, such as Juan Bautista Plaza and Antonio Estévez returned to Venezuela from their music studies abroad and local musicians began to get acquainted with twentieth century techniques:
We must say that all of this group [of composers] retained traditional harmony in most of their works and some [of them] in particular cases, in their compositions, would use impressionistic elements, in their early works in the twenties and thirties, as well as a few style elements of Stravinsky or Bartok.46
45José Antonio Calcaño, Contribución al desarrollo de la música en Venezuela (Caracas: Editorial Elite, 1939), 96.
46José Peñín, El Nacionalismo musical en Venezuela (Caracas: Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo, 1999), 304.
26
The musical nationalism of Juan Bautista Plaza and Calcaño display other important aspects in the development of Venezuelan music. When Plaza returned from his studies in Rome in 1923, he proposed a more general reform. He said,
What I promise myself is to take into hand the authentic riches of that marvelous criollismo47 of ours and give it real and lasting life ... worthy to appear at the side of the most original music productions which constitute the legitimate artistic heritage of humanity.48
On one hand, Plaza promoted universal contemporary music by giving lectures about it or composing in different styles, but on the other hand, he worked on compiling folk and colonial Venezuelan music. For Calcaño, Venezuelan artistic music should capture the essence of the folk style but create new works, using solid compositional techniques in which the works are stylized.
Bor’s music production was imbedded in the music style and principles taught by the musicians from the Santa Capilla School until 1960, when she went to study in
Moscow. After her return from Moscow, her style changed and Bor influenced other
Venezuelan musicians to experiment with other twentieth century new techniques such as atonality, extended triadic harmonies, and quartal harmony, polythematism and variation techniques.
47Criollismo means creole music or composition with Venezuelan traits. 48Juan Bautista Plaza, Letter to Edgar Ganteume Tovar, Rome, 14 July 1921, Quoted and Translated by Marie Labonville in “Music Nationalism in the works of Juan Bautista Plaza,” 239.
27
2. Russian and International Elements in the Music of Modesta Bor
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the St. Petersburg Conservatory and the
Moscow Conservatory developed into significant musical centers whose composers combined nationalistic techniques, European impressionism and new harmonic languages with traditional Russian music. Along with Igor Stravinsky, Aleksandr Glazunov and
Alexander Scriabin, musicians such as Sergey Prokofiev, Aram Khachaturian, and
Dmitry Shostakovich, among others, began a widespread experimentation in music composition using new and old modes and scales, octatonic scales and leitmotive techniques, atonality and dodecaphonism.
By 1933 however, the Russian Union of Writers promulgated the doctrine of
Socialist Realism to serve the government needs. As a result, stylistic experimentation in art was considered “formalism” and was condemned. Western music could no longer be performed or studied. “The price of survival in this new climate of cultural isolation was capitulation and compromise or complete silence.”49
In February 1948, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Khachaturian and Miaskovski were attacked by the first All Union Congress of Composers for their use of dissonance and atonality and forced to apologize publicly. Ideological surveillance was enforced as never before. But, with the death of Stalin in 1953, experimentation and individualism was
49Rosamund Bartlett, “Russia, Political Background of the Soviet Period” in Stanley Sadie, ed., The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2d. ed. London: Macmillan, 2001), 932.
28
encouraged. Contact with the West was resumed and composers were permitted to travel
abroad. In the late 1950’s and beginning of 1960’s, musicians such as Glenn Gould, Luigi
Nono, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Benjamin Britten and Pierre Boulez visited the
U.S.S.R.
Khachaturian, Prokofiev and Shostakovich became the pillars of the Soviet school
of composition. Between the 1960’s and the 1970’s, Aram Khachaturian (1903-78) was
praised and honored as a composer, pedagogue, conductor and public figure. He became
a professor of composition at the Moscow Conservatory in 1950, influencing the
development of composition not only in Armenia but also in Moscow, Asia and South
America.50
Bor studied with Khachaturian at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow from
1960 to 1962, and, as a result, her formal and harmonic language changed drastically.
After 1962, her works have more freedom of form and melodic design. She experimented
with different layers of melodic and motivic writing and used rhythm to create or destroy
the regularity of musical accents. Her music alternates homophonic and polyphonic
passages in which sometimes the role melody is paramount and at other times, texture or rhythm becomes the primary focus (as in Khachaturian’s Concerto-rhapsodies for violin, cello and piano of 1961, 1963, and 1968, respectively). Bor favored polyphonic writing in her compositions, at times using strict classical polyphony with points of imitation, but
50Sarkisyan, Svetlana “Khachaturian, Aram (Il´ich)” in Stanley Sadie, ed., The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2d. ed. London: Macmillan, 2001), 556.
29
more commonly employing a free contrapuntal style.
From Khachaturian Bor learned the use of extended triadic harmonies, employing chords with an added sixth, ninth, eleventh and thirteenth. In addition, based on
Khachaturian’s background on Armenian folk music and his avoidance of chord
structures based on thirds, Bor experimented with chords based on seconds, fourths and
fifths leading to quartal harmonies and atonal techniques. In order to modulate, both composers preferred to do it chromatically, modifying the function or type of chords used, to travel to distant tonalities.
In rhythm, periodicity and aperiodicity of meter and the use of ostinati are common in Khachaturian as well as in Bor and folk music became a major source of raw material for their art music compositions. Influenced by folk melodies and medieval monody, Khachaturian developed “the principles of improvisation, virtuosity, metrical and rhythmic variations [and] polythematicism.”51
Bor began experimenting in her choral music when living in Moscow. Pescador
de anclas (Fisherman of Anchors) and Regreso al mar (Return to the Sea), from 1962,
were her first choral works written with this new knowledge. Her Manchas sonoras
(Splashes of Sound) from 1975 combine quartal harmony and atonal melodies with
traditional Venezuelan rhythms.
In many of Bor’s works, we find, as in those of Khachaturian, music intended for
51Svetlana Sarkistan . “Khachaturian Aram” in Stanley Sadie, ed., The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2d. ed. (London: Macmillan, 2001), 557.
30
a social impact through its text or poem with the mission to educate the audience and the performer.52 About Khachaturian, Shostakovich said:
He is an artist truly and deeply bound to his people, their musical and poetic heritage, an artist gifted with the ability to see and understand the world, life, and modern history as they are seen and understood by the mind, heart and soul of the people.53
Khachaturian held a deep respect for the tradition of other cultures and defended the artistic right to be innovative and individual.54 He passed to his students much of his ideals, his love of homeland and his commitment to compose in spite of adverse circumstances. Modesta Bor retained these ideals in her life and music, including innovation as well as respect for Venezuelan music tradition and other cultural traditions.
3. Folk Music Traits in Bor’s Choral Music
The Latin American continents present, on the whole, cultural traits obviously inherited from the Iberian Peninsula, but its folk music traditions have generally preserved less of that old heritage than North American folk music has kept of British lore.55
Eighteen of the countries in Latin America share Spanish as their primary language. Brazil has Portuguese as its main language and the population of the island of
52Victor Yuzefovich, Aram Khachaturian (New York: Sphinx Press, Inc, 1985), 241. 53Ibid, 257. 54Ibid, 260. 55Bruno Nettl, Folk And Traditional Music of the Western Continents. 2d ed., (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc, 1973), 179.
31
Haiti speaks French and Creole. But language is not enough to define a unified Latin
culture. “Far more than language, ethnic, social, historical, geographic and demographic factors influence the development of musical culture.”56 Latin American music is the
result of the combination of the three cultures that coexist in a vast territory: the
European-Hispanic culture that arrived with colonization; the African culture brought by
slaves, mainly of Congolese and Angolan origin; and the music of Amerindians. The
degree to which one of these cultures predominates varies greatly by regions. So the
study of folk music has to be individualized either by countries or by regions since some
cultures have kept intact some of their indigenous music (as in the music from the Incan
Empire, or northern Ecuadorian music), or in other cases by the prevailing cultural
influence such as Afro-American (as in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and some
Caribbean Islands), European or Hispanic influences (as in Argentina and even
Venezuela’s central region).57
In the specific case of Venezuela, music is affected by these three factors in
different ways depending on the settlers of those regions. Consequently, the black
Caribbean cultural influence is most noticeable in the north of Venezuela, in the coastal
regions; the far east coast is influenced by the English speaking islands of Trinidad and
Tobago; the central regions, the llanos (the plains), received more influence from
Hispanic settlers (noticeable in the joropo, a dance in alternating 6/8, 3/4 meter, derived
56Ibid, 180. 57Gilbert Chase, “Creative Trends in Latin American Music-I.,” Tempo-A quarterly Review of Modern Music 48 [summer 1958], 28.
32
from the Spanish fandango). Indigenous cultural influence is minimal because
Venezuelan Indians were nomads and did not establish well-developed civilizations.
Some of their music is preserved (mostly in the south), but only a few settlements still exist.
Modesta Bor had the opportunity to experience Venezuelan music in several places: first from the east coast of Margarita Island; then from the capital city, Caracas, in the central part of Venezuela, and finally from the west, in Mérida City, in the mountains of the Andes. Her interest in folk activities led her to hold a position in the Instituto
Nacional del Folklore on two separate occasions, in 1948 and in 1964. There, she regularly undertook fieldwork and then compiled, transcribed and cataloged much newly- discovered folk music. To help preserve the national heritage, Bor arranged many of these folk tunes to be used in the schools and with amateur choirs. Also, she wrote original music in a folk style, especially Christmas songs, keeping tradition alive.
Her interest in preserving the music of Margarita Island is evident from her publications of folk music, edited by the Ministry of Education. She transcribed and compiled fishermen’s work songs (El róbalo), aguinaldos (Adoremos a Dios), polos
(Polo Margariteño) and fulías (Fulía de Cumaná), which she arranged for various combinations of voice and piano or a cappella equal-voice choirs or mixed-voice choirs.
Several characteristics of folk music are encountered in Bor’s folk-style music:
1. The traditional way of transcribing the merengue and the aguinaldo in 2/4
meter as a combination of triplets and eighth notes, sometimes with
33
syncopations (Sin vinos ni hallacas and Con esta parrandita).
2. From Venezuelan indigenous music, Bor took what Ramón y Rivera
explained as heterophonic choral singing, that is, voices that sing
simultaneously different melodies with lots of individual freedom. 58
3. The usage of human voices imitating the sounds of instruments with nonsense
syllables is characteristic in Bor’s style. The melodies are accompanied in the
other voices by counterpoint and polyrhythm typical of Afro-Venezuelan
percussive instruments. This golpe de tambor (stroke of drums) is typical
music from the coast and is used in festivities such as the Feast of Saint John.
4. The formal organization of the music as a two-section work is typical of
Venezuelan folk music and of Bor: one section is the estribillo or refrain for
the chorus and the other section is for the soloist with different text where the
music may or may not change.
5. In an effort to be more accurate in notating Venezuelan rhythms, Bor wrote
her later aguinaldos and merengues in 5/8 meter with the last eighth note of
the bar accentuated.
6. The harmony of traditional Venezuelan folk music is generally tonal and
functional. The first section stays in the original tonal center using tonic,
subdominant and dominant chords. Usually, the second section modulates
58Luis Felipe Ramón y Rivera, Música Indigena, Folklórica y Popular de Venezuela (Buenos Aires: Ricordi Americana,1967), 8.
34
either to the fourth scale degree or to the relative or parallel major or minor.
7. It is customary in Venezuela to accompany choral works with traditional
musical instruments as the tambour, maracas and cuatro (four-string guitar).
However, Bor’s compositions could be performed without them since the
rhythmic content of the instruments can be found within the polyphonic
texture of the voices.
Modesta Bor had three main realms of influence in her development as a composer. In her mature style, she continued to use these influences, blending them in very subtle ways. In her most experimental choral music, folk elements are present but disguised in the musical texture of the work. In her nationalistic music, romantic themes or poems with deep emotional feelings are preserved; a mixture of textures still abounds,
but her approach to form and harmonic languages changes drastically. In her folk-
influenced music, the melodies have a popular appeal to the uneducated ear, and some of
them have been “folklorized.” 59 But even in those works, Bor’s interest in music
experimentation occurs. In all of her music, she was true to her ideals and to the need for
development of Venezuelan choral music.
59A composed work is “folklorized” when it is used in the natural social events of the people of that culture and the name of the composer is not even remembered or important.
CHAPTER III
A STYLE STUDY AND CONDUCTOR’S GUIDE
OF BOR’S SELECTED CHORAL WORKS
In preparing Bor’s choral music for performance, it is important to consider the different styles that influenced her music and the three periods of her musical production.
The three styles, Venezuelan nationalism, the new compositional styles of the twentieth century and the Latin American folk music are used in different ways, either by combining them or by keeping them distinct. I have divided her life into three periods, organized below:
A. Early Period: 1954-60;
B. Middle Period: 1960-90;
C. Mature Style Period: 1991-98.
35 36
A. The Early Period: 1954-60
1. Balada de la luna, luna (Song of the Moon, Moon)
Fig. 1. Graphic analysis of Balada de la luna, luna
Composed and premiered in 1953 by the Orfeón Lamas, this work was planned
originally as a work for voice and piano and then rewritten for mixed-voice choir.
Modeled after Venezuelan traditional of songs and waltzes for piano, Bor composed a choral score that is similar to Venezuelan romantic songs of the nineteenth century. The
37 text by the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca deals with Spanish gypsy life. Each verse
poetically describes the relationship of a couple: in the first verse they meet under the
light of the moon; the second verse deals with their courtship; the text of the third verse
text expresses the joy of going through life, represented in the olivar (olive plantation);
and the last verse deals with the sadness of death in the fragua. 60
The choral work has only one texture and style throughout: the melodic line and the text appear only in the soprano voice alternating the 3/4 meter with a 6/8 accentuation; the rest of the voices articulate the accompaniment of the original version’s piano accompaniment. Using nonsense syllables, the ATB voice lines arpeggiate the chords emulating an instrumental vals Venezolano.
The formal structure is in three balanced sections. Sections A and C have eight measures with two four-bar phrases each. Section B has three four-bar phrases with the last phrases repeating (as an echo) the ending motive of the section.
Featuring traditional functional harmony, parts A and C are in A major using a sequence of tonic, subdominant and dominant chords throughout. The B section begins in a tonal center of D major moving through a secondary dominant (A major serving as the dominant of D) returning to A major in the final phrase.
The melody gives harmonic color to the piece. Although it is pure, fluid and simple with an abundance of repeated notes, the melody presents doublings of the seventh or the ninth of the dominant chord by the use of ornamental notes, as in the third measure of the work.
60A fragua is a metal workshop.
38 Section C is a variation of section A. The bass and tenor lines maintain the same pitches, rhythm and harmonic sequence in both sections, but a new melodic line appears in the soprano and alto parts. This third section functions as an interlude, as it has no text in the bocca chiusa melody (wordless humming), 61 separating the verses of the poem. It
also serves as a coda to end the piece.
Table 1 Balada de la luna, luna
Form Compositional Sections or Harmonic Textures elements Phrases context A arpeggio a A Major Melody and text in (mm. 1-8) motive soprano with Allegretto a´ contrapuntal texture in ATB using nonsense syllabus B Repeated note b D Major to Same as A with (mm. 9-20) motive b A secondary melodic followed b´ line in basses by b´ arpeggio C Arpeggio c A Major Alto line doubles the (mm. 21- motive c´ melody same 28) higher than contrapuntal texture section A in TB
A conductor’s main focus in preparing this work should be to strive for a light
contrapuntal accompaniment texture so as not to take the attention away from the
melody. The tenor and alto lines should emphasize the second beat, or the second part of
61Michael Kennedy, The Oxford Dictionary of Music (New York: Oxford University Press, 1985), 86.
39 the second beat, typical of the Venezuelan waltz. In the second section, both the tenors and altos sing the second beat together stressing the implied accent. The melody appearing in the bass line in the second section (B) of the work is very active and should be brought out in performance. In doing so, this will provide a contrast to the soprano line
which has become much simpler at this point.
In Bor’s music, rests have to be acknowledged as silences; therefore, the
resonance of the last consonants (e.g. “m” or “n”) should end earlier than is normal
performance practice in North America. The consonant’s resonance at the end of each syllable should naturally diminish in volume.
The melody and the vocal color of the work should describe the sentiments involved in the text. These sentiments can be enhanced by careful attention to dynamics.
Even though the composer did not specify any general or specific dynamics in this work, a mezzoforte-forte dynamic in the third verse of the text would help to create the idea of happiness and, to end the work, a softer dynamic level would be appropriate.
It is recommended that the conductor use a conducting pattern of “three” throughout the work, addressing the 3/4 meter of the tenor line rather than yielding to the
feeling of the 6/8 meter implied in the melody. The 6/8 feeling works as a syncopation
and can be articulated with accents. One should rehearse the soprano line to get the contrast between 3/4 and 6/8 meters together with the phrasing, dynamics and text. Then,
clarify the bass and alto lines and rehearse the tenor line, checking the rests since they can be a dotted quarter, a quarter or an eighth-note rest.
40 The pronunciation of the nonsense syllables is: dum= [ɗυm] as in the word “doom,” very short vowel sound and resonant m.
Pom= [ρom] vowel sound as in “boat” short vowel to resonate the “m.” pli-plin= [ρlim] vowel sound as in the word “seen.” The first sound is more accented than the second.
Fig. 2. Balada de la luna, luna, incipit section A (mm. 1-4)
41
Fig. 3. Balada de la luna, luna, melody section B
# # Allegretto & # 3 ŒŒ‰j œ œ j j œ œ j j 4 œ œ. œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ œ. œ B.Ch # # # 3 ŒŒ‰j œ œ j j œ œ j j & 4 œ œ. œ œ œ. œ œ. œ œ œ. œ B.Ch # j ## 3 ∑ Œ‰œ Œ‰œ Œ‰œ Œ‰ V 4 J œ J œ J œ œ œ Pli-plin pli-plin plin plin plin ? # # 3 . ˙. # 4 ∑ ˙. ˙ ˙.
Pom pom pom pom pom
Fig. 4. Balada de la luna, luna, incipit section C
42
2. Canto a la vida (Song to Life)
This work was originally composed in 1954 as the second movement of Bor’s
Suite criolla for piano solo. In 1967, Bor adapted a poem of Fernando Rodríguez to her
original melody and made it into a choral work, placing the melody in the soprano part.
The other three voices articulate the Venezuelan waltz with short rhythmic motives as
accompaniment. In this work, as in Balada de la luna, luna we can see the influence of nineteenth century tradition of the Venezuelan waltz and the romantic song style. The text is a romantic view of life in its simplicity, viewed at through the morning, the sun, the flowers, love and tenderness.
Table 3. Canto a la vida. Text and Translation
Original Text in Spanish Translation to English A Quiero contarte la simple historia I want to tell you a simple story de lo que ocurre a tu alrededor of what is happening around you Para que sientas latir la vida So you can feel life’s heart beating su cotidiana resurrección in its daily resurrection B El hombre inventara siempre la vida Man will always invent life (1) bajo el sol subsistirá el amor under the sun love will survive La noche canta su gran tristeza The night sings its sadness el mar inmenso eterno dolor the vastness of the sea its eternal pain (2) Las flores gritan su dulce alegría The flowers shout their sweet happiness el arroyo calla su frescor the stream quiets its freshness Y la mañana brutal ternura And the morning’s brutal tenderness se nos enciende en el corazón brightens our hearts
43
Canto a la vida is organized in three major sections of which the first and the
second repeat (AABB´A). Section B repeats the music, but changes the text in the
repetition. All the sections have two four-measure phrases. However, the usage of the
rhythmic motive “x” varies the length of each section. The work starts with a two-
measure introduction with motive “x” before theme “a” appears.
Fig. 5. Canto a la vida, motive “x”
Then, after the four-measure theme “a”, the motive “x” is used again to end the section as well as to re-introduce “a” for its repetition. To go to the B section, “x” is used
for only one measure. To end the work, the rhythmic motive repeats for a two measure
coda. Even though the work sounds balanced in length and musical material, the duration
of each part is different: eleven measures in the first section A; eight measures for the
44 repetition of A; ten measures for each repetition of B; eight measures plus two measures of coda for final A section.
As in Balada de la luna, luna, this work was written using a melody-with- accompaniment style. The melody and the text are performed only by the soprano line.
The other three voices’ figurations function as an accompaniment of the melody, simulating an instrument such as the guitar or the piano. Section “A” has a more rhythmic accompaniment than that of section B, which has more melodic motion. Section “B” has a more active melodic line following a pattern of nine eighth notes and two quarter notes, different from section “A” in which the rhythm of the melody was established with a sequence of three eighth notes and two quarter notes. The rhythmic motive “x” almost disappears in the central part of the work (section “B”).
Canto a la vida maintains tonal harmony with clear tonic-dominant relations. In measure seven, through the secondary dominant (E major serving as the dominant of A) the harmony moves to the subdominant major and then to the subdominant minor chord and then back to tonic. Section “B” modulates to A major, returning to E major in the last
“A” section. Harmonically, through non-harmonic tones, Bor uses an added sixth for the tonic chord, a device she would used in abundance in her late works and also added ninth and eleventh articulated by the tenor and alto voices in the dominant chord (m.3 for example) This chord resolves in a chord with a seventh in the melody. With some added accidentals, this harmonic gesture characterizes the entire piece.
45 One should notice that, in this work, Bor emphasizes the second beat accent in the tenors and altos with accent marks. In the fourth measure, the accent in the alto line occurs in the first beat, as opposed to the tenor’s second-beat accent.62
Table 4. Canto a la vida
Form Sections or Compositional Harmonic Textures Phrases elements context A x Intro (1-2) 2 m. B.Ch. intro Basic Tonal Melody and text (mm. 1-11) and interlude Harmony in soprano Two 4 m. E (added 6th, Waltz style acc. a (3-9) phrases 9th) B.Ch., ATB Accents in alto Chromaticism x coda(10-11) and tenor on secondary Repeat A a (3-9) the second dominants (3-10) x´ (10) beat major-minor Short melodic IV – 1 m. in motives in A repetition and T B b Two 4 m. Modulation to same texture (mm. 11-18) phrases that A more melodic b repeat with a A7-D-A line in alto Repeat B different text (added 6th) and tenor (mm. 11-18) Longer melodic Chromatic, motives inflections A a 8 m. phrase same same (mm. 19-28) x 2 m. B.Ch.
Bor specified a breath in the melody every two measures but did not specify any tempo or dynamic levels in this work. The marking andantino, cantabile espressivo, together with the type of text used, invite us to perform this work in a pastoral style.
62Knowing Venezuelan tradition, a conductor could think this is an error in the edition, but the author of this document had the privilege of singing this work in the presence of the composer and Bor did not address it as a mistake, but as a variation.
46
Traditionally, section “A” is performed in a slow andante (MM: = 68-72) while section “B” could be performed poco piú mosso (MM: = 72-76) returning to tempo primo in the anacrusis measure of the last section “A” (mm. 35). This discreet change of tempo allows the melody and the text to flow since its motivic content is longer and reflects the nature of the narrative. In addition, the rigidity of the waltz motive is lessened in the “B” section, allowing more flexibility.
The tessitura of the choir and the level of difficulty in this work is moderate, since the soprano line does not go above the fifth line of the staff, nor does the bass line go down below G. Altos move within a sixth (from B to G) and the tenors have an octave range. For the simplicity of texture and rhythm, the ingenuity of the text and the limited range, this three-minute work seems to be composed for teaching purposes for high school, beginning college choirs, or amateur choirs, such as church choirs or company choirs.
This work was premiered in 1976 for all the Venezuelan choirs that participated in the newly organized national choral festival Movimiento Coral Cantemos of the
Fundacion Schola Cantorum de Caracas conducted by Alberto Grau.63 It was recorded by the Cantoría Alberto Grau, conducted by Maria Guinand, in 1977 (Contacto Pro-Música
77. Fundación Mito Juan Pro-Música MJ-09, 1977. 2 LP) .64
63Grau, Alberto, Letter to Cira Parra, Caracas, 28 April 2006. 64Grau and Guinand are two of the leading Venezuelan conductors. Guinand is, at the time of this writing, one of the vice-presidents of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM).
47
3. La cabrita (The Little Goat) 1956
A more elaborate work is the madrigal La cabrita with text by the poet Manuel
Felipe Rugeles. The poem depicts the happiness of youth through the life of a young female goat, wandering until its thirst brings it to a river in which it recognizes itself through its reflection on the water.
Table 5. La cabrita. Text and Translation
Original Text in Spanish Translation to English Clara fuente va buscando Searching for a clear fountain A la cabrita desde arriba is the goat from above, desde los rudos peñascos. from the rough rocky mountains.
B El agua desde la orilla From the riverbank the water siempre la espera cantando always awaits her, singing La cabrita sin lindero The goat without boundaries Miradla como de prisa Looks at her as she rushes camino al abrevadero. towards the drinking pool. A’ Siempre en el agua se mira She always stares at herself in the water lo mismo que en un espejo. as if in front of a mirror.
48 The overall form of this work is in ABA format. However, the usage of some
motives, that cannot be called themes, become important elements of the work allowing
Bor to combine the simple ABA form with a theme with variations form or a varied rondo form. What Bor began using in Canto a la Vida becomes obvious in this piece: there is a combination of two major elements: motives and melodies that alternate throughout the work, varying its simple form.
This work has mildly meandering opening and closing ritornello (motive “x”) that gives the idea of the playful wanderings of the goat. That motive becomes a recurrent musical idea, sometimes used as introduction, interlude and coda or in a varied form to change moods in the work.
Fig. 6. La cabrita, motive “x,” mm. 1-4
49
Table 6. La cabrita
Form Sections or Compositional Harmonic Textures (measure Phrases elements context numbers) Α 1−17 x 7 m. intro x Ostinato E with added Motivic imitative 6th imitation counterpoint (I-minorV7,9) Paired imitation a 6 m. Phrase Question-answer High-low melody voice imitation x´ 4 m. x ostinato at a 4th E with added Unison interlude distance 6ths and melody between tenor 9th. moving SA and alto in 4ths. Homophonic homophonic ATB (no soprano Β 18−28 y 3 m. Interlude y homophonic Parallel Treble texture ostinato in A intervals of SA and T 5ths and (21) b 4 m. phrase S solo b with “y” 6ths S solo with as acc. Alternation of Ostinato (25) c 4 m. phrase A solo “c” with “y” tonic- in SA as acc. dominant texture (29) d 6 m. phrase 4 voice imitation with SAT texture 6/8 3/4 substitute chords (35) b 5 m. phrase A solo with A major Divisi
“z” 3/4 arpeggios in bar/bass. (41) b 6 m. phrase 4 voice imitation to baritone pair imitation alternation A / G/ D Α´ Paired (46−47) x 2 m. interlude Free homophony D added 6th-E imitation -5 m. High-low Similar music to D added 6th-E (48−53) a phrase 6 m. voices. the beginning x 6 coda=intro imitation -1 m. E major Unison SA (54−59) melody
50
The motivic element is a simple melodic figure that is presented in various ways in the score. First, as the introduction of the piece (motive “x,” mm. 1-7), it is presented in a paired imitation between the soprano and the alto line while the tenor line supports the alto. Secondly, it is presented homophonically between tenors and altos (mm. 14-17) moving mainly in parallel fourths. Then, this motive changes abruptly (mm. 18-20, motive “y” in the chart) because it combines different intervals (fifths and sixths) and changes the harmonic speed and the rhythm from eighth notes to quarter notes, serving as an interlude, preparing the mood for the middle section of the score. The musical material of this interlude continues into the next section, but this time it works as the accompaniment of the new melody in the soprano solo and the alto solo, working as an ostinato pedal point.
Another transformation of this motive occurs in the second alto solo in 3/4
(motive “z,” mm. 35-39). The motive, which melodically has maintained a weaving contour between neighboring tones going up and down, only presents an ascending melodic figure in this section and it is placed in the bass line (for the first time). This change in the motivic figure responds to the relation between the music and the text.
Before this section, according to the text, the goat is searching everywhere; now it goes directly to the river and settles down with the bass notes. Finally, the goat goes back to its wandering and the music returns to the “A” section, although it is somewhat shortened.
What used to be the introduction becomes the coda, this time without six of the measures of the introduction.
51
The melodic content in the work provides four different themes or melodies. It is important to mention that the melodies are very tonal and easy to sing, based on arpeggios and consecutive scale motion. Theme “a” begins and ends the work (mm. 8-13 and 48-53) and it is sung by sopranos and altos in unison. Although it is very similar to the “x” motive in its wavering design, for the melody, Bor preferred the use of arpeggios.
Themes “b” and “c” are reserved for solo singing, accompanied by the “y” motive and have more scale motion. The music in this section slows down rhythmically and harmonically. The solo singing addresses the solitude of the water as the text is referring here to the peaceful water waiting for the goat to arrive. The water’s slow wavering motion is presented with the “y” motive, as an ostinato accompaniment for eight measures (mm. 21-28). When the text returns to address the goat’s movements (mm. 29-
34), the harmony and the rhythm reactivates, this time, with a meter change and in an imitative style with successive entries.
The next section (mm. 35-45) combines different ideas: the melody, in an alto solo, returns to the “b” theme; a new version of the accompaniment motive appears in the basses (noted as “z” in the chart). Because there is direction in the movements of the goat in this section (“Miradla como de prisa camino al abrevadero”), the texture thins to three voices (SAB), and the long notes that were usually placed in the bass line are now in the soprano voice, while the bass line motive gives ascending motion and stability to the goat movement. This section ends with another imitative section on the “b” theme to arrive to the recapitulation (A).
52 In this work, Bor changes the textures of each verse of the poem to better express
what the words say. So, she used polyphonic textures, as paired imitation or successive
entries, when the goat in searching, moving, or is lost. Homophonic passages and
accompanied melodic sections are used when the waters await or when the goat is being
watched. Also in these passages, the texture is thinned to two or three voices,
emphasizing the treble sound (as opposed to the full four-voice texture for the goat).
Functional harmony is used throughout this work with some exceptional episodes
that create different tonal relations. The work starts and ends in E major, but at the
beginning (mm. 1-4) as well as at the end (mm. 54-57) the tonic chord goes to a minor dominant chord in first inversion. The tonic E major is embellished with non-harmonic tones (the sixth C# in the tenor line as a neighboring tone) and added ninths and elevenths
(in the alto motive). The tonic chord resolves to the dominant chord in minor mode and with an added ninth. The first and last cadences of the work resolve to E major, but with an added sixth. The middle part of the work emphasizes the sub-dominant chord (IV) and the VI chord. The harmonic motion in section “B” (mm. 35-38) abruptly changes the harmony from A major to G major, D and A minor to return to E major to end the work.
Rhythmically, the alternation of the 6/8 feeling and the 3/4 is achieved by the correct pronunciation of the text. Only in section B is a meter change added in the score, even though the juxtaposition of meters occur in the entire work. For example, at the beginning, sopranos and altos sing in a 6/8 feeling while tenors sing in 3/4. In m. 9 and m. 11, the meter is reversed since tenors and basses sing in 6/8 feeling while sopranos and altos sing in 3/4. In m. 33, Bor specifically wrote an accent in the tenor line to make
53 sure the feeling of 3/4 is clearly stated there. In m. 35, the accents in the melody in the
alto line are in 6/8 even though she wrote the section in 3/4.
In this work, Bor was very careful in placing dynamics and tempo changes. In
order for the Bocca Chiusa (humming) sections to be heard, the conductor needs to
dedicate some rehearsal time for balancing the sound. The general dynamic of the section
is piano but because the choir members are singing with their mouths closed the outcome
would be pianissimo. I would recommend opening the lips a little, modeling an [υ ] sound, sung softly, so that the rhythmic content of the section may be clearly heard and the dynamic level is not so soft. Then the contrast between the introduction and the first theme’s entrance mezzo forte will be very smooth. Many of the crescendi and decrescendi markings in Bor’s music are intended to signify the phasing rather than abrupt dynamic changes. The tessitura is comfortable for an amateur choir but the conductor must take care to rehearse the group paying attention to texture and dynamics.
Representing the first work of Bor to be published, La cabrita appeared in the
1967 collection, Madrigales y Canciones Corales (Madrigals and Choral Songs) published by the Universidad Central de Venezuela. No recordings of this work have been found.
54 B. The Middle Period: 1960-90
1. Regreso al mar (Back to the Sea)
Regreso al mar is organized in two sections with a two-measure coda. Keeping the four-part texture throughout the work, the beginning of each section starts with terraced entries on theme “a”. In the first section, the women’s voices enter first in an
SATB order, but in section “B” the men’s voices enter first, with TBAS order, allowing a timbre change.
Table No. 7. Regreso al mar
Form Sections or Compositional Harmonic Textures Phrases elements context A a (1-4) Melody and A major Terraced (1-11) chromatic acc. SATB entries b (5-6) Homophonic Ab major 4 voice texture passage c (7-11) Meno mosso Harmonic Motivic imitation progression to G major B a’ (12-16) Imitative entries B minor to Lower pitch level (12-21) Sixteenth-note A major Terrace motives TBAS entries d (17-21) Triplets and G major-Bb 4 voice texture Sixteenth-note minor to motives E minor Homphonic extended passage harmony
CODA e (22-23) Descending two- E minor Terraced entries in a (2) note motive extended 4 voice texture harmony
55
In general, the melody, usually in the soprano line, is imitated by short motives in
another voice while the remaining parts provide a slower moving accompaniment that
features some strikingly chromatic melodic lines. The melody travels from the soprano
line, in section “A,” to the tenor line, imitated by altos in part “B”. A dialog is established between two musical elements: complete phrases or melodies and different motives that imitate part of that phrase. In section “A” three themes can be identified (Figures 7-9) while there are only two themes in section “B” (Figures 7 and 10) The motivic content is varied often by inversion or diminution and serves as an echoing counterpoint to the melody.
Fig. 7. Regreso al mar. Incipit of theme “a”
Fig. 8. Regreso al mar. Incipit of theme “b”
56
Fig. 9. Regreso al mar. Incipit of theme “c”
Fig. 10. Regreso al mar. Incipit of theme “d”
Finally, the coda unfolds from a two-note descending motive that is presented first as a descending fourth in the soprano line, then as a descending fourth in the alto line followed by the bass line with a chromatically descending second (F#-F) and ending with a descending third in the soprano voice.
57
Fig. 11. Regreso al mar, coda motive (“e”)
The polyphonic texture becomes homophonic in three particular places. This first happens at the end of the first imitative section “A” with the words: “al amor, como al mar no hay quien lo alise” (love, like the sea, cannot be calmed). After the next three- measure imitative section, the homophonic texture highlights the words “no hay quien lo alise” (cannot be calmed). The last homophonic passage occurs before the coda “no dice mas de lo que el mar nos dice” (no one can say more than the sea tells us). The intent of these homophonic passages is to emphasize the main ideas of the text.
58 The relation between the text and the music offers many elements of text painting:
1. The polyphonic texture supports the idea of the movement of the ocean waves,
together with melodies replete with arpeggios and the rocking melodic figure: (G-
F#-B-A) in its many variations.
2. The individual activity of the vocal lines diminishes toward the end of sections to
stress the important messages of the text in the homophonic passages but also as
the natural dissipation of the ocean waves. A good example of this is m.7-9, with
the ascending melody that builds up to a climax as a wave augments, and then, it
dies to a resting point (m. 11).
3. The harmonic instability also supports the poetic idea that no one can calm the
sea, nor can anyone quiet their love (explained in following paragraphs).
The rhythm in this work is delivered in quarter notes and eighth notes. Changes to sixteenth notes appear when addressing love (m. 7-10) and as part of the first theme in B
(phrase “a'”). Triplets are used (m. 18) to signify life and death.
59 Table 8. Regreso al mar. Text and Translation
Original Text in Spanish Translation to English Siempre es el mar donde mejor se Always it’s in the sea where it’s A quiere better to love siempre es el mar donde mejor te Always it’s in the sea where I better quise loved you al amor, como al mar no hay quien lo love, like the sea, cannot be can alise calmed ni al mar como al amor no hay quien Neither the sea nor love can be lo alise. calmed. Original Text in Spanish Translation to English Siempre es el mar donde mejor se Always it’s in the sea where it’s A quiere better to love siempre es el mar donde mejor te Always it’s in the sea where I better quise loved you al amor, como al mar no hay quien lo love, like the sea, cannot be can alise calmed ni al mar como al amor no hay quien Neither the sea nor love can be lo alise. calmed. B No hay quien como a la mar familiarice There is no one who is as familiar with the sea ni quien como a la ola persevere No one, like the waves that keep trying ni el que mas diga en lo que vive y No one can say how to live or die muere no dice mas de lo que el mar nos dice No one can say more than the sea tells us. El mar, el mar, el mar. The sea, the sea, the sea.
60 Regreso al mar is composed in a free tonal style that features distant modulations and surprising harmonic sequences. The work starts in A major and, with fast harmonic and rhythmic motion, in one measure (m. 5), the music cadences in A flat. A sequence of major chords with added sixths and ninths follow in rapid succession until the section finally ends in G major. Section “B” begins in G major and moves through short lived key centers of E minor, A major, B minor, G major and B flat major. Ultimately, at m.
20, a B flat dominant seventh chord (with a G sharp enharmonically A flat) functions as a
German augmented sixth chord, cadencing in D major with added sixths and ninths. This extended D major chord—the same used to end the work—could be viewed as a bitonal structure of E minor superimposed over D major. This implied harmonic instability relates directly to the text, “al amor como al mar no hay quien lo alise” (love, like the sea, cannot be calmed). The harmony moves fast at times and stabilizes at other times as do love and the movement of the sea, with the impossibility of keeping them calm or immobile for long periods of time.
Many important vertical harmonies create striking dissonances in the score. Yet this is achieved with logical voice leading making the work easy to sing, and with many functional, tonic-dominat harmonic progressions. For example, at the beginning, the first harmonic interval is a perfect fifth created between the soprano and alto lines; by a descending chromatic half step in the alto line and a leap up of a perfect fourth in the soprano melody, an augmented octave (B sharp-B) is achieved. This is followed by an augmented E chord, formed by the tenor, alto and soprano line, moving with ease to m. 2
61 using double leading tones (B sharp and G sharp) to a tonic A major chord with a major
seventh supplied by the soprano part arriving at G-sharp via diatonic stepwise motion.
Another ambiguous chord occurs in measure four. The down beat chord is
composed of two intervals of a second: E-F sharp and C sharp-B that resolves on the
second beat to an A major chord, delayed because of the use of passing notes and non-
harmonic tones in the first beat. The voice leading in this section is achieved very smoothly and melodically in all four parts.
The down-beat of measure fifteen offers another striking dissonance. An E natural is sustained in the soprano line against an E sharp in the alto line. The soprano’s melody has the E in the measure before (m.14), and the melodic figure allows the arrival at m. 15 to be melodically natural and easy to sing; the alto simply moves chromatically E-E sharp. The harmonic sequence of m.15-16 established a tonic-dominant relation, and the chromatism in the alto line continues its ascending motion to F sharp adding a sixth to the tonic chord.
The harmonic changes are so abrupt that some measures will need to be rehearsed carefully because of the melodic and harmonic difficulties posed for each voice part. For example, a sophisticated melodic problem occurs in m. 5, where the tenor line starts with a high E and ends in m. 6 with a low E flat. Harmonically, the E natural is the ninths of D major and the E flat becomes the fifth of the A flat seventh chord at m. 6, arrive at via another tonic-dominant relationship. Even though the harmonic progression is logical, the voice leading is not comfortable to do. Likewise, another problem spot is m. 8. Here the
harmony changes from A flat (functioning now as the Neapolitan chord of G major) to G
62 major. The melody in the alto line changes harmonic direction in this measure and, after a motivic imitation, leaps up a tritone. Even though the respective ranges are comfortable for all voice parts (spanning only an octave in each), and the voice parts are very carefully crafted, the harmonic complexity (within a basically functional harmony) make this work difficult to sing.
The dynamics of this work were specified by the composer at four specific dynamic levels. At the beginning of the work, a piano dynamic is required. Some crescendi and decrescendi are marked to shape the phrases and to prepare the forte at the climactic point (m. 8) addressing the aspect of amor (love). Section “B” begins with an unspecified dynamic level except for the relative dynamic implied by the “hairpin” decrescendo mark preceding measure eleven. I recommend beginning section “B” with a mezzo piano/mezzo forte level since the appearance of the next forte at the end of section
“B” occurs two measures earlier than the previous section (section “A” has 10 measures while “B” has eight, balanced with the two-measure coda). The coda maintains a general dynamic level of forte until the last note of the work, which requires a perdendosi to pianissimo (softer until it disappears).
Contrary to the relative paucity of articulation marks, general expressive directives, and dynamic markings in the rest of the work (other than “hairpin” crescendi/decrescendi), the two-measure coda features a wealth of expression marks that should be observed. One should notice that every note is accented (indeed, the note for the word mar (sea) has an sf mark in addition to its accent mark) as well as noting the important crescendo of the lower three voices to the final note, all under the general
63 tenuto directive. Due to the markings tenuto and meno, the tempo of the last two
measures should be performed much more slowly and sustained.
In Venezuelan performance practice, the markings of this work are interpreted in
notably various ways by conductors, especially with regard to tempo changes. In the
Antología del madrigal venezolano (Anthology of the Venezuelan Madrigal) recorded by
the Schola Cantorum de Caracas in 1975 conducted by Alberto Grau, this work is
performed, at the beginning, at M.M. = 52—a tempo that seems to embody more of a
lento feel than that of an andante. Also, Grau employs much rubato. For instance, in his
rendition, the first anacrusis note in the soprano line is lengthened (tenuto) for expressive
purposes. The final cadence of section “A” is performed ritenuto, emphasizing the last
melodic entry in the baritone line. Also in Grau’s rendition, section “B” moves more
quickly (M.M. = 55-58), yet slowing down the triplets in m. 17 to emphasize the
words, vive y muere (live and die). For the two last measures, Grau slows the music
drastically.
A more recent performance of the work was recorded by the Orfeón de la
Universidad Central de Venezuela, conducted by Bor’s student, Cesar Alejandro Carrillo
in 2004.65 Its initial tempo is faster than Grau’s recording (M.M. = 58), and the meno tempo is anticipated in the anacrusis of m. 7, slowing the tempo to a M.M. = 50-52.
The eighth notes in the coda almost take the tempo of the previous quarter notes. Some
65Carrillo, César Alejandro, dir. Pescador de Anclas. Orfeón Universitario de la UCV, 2004. CD.
64 conductors prefer a very expressive ending with an ample range of dynamics, articulation
marks and tempo to simulate the crashing waves of the sea.
Written in Moscow in 1962, this composition was likely premiered in Caracas in
the early 1970’s by the Schola Cantorum de Caracas conducted by Alberto Grau.66 The composer was probably involved in the premiere as well as in the production of Grau’s recording. Notably, this work was chosen as the official required piece for the
International Choral Contest of the Ninth Festival D’Canto this June 2006, on Margarita
Island in Venezuela.
2. Canto de Paz (Song of Peace)
In Bor’s Canto de Paz (Song of Peace) of 1969, one can note Bor’s awareness of
Russian socialism and patriotism and the understanding of Russian compositional techniques.67 This work comments on the harshness of social injustice. The text deals
with the need for peace and how hatred affects human relations.
Canto de Paz presents a freer formal structure than the works previously
presented because its three sections are more uneven in length and have more contrasting
textures. The three sections have nine, twelve and eight measures each. Sections “A” and
“C” are primarily homophonic, although some imitative entries can be found. The
66Grau could not remember the exact date for this premiere but he did remember it was within the first years of the foundation of the Schola Cantorum de Caracas (founded in 1967). 67One edition of Canto de Paz establishes the date of composition as 1966. According to the Fundación Modesta Bor the correct date is 1969.
65
longest of the three is the middle section; section “B,” has two phrases with an accompanied melodic style followed by a homophonic style to end the phrases. The final section, “C,” has one eight-measure homophonic phrase with a late entry of the soprano part.
Table 9. Canto de Paz. Text and Translation.
ORIGINAL TEXT ENGLISH TRANSLATION A No se si exista un hombre que inclinado I don’t know if there is a man who
sobre el río indeciso de su sangre, inclined indecisively over the river of
his blood,
al contemplar su rostro en el reflejo, when looking at his own image
no vea la Paz escrita entre sus rasgos. does not see Peace written in his face.
B Mas sé que existe es cierto, sin embargo I know it’s true, however quien ha echado en olvido hasta su sangre. that some have forgotten even their own blood (their families, their roots). Oigo su voz, la voz del odio en alto I hear its voice, the voice of hatred up high que quiere ver la muerte hasta en su casa. that wants to see death even in his house. Y sé que ha de perderse en el desierto, And I know it has to get lost in the desert, ha de hundirse en el mar hondo y bastante. it has to drown deep in the profound ocean.
66 Table 7. --Continued
ORIGINAL TEXT ENGLISH TRANSLATION C Quiero la Paz que pueblan en los amigos. I want the Peace that lives in friends. Quiero la Paz, creadora y terminante. I want the Peace that creates and completes all. La Paz que todo pueblo lleva adentro, The Peace that all people have inside, con justicia, sin gritos y sin llantos. with justice, without shouts and wails.
For the entire work, Bor maintained a four or five-part texture, but Section “B” presents various combinations of timbre. The two phrases of section “B” present the melody in one voice while the other voices accompany bocca chiusa (humming). The first phrase of section “B” (mm. 10-17) consists of eight measures and the second phrase is half that length (mm. 18-21). In that first phrase of section “B”, the tenor line has the melody and it is accompanied by basses in divisi and the soprano line (SBB). In the second phrase, the alto line has the melody and it is accompanied by a three-voice texture
(TBB), without the soprano line. The work ends with all five voices singing homophonically.
Two important characteristics of this work are the abundance of themes and the abrupt harmonic changes leading to distant tonal centers. There are five very distinct themes in this work, but the first one is the most prominent, appearing several times with variations. The first phrase “a” starts with three repeated notes and continues with a stepwise descending figure in F major. This motive is varied only slightly in the
67 following phrase (m. 4) and later on, in a more altered form, in m. 10 (in A flat) and m.
13 (in F sharp minor). The phrase in m. 17 (phrase “c”) in the alto line is quite different
because, even though it starts with the same repeated-note idea of phrase “a”, it has a
limited range of a perfect 4th, and moves around the F sharp pitch.
Fig. 12. Graphic analysis of Canto de Paz
When addressing the text dealing with Paz (Peace, written in the work with a
capital letter for emphasis), four new and distinct musical themes appear. The first of
these themes occurs in section “A” on the upbeat of m. 6 with the text no vea la Paz escrita entre sus brazos (who does not see Peace written in his arms). The other three themes are concentrated in the last part of the work (section “C”) that deals with the three verses of the text that express peace and justice. These themes have more conjunct
68 movement, without big leaps, and with a fluid, more natural contour than those of the first section.
In the first half of this work, Bor uses a wide variety of harmonic means, most likely to depict the disturbing, unsettling nature of the poem. These elements include chords with added sixths, sevenths, elevenths, altered chords and polychords. The
harmonic progression starts with an initial F major section that passes briefly through A
flat major, C major, F sharp minor and A major. To end this piece and to depict peace
and justice, Bor chose a functional harmonic motion that goes from A major to E major.
The extended harmonies used in this piece together with the use of chords based
on the intervals of seconds, fourths and fifths suggest the influence of Khachaturian. Bor
was very careful when choosing these chords so they can be analyzed in terms of
functional harmonic relations, as added seventh, ninth of non-harmonic tones, but placing
them in important dramatic places in the score, and making them stand apart from tonal
music. For example, in m. 15, the down-beat chord, the word alto (high), is built with on
a chord of F, A, F sharp and E. On the second beat of that measure, there is another chord based on seconds (B-C sharp-E-F sharp) that abruptly changes the harmonic direction of the music modulating from C major to F# minor (See Fig. 13).
The text of this work, together with the carefully constructed harmonic progressions, the thematic content and the dynamics, help the conductor to interpret this work. Bor specified several mezzo-pianos and pianos until m. 21, where mezzo-forte and forte emphasize the demand, quiero la Paz (I want Peace). The moment in the music that cannot be overlooked is m. 15. First, the highest note in the soprano line occurs here;
69 secondly, the harmony changes in this phrase (from a previous tonal center of A flat) from C to A major to D major to F sharp minor (mm. 13-17). It is not the climax of the work but it is the point of most tension, and the words la voz del odio en alto (the voice of hatred on high) support that. I suggest a marcato attack on the notes leading to that point with a crescendo to forte; then the phrase could finish mezzo forte with a small ritardando into m.17 to prepare for the next section.
Fig. 13. Canto de paz, mm. 13-15
The feelings evoked by the text in the first parts of the work, demand a turning point in the interpretation of the last section (section C). Sections A and B question man’s
70 attitude toward family and peace which allows hatred and death to enter their lives. I would recommend emphasizing the pronunciation of the consonants in these sections,
stressing the main accent of the words. Also the resonance of the sound could be more
frontal (not nasal) to depict anger in these sections. From m. 17, the color begins to change and the conductor should carefully isolate the entry of the alto line on the word y
(and) with a less incisive, warmer color and a softer dynamic (piano) to prepare the next
section. Section “C” expresses a new hope for peace: the peace of families, friends and
nations. The consonants should be softened, phrases legato, dynamic level forte and the sound brighter.
3. Manchas sonoras (Splashes of Sound)
Of Bor’s choral works, Manchas sonoras (Splashes of Sound) from 1975 is the first of her compositions that is completely disassociated from tradition. It is organized as a set of three pieces or three movements: Planos de luz (Planes of Light), Requiebros
(Flirting) and Esguinces rítmicos (Rhythmic Patterns). Designed to be performed as a set, yet each one is complete in itself and has been performed separately. Requiebros is the single movement most often performed of the three Manchas Sonoras. 68
68Recently, Requiebros was performed by the Cantoría de Mérida on 4 August 2002 in the World Choral Symposium in Minnesota. Also, the Brigham Young University Singers included the work in the 2004 season and the Coro of the Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas in its 2005 season. The Dale Warland Singers had a copy of this score in their repertoire.
71 Planos de luz is marked andantino and is 50 measures in length; Requiebros is
marked allegro and is the longest of the three (116 measures); the last piece of the set,
Planos de luz has tempo markings, moderato and allegretto and lasts 85 measures. None of the three have traditional texts as they feature only nonsense syllables. Requiebros and
Esguinces rítmicos also include rhythmic patterns of with percussive sounds made by the choir members. In order to aid the conductor, a guide to the nonsense sounds is offered
below, with the IPA symbols (International Phonetic Alphabet).
Table 10. Pronunciation guide to nonsense syllables
Syllable IPA Guide simple role or a flap “r,” simmilar to the flap “t” in the words r [ ] city, butter, better, party, little.
u [u] pure, clear vowel tu vowel sound decaying toward its end. If two different pitches [tu] occur as melisma on “tu,” the first note is the stressed one. Tum [tum] short duration of the vowel sound with sustained “m” Tu-ru stronger accent on the first syllable [tu-ɾu] tu-qu- Accent on the last syllable of the pattern tum [tu-ku-tum] a [a] vowel sound like the word “ah”
tan [tan] usually used at the end of rhythmic figures, it is accented. Ta-ra- vowel as in the word“ah” and accent on the last syllable of tán [ta- a-tan] the pattern. Ba [ba] Very legato with soft consonant
72 Table 10--Continued
Pa Very accented explosive “p” with a natural decay at the end [pa] of the syllable. Pá-ra- First attack is accented, diminishing toward the end of the pa-pa- [pa- a-pa- pattern pa pa-pa] Pa-ra- Accent on the last syllable of the pattern pám [pa- a- pam]
The percussive effect in Requiebros is meant to simulate the sound of horses’
hooves or the passing of time in an antique clock. This is accomplished by clicking the
tongue against the roof of the mouth, opening and closing the lips to produce high and
low sounds. In the final movement, Esguinces rítmicos, the other percussive effect is the
“ch” sound [sh], to be performed very short and accented.
The suite’s harmony consists of chords built on the intervals of seconds, fourths
and fifths, typical of Khachaturian’s style. In Planos de lus, the predominant harmony is
based on stacked perfect fourths. For example, the first chord of the work is F#-B-E-A.
Requiebros presents chords based on seconds (B-C sharp-E-F sharp) and Esquinces
rítmicos features multi-voice chords that combine intervals of seconds, fifths and fourths.
A wide variety of sonorities can be found in this suite due to the many changes of voicing as well as texture contrast. Written for mixed choir, the main timbre change occurs when a four-part SATB phrase is followed by a six-, seven-, or eight-part divisi section. Only few phrases employ a solely treble sonority. In Plano de luz, the texture is
73 mainly polyphonic, featuring descending terraced entries, soprano to bass (SSAATBB),
and imitated motives are used to accompany the melodies. The treble sonority—an SSAA
sonority that cadences with the tenor and the bass lines added—occurs in one phrase in this movement. The texture of Requiebros is predominantly homophonic with a contrast
between a rhythmic section and a more melodic section. From a homophonic SAATT
phrase (mm. 37-52) the texture changes to a single melody in the tenor line with short
accompaniment motives by a divisi soprano line and a percussive effect in the alto line.
Esguinces rítmicos starts and ends with full divisi SSAATTBB. Only in the middle
section, in the phrase marked cantabile (mm. 46-58), is the voicing reduced to SATB.
The texture consists of six to eight voices and, as the title of the work expresses, the piece
exploits rhythmic variations using, among others, the alternation of 6/8 and 3/4 meters
typical of Venezuelan folk music. In contrast to this complexity, the melodies are tonal
and very simple, almost in folk style, but presented in a heterophonic way. Sometimes
doubled at the interval of a fourth or a fifth, these melodies can be difficult to sing in
tune.
74
a. Requiebros (Flirting)
Requiebros, the second of the three Manchas sonoras, is organized in three
sections (ABA). The first and last sections have the same musical material but are different in length (thirty-nine and thirty-three measures respectively). This work begins and ends with a rhythmic sequence consisting of 5/8, 2/8, 6/8 and 3/4 meters that is repeated six times, a sequence that is reminiscent of the Venezuelan merengue rhythm.
Its initial “A” section ends its rhythmic sequence with three phrases whose principal
characteristics are clusters of seven different pitches and an accented hemiola rhythm in
the upper voices (m. 25-39). The final “A” section, after the rhythmic sequence, also ends with the hemiola rhythm, but this time it is placed in the bass and baritone voices instead
(m. 108-16).
The central portion of this work is divided into three sub-sections (mentioned in the chart that follows as “c,” “d,” and “e”). The percussive vocal effect (that sounds as horse’s hooves) occurs in this middle section and it represents the passing of time in a flirting situation. In its first thirteen measures (sub-section “c”), the melody is carried by
the tenor voice, while in the next sixteen measures (sub-section “d”) the melody is moved
to the soprano line. In the final fifteen measures of the middle section (sub-section “e”), a
stretto-like passage starts with the melody in the alto voice that is imitated by the other
voices.
75
Table 11. Requiebros
Form Sections or Phrases Compositional Harmonic Textures elements context A a (1-24) 8 m. phrase 5/8, 2/8, 6/8, 3/4 B-C#-E-F# SATB Homophonic 8 m. phrase Chords based on Bb-D-E-A Rhythmic section 8 m. phrase seconds Ab-C-D-G b 3 m. phrases Chords w/ 9th (25-39) repeated 5 and 11th times Hemiola upper Clusters of 7 SSAATTBB voices pitches B c 3 m. phrase Atonal Tenor Atonal T melody (40-52) 4 m. phrase melody Minor accompanied by 4 m. phrase Horses hooves seconds SSAA effect contrast. Horse’s hooves Two quarter note Parallel 4th effect acc. motive motive in T-B join at the end d 5 m. phrase Legato e acc. S melody (53-68) 4 m. phrase cantabile Atonal. accompanied by 5 m. phrase Atonal S Chord with TTBB 3 m. phrase melody added 6th Horse’s hooves Dotted half acc. effect e 6 m. phrase atonal imitative Parallel 4th Stretto imitative (69-83) 5 m. phrase phrases motion in entries A-S-T-B 3 m. phrase Atonal imitative acc. line entries A a 3 eight-m. 5/8, 2/8, 6/8, 3/4 B-C#-E-F# SATB Homophonic (84-107) phrases Chords based on Bb-D-E-A Rhythmic section seconds or Ab-C-D-G chords w/ 9th and 11th b' 3-3-3-1 m. “pa” head Tonal SATBB homophony (108-16) phrases motive sequence to SSAATBB variation in w/extended 3/4. Hemiola harmony 7th, in bass and 9th, 11th, baritone line 13th
76 The harmony is extended from four to eight voices, using added 6ths, 9ths, 11ths,
and 13ths, undergirded by pedal points. The modality of the chords is ambiguous. In
some cases, the third of a chord is omitted or presented, as a major-minor chord. At
times, it seems that the work is written bitonally, with the upper voices and first tenor line
comprising one chord and the lower men’s voices supplying the other. However, in this
work, Bor reminds us of her tonal background. Even though the work presents expanded
chords with seconds and fourths and clusters of seven different pitches, the harmonic
scheme feels tonal. The last section (“b'”) of Requiebros is a good example of this tonal
palette. It starts with a sub-dominant triad (IV scale degree of C major), without its third
but with an added 7th, 9th, and 11th. The harmony progresses to the III scale degree and
then moves to a flat III chord; next it moves to the Neapolitan flat II to resolve in an
extended C major chord with 7th, 9th. and 13th. This cadential harmonic sequence is
commonly found in Venezuelan folk music, especially in the Polo Margariteño but
without the added notes.69
Bor gives very general information as to the interpretation of this work. In
Requiebros, the markings are allegro at the beginning, crescendo to subito piano in “b”
(measures 25-39) followed by a mezzo forte, a legato e cantabile (measures 53-61) and a
long crescendo-decrescendo before the recapitulation. The articulation of the pitches is
secco (dry, short) and accented until the final marcato e sempre forte at the end. She did
69Polo is a type of music sung on the coast of Venezuela whose roots come from the Spanish polo or flamenco music. It is based on the Guardame las vacas melodic variations in which the descending harmonic sequence toward the dominant is kept in the Venezuelan polo.
77 not provide detailed phrasing of this work because the interest is placed in the rhythm and
harmony more than in any other aspect of the music.
Fig. 14. Requiebros, mm. 109-16
Manchas sonoras was dedicated to the Schola Cantorum de Caracas and was given as a gift to the choir upon its return to Caracas from the Guido D’Arezzo contest in
Italy in 1974.70 The suite was premiered in 1975 conducted by Alberto Grau. The next
year, it was performed on June 25 for the graduation concert of the first generation of
70Grau, Alberto. Letter to Cira Parra, Caracas, 28 April 2006. .
78 conductors of the Schola Cantorum in Caracas. Recently, the Pro Canada Choir included the complete set in its 2004-2005 concert season. In 2005, Manchas sonoras was performed by the Belgian Radio Choir conducted by María Guinand.
C. Mature Style Period: 1991-98
1. Aquí te amo (1993)
In 1993 Bor set to music the poem Aquí te amo (Here I Love You), number 18 of
Pablo Neruda’s collection Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada of 1924
(Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair). The collection is filled with symbolism and metaphoric images in which there is a direct relation between nature and love.
Contradictory feelings of sadness and happiness exist at the same time in regard to the beloved. Particularly in Aquí te amo, unattainable love is reflected in the images of the moon, the stars and the sailboats that are far away; the water and the sea represent the time lost as well as the distance between lovers; the pier is a sad and lonely place where the poet stands.71
Bor did not set to music several verses of the original poem, specifically those that deal with torment, anguish, fatigue and depression. Instead, she added repetitions of
71Montes, Hugo, ed. Pablo Neruda: Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada (Madrid: Editorial Castalia, 1987), 25-28.
79 the main phrase Aquí te amo. In the following table, a translation by W. S. Merwin is provided for the verses of the poem that Bor used in her choral work.72
Table 12. Aquí te amo. Text and Translation
Original Text in Spanish Translation to English Aquí te amo. Here I love you.
En los oscuros pinos se desenreda el viento. In the dark pines the wind disentangles
itself.
Fosforece la luna sobre las aguas errantes. The moon glows like phosphorus on the
vagrant waters.
Andan días iguales persiguiéndose. Days, all one kind, go chasing each other.
Se desciñe la niebla en danzantes figuras. The snow unfurls in dancing figures.
Una gaviota de plata se descuelga del ocaso. A silver gull slips down from the west.
A veces una vela. Altas, altas estrellas. Sometimes a sail. High, high, stars.
Aquí te amo y en vano te oculta el horizonte. Here I love you and the horizon hides you
in vain.
Te estoy amando aún entre estas frías cosas. I love you still among these cold things.
A veces van mis besos en esos barcos graves, Sometimes my kisses go on those heavy
vessels, corren por el mar hacia donde no llegan. that cross the sea towards [sic] no arrival.
72Pablo Neruda. Twenty Love Songs and a Song of Despair, translated by W. S. Merwin (New York: Penguin Books, 1977).
80 Table12—Continued.
Ya me veo olvidado como estas viejas I see myself forgotten like those old
anclas. anchors.
Son más tristes los muelles cuando atraca The piers sadden when the afternoon
la tarde. moors there.
Amo lo que no tengo. Estás tú tan I love what I do not have. You are so far.
distante.
Me miran con tus ojos las estrellas más The biggest stars look at me with your
grandes. eyes.
Y como yo te amo, los pinos en el viento, And as I love you, the pines in the wind,
quieren cantar tu nombre con sus hojas want to sing your name with their leaves
de alambre. of wire.
Aquí te amo. Here I love you.
Formally, this work follows a rondo structure but in a non-traditional way. Here, in the ritornello, a principle of thematic and motivic variation is employed, and its sections are uneven in length. Bor achieved a delicate balance between unity and variety.
Motivic repetition gives the elements of unity; however, even the ritornello motive
(motive “x”) gets varied as well as the themes in the ritornello section. Themes are always varied and their variations are constantly changing the work. The recurrent motive
“x” announces each new “A” section with the text Aquí te amo or a variation of it.
81
Fig. 15. Aqui te amo. Recurrent motive “x”
Table 13. Aqui te amo
Form Sections Compositional Harmonic Textures Text or Phrases elements context incipit +6 A x (1-2) T melody V7-I Acc. melody Aquí te amo. a1 (3-7) (A major) B. Ch. acc. En los x (7-8) A melody oscuros... 2 +6 a (8-13) overlaps V7-I Aquí te amo motive x (A major) Fosforece... B b (14-15) 2 repetitions of D major- S melody acc. Andan días b (16-17) phrase minor Acc. with text iguales I+6-6-V9 Alto melody acc. persiguién- b (18-21) A melody G64-A+6 B. Ch. do se +6 A´ x (22-23) T melody V7-I Acc. melody Aquí te amo (A major) B. Ch. acc. a2 (23-28) A melody Melody acc. with Se desciñe... overlaps text motive x C c (29-31) head motive of E major- Homophony Una gaviota... Andante c2 (32-34) “c” with C minor Se calmo c (35-38) ”c2” F +6 Melody acc. descuelga... c2 (38-42) A melody Ab major B.Ch. A veces una , Homophony vela... Mosso 2 +6 A´´ x (43-44) S melody V7-I 4 voice Aquí te amo Tempo a3 (45-46) Ab major homophony Y en vano... primo c2 (47-51) 3 repetitions modulates El horizonte 3 4 +6 x –a Climax V7-I Homophony Te estoy (52-55) S melody G major amando c 2-c3(56- Imitative D-G Polyphonic A veces van 62) motive T, A, imitations mis besos S
82 Table 13—Continued
D b2 (63-68) Alto melody G major Acc. melody Ya me veo profundo Diminish B. Ch. acc. olvidado c3 (69-72) Divisi a 6 chord Homophony Cuando atraca menomosso sequences la tarde rallentando polychords A´´´ x4 –a4 Hair pin G major Homophony Amo lo que +6 (73-79) dynamics V7-I no tengo d (79-82) Bass melody C major Acc. melody Me miran ... a (82-85) Crescendo et Pedal on C B. Ch. acc. Y como yo te rallentando Homophony amo d (85-88) Bass melody G-C major Acc. melody Cantar tu Acc. with text nombre Coda x5 3 repetitions G major Acc. melody sop, Aquí te amo Meno mosso +6,9 tenor lento Pedal on G B. Ch. acc.
The repetitions of motive “x” occur with some change of timbre, intervallic content or harmony, as well as a change in the accompaniment. For example, at the beginning, motive “x” repeats three times, almost identically, with the motive in the tenor line and with bocca chiusa accompaniment. The melody that follows motive x starts immediately in the next measure (theme “a”) in the first exposition. In the second and third entry of the ritornello, motive “x” is overlapped by a new melody “a2” At the next entry of the ritornello (mm. 43-46), the intervallic content of motive “x” changes, the accompaniment becomes homophonic and it develops in a different harmonic frame. The tenor and bass lines enter one quarter-note before the melody that is now located in the soprano line. From this point onward, the motive becomes an integral part of the melody that follows it.
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Fig. 16. Aqui te amo. Motive “x2”
The transformation of motive “x” that follows is noteworthy as it represents the climax of the work (mm. 52-55). This time motive “x” occurs in a lower pitch level and becomes a four-measure phrase. The text is changed to Te estoy amando (I am loving you), and it is set in a homophonic style.
Fig. 17. Aqui te amo. Motive “x3”
Another important variation occurs at m. 73-79 where the “x” motive is completely modified intervallically and develops into an elongated seven-measure phrase. The new text Amo lo que no tengo (I love what I do not have) is also set in a homophonic, homorhythmic fashion.
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Fig. 18. Aqui te amo. Motive “x4”
Finally, unity has been achieved through a number of ritornello usages. For the
Coda, motive “x” returns with the same accompanied-melody style of the beginning,
providing a sense of formal satisfaction. For variety, the motive changes intervallically, and the vocal entries are re-ordered with the soprano and altos lines entering first, followed by male voices. To end the piece, this motive is presented three consecutive
times, twice in the soprano line and once in the tenor line.
Fig.19. Aqui te amo. Motive x5
The episodes “B,” “C” and “D,” which contrast with the ritornello, section “A,” have new phrases. Some of them combine motivic figures, which reappear in different phrases. For example, the initial four-note figure of theme “a2” (m. 8) is similar in shape
85 to the initial figure of theme “b” (m. 14). In section “C,” the end motive of the phrase
(“c2” in the chart, mm. 32-34) re-appears in m. 38, used as a head motive. Then, in m. 47,
a modified motive “c2” ends the phrase “a3” of section “A.” With Bor’s motivic usage, an
overall feeling of unity (by repetition) is created. Variety is achieved with the different
melodies she created.
The harmonic rhythm of this work reflects the motion of the text. The tonal center of A major is maintained throughout the first half of the work. (Sections “A,” “B” and “A´,” from mm. 1-28) and the harmony does not seem to move. This motionless harmony, together with the three repetitions of the motive “x,” corroborate the idea of an unalterable, immovable situation suggested by the word aquí (here).
Section “C” (m. 28-42) features fast changing harmonic shifts from E major to C
minor and F major, ending in A flat major. All this harmonic activity leads to the climax
in G major (mm. 52-55) where the harmony stabilizes. Curiously, Bor achieved climax
by going downward harmonically from A major (basses starting on dominant E), at the
beginning of the work, to A flat (basses on Eb) in mm. 43-51 to G major (basses on D) in
mm. 52-62). This downward harmonic motion to the climax is related to the text, since it
is obvious in the poem that, even though love exists (I am loving you), the situation of
loneliness remains the same. Consequently, the harmony stabilizes in a lower tonal center
(G major) that returns the music to the static feeling of the beginning, recapitulating the
original motive “x” with the text Aquí te amo (Here I Love You).
Bor keeps the same harmonic style she used in her previous works. Most of the
chords are extended with added sixths, sevenths, ninths or thirteenths. The A major
86 chord, which served as the tonal center of the first sections of the work, is usually presented with an added sixth and a ninth. Most of the chords are written in second inversion with most of the added notes in the melody. The last G major chord of the score features an added sixth, a major seventh and a ninth.
Aquí te amo was dedicated to the Orfeón of the Universidad de los Andes and was premiered and conducted by Geraldo Arrieche. For the 55th anniversary of the choir,
Arrieche published this work in a collection containing various composers’ original works and arrangements that were commissioned by and/or dedicated to the Orfeón. The collection included three of Bor’s original choral works and one of her choral arrangements: Aquí te amo, Para mi corazón basta tu pecho, Bajaste del cielo con luz primorosa, and the arrangement of La cayena. In addition to the scores, a recording of the works was also issued.73 In 2005, Aquí te amo served as the required work for the
International Choral Contest of the VIII Festival Internacional D’Canto, held on
Venezuelan’s Margarita Island.
73Geraldo Arrieche. 55 años del Orfeón. Universidad de los Andes, Dirección General de Cultura y Extensión. Mérida, 2001, Cd.
CHAPTER IV
FOLK-INFLUENCED MUSIC AND
CHORAL ARRANGEMENTS
Bor’s interest in maintaining folk music traditions in Venezuela led her to
transcribe, compile and arrange traditional music and compose many works in folk style.
Noteworthy are her original aguinaldos and her more than 200 arrangements of folk
music, most of them rooted in traditional Margarita Island music styles. Her folk- influenced music can be organized into two groups: the aguinaldos, or Venezuelan
Christmas music, and other folk music that she arranged for children’s, youth and adult
choirs.
A. Aguinaldos and Christmas Songs
Aguinaldo is a term used in Spain as well as in Venezuela and many other Latin
American countries to identify a certain form of Christmas music. In Venezuela there are
two major types: aguinaldo de parranda (secular aguinaldo) and aguinaldo a lo divino
(religious aguinaldo). Those that have a festive character and a quick tempo are
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aguinaldos de parranda (party aguinaldos or secular aguinaldos). The aguinaldos a lo divino (sacred aguinaldos) have a slower tempo and are more contemplative in nature.
Bor chose texts for her aguinaldos de parranda to reflect her desire to preserve traditions. She chose popular texts and raised the quality standard of the aguinaldo form by using poems from well-known Venezuelan writers. The texts typically involved the
Virgin Mary, the infant Jesus, the nativity story or the three Magi when referring to religious events. Secular texts, commented on local events or traditions. The well-known
El pavo (The Turkey), Sobre tus cholitas (Over Your Sandals) and Aguinaldo oriental
(Aguinaldo From the East [of Venezuela]) are aguinaldos whose texts are secular. El pavo tells the story of a Christmas eve theft of a turkey from the character Nativida (it is a local tradition in Venezuela to steal and hide “something,” often the figurine of the baby
Jesus from a nativity set). This event serves as an excuse to visit neighbors and sing aguinaldos in neighborhood houses. Sobre tus cholitas deals with the tradition of leaving a gift in sandals on Christmas Eve.74 Aguinaldo oriental mentions everyday scenes from
the town of Pertigalete. With no mentioning of any religious event, these aguinaldos
reflect well-known popular traditions.
Bor’s later aguinaldos have texts dealing with parrandas (Christmas parties) with
family and friends that embody feelings of charity, praise and adoration for the newly-
born Jesus. Sin vinos ni hallacas (Without Wine or Hallacas),75 composed in 1972 on a
poem by Fernando Rodríguez (Bor’s second husband), deals with sadness due to the state
of poverty in the city during the Christmas season. Her last published aguinaldo, Bajaste
del cielo con luz primorosa (You Came Down from Heaven in a Glowing Light),
74The word Aguinaldo also means Christmas gift. 75Hallaca is a typical Venezuelan food wrapped in banana leaves, eaten during Christmas.
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composed in 1997, was set to a poem by Luis Mariano Rivera. Bajaste... deals with the miracle of the nativity of Jesus, and how his birth affects and influences humanity.
The traditional form of the aguinaldo is in two parts. One of its sections, the estribillo, serves as a refrain. The estrofa contains the different stanzas of the poem. The traditional aguinaldos that Bor arranged, such as Aguinaldo oriental, Aguinaldo
Margariteño (Aguinaldo from Margarita Island) and El pavo, start with the estrofa of the poem followed by the estribillo or refrain. However, Sobre tus cholitas, Con esta parrandita (With This Christmas Party), Tambores de Navidad (Drums for Christmas) and Al llegar aquí (When I Arrive)–written much later in her life–begin with the estribillo.
Many of Bor’s later aguinaldos from the 1980’s and 1990’s maintain the two- section form, some of them with variations. For Por un camino arenoso (On a Sandy
Path) and Los tres reyes magos (The Three Magi), both composed in 1986, and Bajaste del cielo con luz primorosa (You Came Down from Heaven in a Glowing Light), of
1997, Bor added introductory sections (Los Reyes Magos), interludes (Los Reyes.. and
Bajaste...) and coda sections (Por un camino..., Bajaste...). In these unaccompanied works, Bor used nonsense syllable sections without text to simulate instrumental introductions, interludes or codas.
In Bor’s aguinaldos from the early years, the harmonic language followed traditional harmonic styles but gradually changed to a more daring, innovative style.
Traditional aguinaldos are usually written in D or G major and B or E minor, using tonic, subdominant and dominant chords for the estribillo section. In the estrofa, the harmonies modulate usually by means of secondary dominants to the IV and II scale degree or to the
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relative minor key. Her original work Parranda Margariteña (Party on Margarita Island) and her choral arrangement Tambores de Navidad, both written in the 1970’s, offer richer harmonies through the use of nonharmonic tones and some chromatism. Harmonic sequences are enriched with the use of passing secondary dominant chords, diminished chords and major-minor chord alternations.
After 1985, the harmony of Bor’s aguinaldos changed substantially. Bor composed three of these in 1986 that are distinct from any of her previous compositions.
Of those, Los reyes magos, includes chords with added sixths, sevenths, ninths and elevenths together with diminished chords and flat VI chords during the introduction. The following estribillo section begins with extended harmonies and bitonal structures (G chord in the lower voices that changes immediately to G minor while the soprano line arpeggiates a D major melody). The estribillo passes through E minor and A major harmonies returning to D major. After the interlude, the estrofa starts in B minor and changes to G major and F# minor before returning to B minor. This work, unlike all the others, ends with the estrofa section, not the estribillo. For the last verse, Bor included an additional concluding measure in order to return to the works initial key of D major. Even though Bor maintains the traditional harmonic scheme of this work, the chosen extended chords are used more daringly and abundantly than before.
Bor presents a completely different aguinaldo in her setting of Luis Mariano
Rivera’s poem Bajaste del cielo con luz primorosa from 1996. Its harmony is tonal but not functional. There is a prevalence of pedal points: one at the beginning of the work lasting six measures, and a four-measure pedal in the estrofa section. Diminished and augmented chords with extended harmonies of five pitches are used throughout the work.
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For example, the harmony of the estrofa centers in E minor and its first ending moves from F# major, to A minor, to B major seventh. The A minor chord in this cadence is used with an added sharp fourth, sixth and ninth as a melodic motive in the soprano line extending the harmony. The overall sound is momentarily bitonal since the melody is in one tonal center and the accompaniment is in another.
Bor’s choral style also became more complex in her later aguinaldos. In the early aguinaldos, Bor preferred to alternate between the aforementioned melody-with- accompaniment style for the estrofa and a homophonic estribillo as in Aguinaldo
Margariteño, El pavo, and Sobre tus cholitas. In aguinaldos composed later (1970’s and
1980’s), Bor maintained a homophonic section for the estribillo but the estrofas of the verses were set with contrapuntal melodies, sometimes with text as in Parranda
Margariteña. In Con esta parrandita and Por un camino arenoso, the estrofa’s melody is carried by one or two voices which deliver the text, while the others accompany with contrapuntal lines with nonsense syllables.
Bor established the nonsense-syllable style as a trait in Venezuelan choral music.
In her arrangements as well as in her folk-influenced original music, the voices are treated as instruments, employing musical patterns that imitate the rhythms and sounds of those folk instruments that traditionally accompany the style. The traditional setting for aguinaldo includes the singers accompanied by an ensemble of percussion and folk string instruments. Percussion instruments include the pandareta or tambourine, the tambour or drum, the charrasca (scraper), the chineco (rattle) and the furruco (friction drum). String instruments such as the cinco (5-stringed guitar), the tiple (small 12-string guitar) and the
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cuatro (small four-string guitar) also accompany the singers.76 When aguinaldos are
performed by choirs, the accompaniment is usually reduced to two percussion
instruments and the cuatro since the choral ensemble performs most of the rhythms and melodic patterns normally performed by the instruments. However, Bor’s arrangements and especially her original aguinaldos do not need the instruments to deliver a convincing performance of her music. The instruments, if used, add a nice folk timbre while performing an ostinato rhythmic pattern with the tambour and the cuatro giving clear down beats against the syncopated melodies.
Aguinaldos can be written in 2/4, 5/8 or 6/8 meter, but the actual rhythmic pattern is very similar. Bor wrote a few aguinaldos in 5/8 meter; however, most of her
aguinaldos are in 2/4. The aguinaldo’s basic rhythmic pattern consists of a triple
rhythmic figure on the first beat and a duple on the second beat with an accent on the last
eighth note. Figure No. 20 presents different ways to write the aguinaldo rhythm and some of the typical rhythmic motives used.
Fig. 20. Aguinaldo rhythmic motives
76William Gradante. “Aguinaldo,” Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (Accessed [2 June 2006]),
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The aguinaldo’s melodies usually contain syncopated figures, sometimes doubled
in parallel thirds and the accompaniment is imitative in nature or contrapuntal in style. In
Bajaste..., Bor composed the melody of the estribillo using a simple rhythmic pattern
with very few syncopations in a homophonic fashion, leaving the aguinaldo rhythm for
the instruments.
Fig. 21. Bajaste del cielo con luz primorosa, rhythmic motive
The estrofa’s melody located in the alto line is accompanied by a sophisticated polyphonic vocal fabric that does not resemble folk music. Because the aguinaldo rhythm is not obvious in the voice parts of this work, this author recommends the use of the cuatro and the tambour so that the rhythmic pattern of the aguinaldo is maintained throughout this sophisticated work.
B. Popular Songs
The forms of popular folk music that Bor preferred were the polo, the fulia, and the merengue. The Venezuelan polo (derived from a Spanish form) is based on a functional harmonic progression, lasting eight or ten measures, over which the singers
(usually two) compete with and confront each other by improvising musical lines. The ostinato harmonic sequence, realized by the guitar and the cuatro, begin with a D major
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chord serving as the dominant chord to the work’s tonic key of G major. After a
modulation to E minor, the formula then resumes the opening progression from dominant
D major to G. When more than two voices sing, polo melodies work as an invertible
counterpoint, offering a great richness of dissonance until arriving at the cadence. Meters
alternates between 6/8 and 3/4, and the singers’ melodies freely overlap. Bor wrote two
versions of polo, one for three-voice choir and another for four-voice mixed choir, based
on melodic motives, rhythms and texts she recall from her past. Each voice line performs
one melodic phrase that covers the complete harmonic progression. In Bor’s four-voice
version (simply called Polo Margariteño), the bass line presents its phrase first by itself.
Then the tenor voice is added, so the two melodies overlap for the entire harmonic sequence. Next, the alto line joins and finally, the soprano’s entry completes the work. In the soprano melody, Bor wrote an important high pedal point, sustained for the course of a complete phrase on the leading tone (F sharp) of G major. Bor explained that this awkward dissonance is traditionally found in the polo.
The fulía is musically more elaborate than the polo and is religious in content.
There are two types: one of Creole or Afro-Venezuelan origin, and the other of European
influence (deriving from the European folia). The fulía of European origin is sung in the
eastern states of Venezuela (Sucre, Anzoategui, and Monagas). According to Walter
Guido:
The melody is in measured time and its distinctive characteristics and rhythm are very similar to the dances imported from Portugal and the Canary Islands. The galerón, another type of fulía, can also be heard in the eastern states. The song begins after an initial prelude by the accompanying instruments of guitar, bandolín and cuatro. A descending melody, corresponding to the Greek hypo-Phrygian scale, is sung, while
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the harmony progresses from the tonic to the subdominant and dominant with guitar, bandolín and cuatro accompaniment.77
Bor’s Fulía de Cumaná is based on a transcription made by Luis Felipe Ramón y
Rivera.78 In it, the choir performs what is originally played by the instrumental ensemble
(bandolín, or mandolin, and cuatro). In addition to the basic folk material, Bor created a choral arrangement based on motivic imitations of the melody and the accompaniment figures. The melody is delivered in the alto part. The presence of quintuplets and triplets in the melody creates polyrhythmic textures when combined with vocal accompaniment which uses rhythmic patterns based on sixteenth and eighth notes.
Fig. 22. Fulía. Basic rhythmic pattern
The style is predominantly polyphonic. The introduction, interludes and coda use only the nonsense syllable word of “quitiplin” [kitiplin] imitating the sound of the bandolín. In the main sections, the bandolín motive (“quitiplin”) alternates with imitations of the melody (with text). Sometimes the text is presented in all 4 voices and other moments the textures is thinned to two or three voices and some homophonic passages are presented with one, two or three voice parts.
77Guido Walter, “Venezuela,” Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (Accessed [2 June 2007]), http://www.grovemusic.com.proxy.libraries.uc.edu/shared/views/article.html. 78Luis Felipe Ramón y Rivera, La musica folklórica de Venezuela (Caracas: Monte Avila Editores, 1990), 45-50.
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Harmonically, Bor respected the traditional harmonic sequence of the folk tune.
The piece starts in E minor and modulates to G major, returning at the end to the original
key. Besides the use of secondary dominants and dominant seventh chords, the
dissonances occur by melodic motion of the individual voice parts. For example, in the
second measure, the soprano and the tenor line move in parallel sevenths (B-A in
soprano, C-B in tenor). These dissonances abound in this work, but they occur for very
short periods of time as passing motion within a very tonal functional harmonic
framework.
Another type of folk music commonly heard in Venezuela is the merengue. The
Venezuelan merengue employs the same basic rhythmic pattern and harmonic sequence
as the aguinaldo and the guasa. What differentiates them is their textual content. While
aguinaldos have Christmas texts, the guasa is a merengue with a humorous appeal; the
merengue, in general, uses a variety of textual topics, ranging from the depiction of
animals, people and flowers, to town life and narrative accounts.
Of Bor’s numerous merengues, the most internationally well-known is El
periquito (The Parakeet), which deals with the “relationship problems” of a couple of
parakeets, brought on after a night of carousing at a bar by the male parakeet. When the
female parakeet demands answers from her counterpart, he says that he was playing the
violin, “juiki-juiki-juin” [wiki-wiki-win]. This “juiki-juiki-juin” with different rhythms, becomes the source of Bor’s accompaniment for this piece. In Bor’s two arrangements, one for three-voice children’s choir and the other for four-voice mixed choir, she created
a vocal introduction in a slower tempo. This seven-measure introduction is built with
imitative entries (as used in Renaissance polyphony), ending on the dominant chord with
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a fermata. This merengue starts in one voice with the others accompanying it with
nonsense syllables. Harmonically, it begins in D major, modulates to A major in the
middle section, and returns to D major. In the last section, Bor introduces a vocal effect
that imitates the sound of the parakeet, “trua-trua” [ʈrua- ʈrua]. The style alternates polyphony with homophony.
Bor wrote folk-influenced music throughout her life. She respected the basic harmonic progressions of the style but she retained her artistic individuality by manipulating formal conventions and by effectively combining varieties of textures. The use of nonsense syllables is a trademark of Bor’s choral music. Her arrangements and original works have a very interesting and complex polyphonic fabric, and her later works incorporated bolder harmonies that she originally reserved only for her art music compositions.
CHAPTER V
CHORAL WORKS AND SOURCES
OF PERFORMING MATERIALS
Before moving to Mérida City in 1992, Bor gave her library of scores to the
Biblioteca Nacional de Venezuela (Venezuelan National Library) in Caracas to be a part of the Biblio-Hemerografía Musical Venezolana (Venezuelan Music Library of Books and Periodicals). Thanks to librarians Nancy Felce and Ignacio Barreto, working under the supervision of musicologist Francisco Curt Lange, seventy of her manuscripts composed before 1992 were cataloged, microfilmed and deposited in the Departamento de Música y Sonido (Music and Sound Department). The manuscript of Arcoiris
(Rainbow) is located in the Biblioteca Nacional de Venezuela, Departamento de
Manuscritos y Libros Raros (Manuscripts and Rare Books Department). A complete catalog of her works, including unfinished works, is being compiled by the Fundación
Modesta Bor in Mérida City under the supervision of the composer’s daughter, Lena
Sánchez Bor. Since the Fundación Modesta Bor was still in the process of cataloging the composer’s unfinished works at the time of this document’s completion, a catalog of those unfinished works is not included in this paper.
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Beginning in 1994, with the support of the Asociación Venezolana de Directores y Coros Infantiles (Venezuelan Association of Conductors and Children’s Choirs), the state government of Mérida, together with Bor and conductor Irina Capriles, compiled the complete manuscripts of Bor’s works for equal voices. This effort produced two anthologies: one containing the compositions for equal voices (published in 1994); the other, published in 1998 by Fundación Polar, listing her compositions and arrangements of international music and Venezuelan traditional, folk and Christmas music. The remaining publications listed below are anthologies containing one to four of Bor’s original compositions and arrangements, along with works by other composers.
Another important source of Bor’s published music is the Fundación Schola
Cantorum de Caracas. The International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM), by way of its Virtual Library (www.musicanet.org), lists 87 scores of Bor’s most popular and
frequently-performed works. Finally, the Instituto Vicente Emilio Sojo (Vicente Emilio
Sojo Institute) has 285 items related to Modesta Bor, including scores and recordings of
her works.
Methodology
The four sources consulted to compile this catalogue of Bor’s choral music were:
1. Felipe Sangiorgi’s biography and catalog of Bor’s works, published in
1991, with the score of her Four Fugues for Piano. The composer
supervised this edition.
2. The catalog of the Biblioteca Nacional de Venezuela containing Bor’s
works composed before 1992 on microfilm.
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3. Irina Capriles’s published anthologies of Bor’s music for equal voices that
include listings of her works.
4. The Fundación Modesta Bor’s list of Bor’s mixed-voice choral music,
obtained with the support of Bor’s daughter Lena Sánchez Bor.
The following charts contain, in alphabetical order, Bor’s compositions for equal voices and mixed choirs. A translation of each work’s title is included to aid the English- speaking reader.
The “year and place of composition” are provided to help place each work with respect to Bor’s three style periods, namely: nationalistic (tonal) style (Caracas, early years); experimental period (Moscow and Caracas, middle period); and mature style
(Mérida City).
The category, “performing forces,” specifies the voicing of each work and, when applicable, optional instrumental accompaniment. In the catalogs consulted, the voicing specified was either for equal voices (three or four) or for mixed voices as Bor specified in her scores. This catalog will include more specific voicing information that would be helpful to a conductor for performance. When the expression “occasional div” is used, it refers to the fact that divisi sections are few in the score, usually at cadence points. The designation “divisi,” when not noted as “occasional,” indicates the presence of long divisi sections or phrases in the score. The equal-voice repertoire is specified as SSA or SSAA for a three- or four-part treble choir (women or children). When the music specifies
“divisi” in one of the parts of the score, the abbreviation “M” (mezzo soprano) for the middle voice, is used to clarify which of the voice lines is divided, in order to avoid
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ambiguity (for example: SMMA or SSMAA).
“Source and library holdings" refers to the published anthologies that include the work in question, along with their specific holding libraries or archives. Each source is identified by a number on the list. The list includes only original compositions and specifically excludes arrangements.
In the “notes” column, Bor’s form designations (e.g. “song”) are included, as well as dedications as shown in the scores and any information about compositional prizes won. For those works for which Bor did not specify a form, the author of this document provided a designation of form as “song” or “madrigal” according to the following criteria: a “song” is a work that is homophonic or has a melody in one voice accompanied by a harmonic and rhythmic design in the other voices; a “madrigal” is more elaborate, alternating homophonic passages with polyphonic and/or an accompanied melodic section or a solo section, often with some change of meter and/or tempo. All of these designations of form made by this author and not by the composer are contained in parentheses. For some of her scores, the term “work,” as used by Bor, was retained, for those longer non-traditional style works that include either a recitative section and/or percussive effects made with the body or mouth of the singers, and usually with nonsense syllables. Of Bor’s “works” only Son Venezolano has text and it includes percussive effects as well as nonsense syllables.
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A. Choral Compositions for Equal Voices
Title of the Year and Performing Source and Notes Composition Place of Forces Library Translation Composi- Holdings tion A una niña 1965-66 SSA 1, 13, 14, Song for equal voices (To a Girl) Caracas 20, 24 Poem: Aquiles Nazoa Arbol de canción 195679 SSA 1, 2, 8, (Madrigal) (Tree of Song) Caracas 13, 14, 20 Poem: Federico García Lorca Cantar de 1982 SSA 1, 13, 14, (Madrigal) muchacho de piel Caracas 19, 20, 24 Poem: Julia Calzadilla de noche Dedicated to her daughter Yamila (Song of a Boy with a Night Skin) Coplas de cuna 1982 SSA 1, 13, 14, (Madrigal) (Cradle Poems) Caracas Occasional 20, 24 Poem: Emma Pérez div. SSAA Dedicated to her daughter Liliana La brisa 1986 SSMA 1, 13, 14, Madrigal for equal voices (The Breeze) Caracas Occasional 20, 24 Poem: Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa div. SSMM La perla insomne 1996 SSAA 14, 18 20, (Madrigal) Poem: Efraín Subero (The Sleepless Mérida Occasional 24 Dedicated to the Children’s Choir of Pearl) div. AAA Valencia Los gallos 1960 SSA 1, 8, Song (The Roosters) Caracas 11,13, 14, Poem: Fernando Paz Castillo 19, 20, 24 One of the Children’s Song Cycle Luna del malecón 1996 SSMAA 14, 18, Madrigal (Moon of the Mérida 20, 24 Poem: Efraín Subero Jetty) Dedicated to the Children’s Choir of the ULA Mariposa del aire 1960 SSA 1, 8, 11, Song for Children’s Choir (Butterfly in the Caracas 13, 14, Poem: Federico García Lorca Air) 20, 24, One of the Children’s Song Cycle Ribereñas 1956 SSA 1, 2, 8, (Song) (Riverbank) Caracas Optional 13, 14, Poem: Federico García Lorca bells 20, 24 Dedicated to V.E. Sojo Untuned unspecified bells
79Irina Capriles dated this work in 1957, different from the rest of the sources.
103
Title of the Year and Performing Source and Notes Composition Place of Forces Library Translation Composi- Holdings tion Si vas de prisa 1982 SMA 1, 13, 14, (Madrigal) (If You Hurry) Caracas Occasional 20, 24 Poem: Juan Ramón Jimenez div. MM Dedicated to her daughter Lena Tal vez mañana 1960 SSA 1, 6, 8, Song for Children’s Choir me vaya Caracas 13, 14, Poem: Alberto Arvelo Torrealba (I Might Be 20, 24 One of the Children’s Song Cycle Leaving Tomorrow)
B. Choral Compositions for Mixed Voices
Title of the Composition Year and Performing Source Notes Translation Place of Forces and Composi- Library tion Holdings Aqui te amo 1993 SATB 16, 17, Madrigal (Here I Love You) Mérida Occasional 22 Poem: Pablo Neruda div. BB Dedicated to the Orfeón of ULA Arcoiris 1956 SATB 1, 20, 24 Madrigal (Rainbow) Caracas Poem: Manuel Felipe Rugeles Bajaste del cielo con 1996 SATBB 17, 22 Aguinaldo (a lo divino) luz primorosa Mérida Optional folk Poem: Luis Mariano Rivera (You Came Down instruments Dedicated to the Orfeón of ULA from Heaven in a Glowing Light) Balada de la luna, 1954 SATB 1, 20, 24 (Song) luna (Ballad of the Caracas Poem: Federico García Lorca Moon) Barco de la 1982 SATBB 1, 16, (Madrigal) medianoche Caracas Poem: Augusto González Castro (Midnight Boat) Basta, basta, basta 1981 SATBB 1, 19, 24 (Madrigal)80 (Enough, Enough, Caracas recitativo Poem: Sonia Sgambatti Enough) National Prize in Choral Music Vinicio Adames, 1981 Dedicated to the Orfeón and
80 Bor’s pseudonym “Astrea” was written and then crossed out on the first page of the score.
104
Choirs of the UCV Title of the Composition Year and Performing Source Notes Translation Place of Forces and Composi- Library tion Holdings Canción 1956 SATB 20 Song (Song) Caracas Poem: Aquiles Nazoa Canción lejana 1950-53 SATB 20 Unexamined manuscript (Distant Song) Caracas Canto a la vida 1967 SATB 1, 16, 20 (Song) (Song to Life) Caracas Poem: Fernando Rodriguez. Melody adapted form the 2nd. mvt. of Bor’s Suite Criolla for piano of 1954 Canto de paz 1969 SATBB 1, 16, 20 (Madrigal) (Song to Peace) Caracas Carlos Augusto León Con esta parrandita 1986 SATB 1, 16, 20 Aguinaldo (de parranda) (With This Christmas Caracas optional folk No information on text Party) instruments En atisbo de azules 1996 SATB 20, 21 Madrigal (Glimmering the Mérida Poem: Francisco López Blues) Granados. Dedicated to the Choir of the Science College of the UCV Es la mañana llena 1996 SATB 20 (Song) (It Is a Full Morning) Mérida Poem: Pablo Neruda Unexamined manuscript Espectro sonoro 1995 20, Unexamined manuscript (Sound Spectrum) Mérida Himno a la Facultad 1965 1. Voice and 1, 12, Hymn de Centros Caracas piano 20, 21. Poem: Aníbal Castillo Universitarios Composition award of the (Hymn to the Faculty 2. SATB Central University of Venezuela of the University (UCV), 1965 Center) Himno al Instituto 1988 SATB 20 Hymn Universitario de Caracas Poem: Ernesto Luis Rodríguez Tecnología (Hymn for the Technological University Institute) Himno del Concejo (n.d.) SATB 20 Hymn Venezolano del Niño Caracas (Hymn for the National Council for Children)
105
Title of the Composition Year and Performing Source Notes Translation Place of Forces and Composi- Library tion Holdings La cabrita 1956 SATB 1, 3, 20, (Madrigal) (The Little Goat) Caracas S solo 24 Poem: Manuel Felipe Rugeles La palabra en la calle 1990 SATB 1, 20 Work for mixed choir a capella (The Word on the Caracas Narrator Poem: Mario Benedetti Street) div. TTBB Locerita 1954 SATB 1, 20, 24 Song (Locerita) Caracas Poem: Segundo Ignacio Ramos Los tres reyes magos 1986 SATB 1, 20 Aguinaldo (de parranda) (The Three Magi) Caracas optional folk Folk Venezuelan poem instruments Manchas sonoras: 1975 SSAATTBB 1, 16, Untexted work with nonsense (Splashes of Sound) Caracas 20, 24 syllables I. Planos de luz Dedicated to the Schola (Planes of Light) Cantorum de Caracas Manchas sonoras: 1975 SSAATTBB 1, 16, Untexted work with nonsense II. Requiebros Caracas 20, 23, syllabus and percussive vocal (Flirting) 24, 25 effects Dedicated to the Schola Cantorum de Caracas Manchas sonoras: 1975 SSAATTBB 1, 16, Untexted work with non sense III. Esguinces rítmicos Caracas 20, 24 syllables and percussive vocal (Rhythmic Patterns) effects Dedicated to the Schola Cantorum de Caracas Mundo del hombre (n.d.) SATB 20 Song (The World of Man) Caracas Poem: José Eliseo López Nana (n.d.) SATB 20 Unexamined manuscript (Grandma) (n.p.) Para mi corazón basta 1991 SATB 1, 17, (Madrigal) tu pecho Mérida div. SS, AA, 20, 22 Poem: Pablo Neruda (Your Bosom Is BB Dedicated to the Orfeón ULA Enough for My Heart) (University Choir of ULA) Parranda Margariteña 197? SATB 1, 5, 7, Aguinaldo de parranda (Party on Margarita Caracas optional folk 16 Poem: Eduardo Serrano Island) instruments Pescador de anclas 1962 SATB 1, 16, (Madrigal) (Fisherman of Moscow Occasional 20, 24 Poem: Andres Eloy Blanco Anchors) div. SSBB Dedicated to Vicente E. Sojo
106
Title of the Year and Performing Source and Notes Composition Place of Forces Library Translation Composi- Holdings tion Por un camino 1986 SATB 1, 16, 20 Aguinaldo (a lo divino) arenoso Caracas div. BB Poem: Efraín Subero (On a Sandy Path) Optional folk instruments Prisma sonoro 1980-81 SSAATTBB 1, 20 untexted work with nonsense (Sound Prism) Caracas syllabus with percussive effects and whistle Regreso al mar 1962 SATB 1, 16, 20 (Madrigal) (Return to the Sea) Moscow Occasional Poem: Andres Eloy Blanco div BB One of the two songs dedicated to Vicente Emilio Sojo Sin vinos ni hallacas 1972 SATB 1, 9, 20 Aguinaldo a lo divino (Without Wine or Caracas Optional folk Poem: Fernando Rodríguez Hallacas)81 instruments Son Venezolano 1986 SSAATTBB 1, 20 Work for mixed choir a (Cuban-Venezuelan Caracas A solo cappella with percussive effects Song) Poem: Nicolás Guillén National Prize “José Angel Montero” Cuba, 1986 Velero mundo 1969 SATB 1, 16, 19, Madrigal (Sailing the World) Caracas 20, 26 Poem: Lares Granados Velorio de papá 1960 SATB 1, 20 Song Montero Moscow T. S, solo Poem: Nicolás Guillén (Funeral of Montero’s Father) Vengo de la clara N.d SATB 20 Unexamined manuscript heredad de las Caracas Poem: Antonio Espinoza Prieto violetas (I Come Bearing Violets)
Bor’s choral arrangements for equal voices were recently published by the
Fundación Polar (Capriles, Irina, ed. Modesta Bor. Caracas: Fundación Polar, Fondo de
Aportes Mixtos a las Artes, 1998). Polar, the largest Latin American food and beverage
81 Hallacas: typical Venezuelan dish for Christmas.
107
company, has created an endowment for the arts and has supported its employee choirs in many of its branches throughout Venezuela. Through its program Fondos de Aportes
Mixtos a las Artes (Mixed Funds to Support the Arts),82 Capriles’ anthology was
prepared in the years before Bor’s death in 1998. As a result, the anthology does not
include her final and unfinished compositions.
Bor’s choral arrangements for mixed voices were published mainly by the
Venezuelan Congress, the Ministry of Education, and the Universidad Central de
Venezuela (Central University of Venezuela, UCV). The C. A. Electricidad de Caracas
(Caracas Electric Company) published much Venezuelan choral music for Christmas,
including that of Bor.
The C. A. Electricidad de Caracas was a major supporter of the arts and music in
Venezuela. Every two years from 1972 to 1980, the company sponsored the production
of two recordings and published corresponding scores of aguinaldos. The company’s
goal was to revive the tradition of singing aguinaldos. To achieve this, the company
encouraged the composition of new aguinaldos as well as new choral arrangements of the
traditional aguinaldos, and produced two recordings performed by its employee choirs as
well as other Venezuelan groups. Bor’s scores of aguinaldos can be found in three of the
five publications of Christmas music produced by the company: Cantar Navideño (Sing
Christmas!), Renacer Navideño (Come Again Christmas) and Retablo Navideño (Nativity
Scene).
82 The acronym is FAMA, which means “fame” in Spanish.
108
List of Sources
1. Original Manuscripts in Biblioteca Nacional. Caracas, 1992. Microfilm. 2. Primer Cuaderno de Canciones Polifónicas Infantiles (First Notebook of Polyphonic Children’s Songs). Caracas: Gobernación del Distrito Federal, Dirección Municipal de Educación, 1958. 3. Madrigales y Canciones Corales. (Madrigals and Choral Songs). Colección Músicos Contemporáneos de Venezuela, no. 6. Caracas: Universidad Central de Venezuela, Dirección de Cultura, 1967. 4. Cantar Navideño (Sing Christmas!). Conjunto de Aguinaldos de la Schola Cantorum de Caracas. Caracas: C.A. Electricidad de Caracas, 1976. 5. Retablo Navideño (Nativity Scene). Cantoría Alberto Grau. Caracas: C.A. Electricidad de Caracas, 1979. 6. Castillo, Alecia and Ana Molina Gil. Repertorio Coral: Canciones para Voces Blancas (Choral Repertoire: Songs for equal voices), 2d ed., Valencia: Coral Infantil de Valencia 1976. 7. IX Jornada de Canto Común. (Ninth Choral Music Showcase) Caracas: Fundación Schola Cantorum de Caracas, 1977. 8. Canciones Cultas y Diversas para Tres y Cuatro Voces Iguales (Culturally Diverse Songs for Three and Four Equal Voices). Caracas: Edición Congreso de la República, 2 vols. 1978. 9. Renacer Navideño. (Come Again Christmas) Coro de Cámara de Caracas. Caracas: C.A. Electricidad de Caracas, 1978. 10. Maiolino Conte, José, ed. Arreglos Corales: Canciones Falconianas para coro mixto (Choral Arrangements: Falconian Songs for Mixed Choir) N.p., by the author, 1980. 11. Bor, Modesta. Canciones y Arreglos Corales para Niños (Songs and Choral Arrangements for Children). Colección Músicos Contemporáneos de Venezuela, Primer Cuaderno. Caracas: Universidad Central de Venezuela, Dirección de Cultura, 1982. 12. Himnos (Hymns). Ed. Especial. Caracas: Universidad Central de Venezuela, Dirección de Cultura, [1982]. 13. Bor, Modesta. Canciones y Arreglos Corales para Niños (Songs and Choral Arrangements for Children). Colección Músicos Contemporáneos de Venezuela, Primer Cuaderno. Caracas: Universidad Central de Venezuela, Dirección de Cultura, 1983. 14. Capriles, Irina, ed. Composiciones Originales para Tres Voces Claras (Original Compositions for Three Treble Voices). V Encuentro Nacional e Internacional de CantorÌas Infantiles “Un Canto por la Paz”. Mérida: Dirección de Cultura del Estado Mérida, 1994.
109
15. ______. Modesta Bor. Caracas: Fundación Polar, Fondo de Aportes Mixtos a las Artes, 1998. 16. Archives of the Fundacion Schola Cantorum de Caracas. 17. Orfeon Universitario: 55 años de su Creación (University Choir: 55th Anniversary). Mérida: Universidad de los Andes, 1999. 18. International Federation of Choral Music. (IFCM) Musica: Virtual Choral Library. Strasbourg, 2005. Database on line: www.MusicaNet.org. 19. Archives of the Escuela de Música José Angel Lamas, Caracas. 20. Library of Fundacion Modesta Bor, Mérida. 21. Universidad Central de Venezuela, Departamento de Cultura (Central University of Venezuela, Department of Culture). 22. Universidad de los Andes, Dirección General de Cultura y Recreación (University of the Andes, Department of Culture and Recreation), Mérida. 23. University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, Dale Warland Singers Performance Score Library, Ohio. 24. Library of the Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo, Instituto de Musicología (Vicente Emilio Sojo Foundation, Institute of Musicology) Caracas, 2005. Database on line: www.funves.org.ve. 25. Library of Brigham Young University Singers, Provo, Utah. Database on line: http://singers.byu.edu/repertoireyear.html. 26. Library of The Americas Vocal Ensemble, Nelly Vuksic, Founder and Music Director, New York City, 2005 Database on line: http: www.americasvocalensemble.org.
CHAPTER VI
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
This document has presented representative choral works of Modesta Bor in a
chronological way, showing the changes from her simple settings of music in tonal style,
typical of Venezuelan music at the beginning of the twentieth century, to works
incorporating innovative twentieth century techniques, sometimes mixed with folk
elements. In addition to her more serious compositions, Bor’s arrangements and
compositions in folk style were discussed because they deserve a place in the
international choral world, and they show a new direction in the development of
Venezuelan folk-influenced choral music.
When Modesta Bor was born, a resurgence in the development of music in
Venezuela was just beginning. This renaissance followed an era of profound economic
and political decline due to thirty years of dictatorship that kept Venezuela isolated from
the musical developments in the rest of the world. Modesta became involved in music
through the study of the Venezuelan vals and Venezuelan romantic songs while growing up amid the musical life of a small village. The musical style at the time was primarily influenced by the imitative counterpoint of the Italian sixteenth-century madrigal, some
110 111
Baroque traits, and the popular style of nineteenth century dance forms such as the waltz,
polka and fandango. Bor and other Venezuelan composers were completely unaware of
the evolution of contemporary music in the world outside of their home country, so their
music was outdated, especially in relation to the developments of harmony and form.
This explains why Bor’s music in the early 1960s was tonal, using classical forms and
simple rhythms and textures.
By 1935, democracy was established in Venezuela, and Venezuelan composers were eager to learn of new developments in international music. In order to achieve that, they had to study in Europe. Bor sought the opportunity to study abroad when the
Communist Party invited her to Eastern Europe, where she was awarded a scholarship to study in Russia with Aram Khachaturian. Those two years of study broadened her musical language, and her style experienced a profound change.
By 1962, the year Bor returned from Russia, the Venezuelan choral movement that developed after the foundation of the Orfeón Lamas in 1928 was still incipient but growing steadily. Some choirs from universities, from schools of music and business firms, such as the Orfeón of the Universidad Central de Venezuela (founded in 1942), the
Coral Venezuela (founded in 1943), the Orfeón of the Universidad de los Andes (founded in 1943) and the Coral Creole (from the oil company Shell [Creole] Petroleum
Corporation) founded in 1952, were among the most important choirs. These choirs were accustomed to performing newly composed works by Venezuelan composers. But some of Bor’s works were not premiered until the early 1970’s when choirs such as the Schola
Cantorum de Caracas and the Orfeón of the Universidad de Venezuela were mature enough to embrace her new musical style. 112
Most of Bor’s compositions were written for soloists or chamber groups and
choirs. Felipe Izcaray comments on the subject:
She prefers to write for instrumental soloists, singers, chamber groups, and choruses because they are in constant need of new repertory and they actually perform the new pieces, contrary to what happens with orchestral compositions, which sometimes remain unperformed.83
One of the most interesting aspects of Bor’s music is her carefully planned treatment of textures. She maintained contrasting textures between the sections of her
music with extensive use of text painting. In polyphonic textures, imitations of the head
motive or the end motives are used, sometimes in paired imitation or in contrapuntal
passages.
Bor’s approach to rhythm shows that she is comfortable with frequently changing
meters to achieve the proper accentuation of the text. The changes of tempo in her music,
which are marked (for example) meno mosso, are usually performed more slowly than one would expect. In performance practice, it is common to observe an unwritten short
fermata on the last note of a preceding section, allowing a new slower tempo to begin less abruptly. If, on the contrary, the text suggests an abrupt change in emotion and the new tempo is faster, unless explicitly marked subito, the change of tempo is approached with a rubato phrase that accelerates into the next phrase, arriving at the new tempo later than marked.
The final consonant of a phrase, in Bor’s choral music, should end within the value of the note for which it is written, and not in the next beat or rests as it is customary
83Izcaray, Felipe. “The Legacy of Vicente Emilio Sojo: Nationalism in Twentieth-Century Venezuelan Orchestral Music” (University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1996), 113. 113
in North America. In other words, written rests represent absolute silence and not the
place where you pronounce the final consonant. As in the spoken words of a poem where
rests and pauses abound between verses, the “breathing process” in Bor’s music is also expressive, sometimes as a sigh, or to create or release tension.
The pronunciation of the nonsense syllables corresponds to the vowels and consonants of the Spanish language. There are only five vowel sounds in spoken Spanish.
Their pronunciation is frontal and very open, never nasal. However, to avoid vulgar sounds, some vowels could be closed to a more rounded sound. In addition, the consonant that requires special attention is the “r” with two pronunciations: flipped “r,”
(marked as flap “r” in the IPA chart of consonants) used when only a single written “r”
appears; and the trilled or rolled “r” when a written double “rr” appears.
Bor’s works exploit the contrapuntal style. The texture produced by all the voices
imitates the effect of the polyrhythm originally performed by folk instruments. This
counterpoint is usually performed with nonsense syllables that act as an accompaniment
for a single texted melody. When performing the accompanying lines, it is important to
remember to keep the proper accentuation of the rhythmic patterns, disregarding their
placement in the score. The structurally stronger accent of a measure’s first beat is less
important than the accentuation of the motivic patterns because the polyphonic style
places the patterns in an (apparently) disordered way in relation to the metric accent.
Bor’s harmonic style mixed atonal harmony with functional harmony. However, functional harmony is only partially abandoned. Within a coherent functional harmonic framework, Bor included atonal passages and melodies, and composed extended chords 114
with added-note harmonies and pedal points, to the extent of producing several instants of
bitonality.
In an effort to experiment with harmonies and textures, Bor composed choral
works with nonsense syllables and rhythmic effects, together with atonality, usually with
no text. In this context, she composed new atonal melodies while using melodic and
rhythmic formulas typical of Venezuelan folk music.
There is still a lot of liberty available to conductors in terms of interpreting
dynamics in Bor’s works. While some of Bor’s early works have general dynamic
markings for the main sections, they seldom specify transitional dynamics. In her music
composition courses, she explained that the dynamics of the works are inferred by the
nature of the texts or poems. For her later works, she carefully specified major dynamic
levels of sections and wrote many crescendi and decrescendi to clarify the phrasing of the
music.
Initially, Bor’s structures followed traditional forms but, in her later choral works,
they became hybrids of traditional forms and variation techniques. Some works were
modified by adding introductions, preludes and/or codas. Asymmetrical section length became common, and the nature of the dramatic or expressive musical content shifted between tension and relaxation, or climax and repose. This is especially obvious in the pacing of the harmonic rhythm and the contrasting shifts between simple and bold thematic material.
The principle of variation is used when a melody reappears in a different tonal center or when some of its motives are altered and new derivative melodies are used.
Melodic units in her new works seldom repeat in the same manner. 115
Her commitment to Venezuela’s musical development inspired her to write music
“to contribute to the repertoire of a community chorus, a student orchestra, a young soloist, without demanding or expecting fees or royalties in return.”84 Her socialist ideologies inspired by her years in Russian led her to teach music composition without a stipend and sometimes under difficult teaching conditions (such as teaching in the basement deposit rooms of the backstage area of the Universidad Central de Venezuela’s auditorium, with a poorly maintained piano and one blackboard—here is where many of the composers of the next generations studied with her for many years).
Unfortunately, due to the lack of music publishers in Venezuela, most of her music for mixed choirs has not yet been published even though it has been recognized internationally, thanks to the Venezuelan and Latin-American choirs that travel to international festivals and contests. In the interest of exposing her music to wider audiences, several international seminars and Latin American festivals have included one or more of her works.
Without a doubt, Modesta Bor’s music transformed and helped to develop choral music in Venezuela in the twentieth century. According to the conductor and composer
Alberto Grau, who premiered many of her works, “The music of Modesta Bor does not pretend to create new contemporary formulas, except in some cases. But it is written in a very expressive personal language and with a mastery of rhythm and harmony that demonstrate her great talent and sensibility.”85 From her early works, almost naive in style, to the late works, Bor’s language and compositional resources place her among the most important composers of Venezuelan choral music.
84Felipe Izcaray, “The Legacy of Vicente Emilio Sojo: Nationalism in Twentieth-Century Venezuelan Orchestral Music” (University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1996), 115. 85Alberto Grau, letter to Cira Parra, trans. Cira Parra, Caracas, 28 April 2006.
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
A. Primary Sources
Scores of Original Choral Music.
The choral scores are listed chronologically according to the dates found in copies of the manuscripts or dates of publication.
Bor, Modesta. “Balada de la luna, luna” (Song of the Moon). Score. 1953. Archives of Escuela de Música José Angel Lamas, Caracas.
______. “Locerita” (Locerita). Score. 1954. Archives of Escuela de Música José Angel Lamas, Caracas.
______. Canto a la vida (Song to Life!). Caracas: Fundación Schola Cantorum de Caracas, 1962.
______. “Regreso al mar” (Back to the Sea). Score. 1962. Archives of Fundación Schola Cantorum de Caracas, Caracas.
______. Pescador de anclas (Fisherman of Anchors). Caracas: Fundación Schola Cantorum de Caracas, 1962.
______. “Canto de Paz” (Song of Peace). Score. 1966. Archives of Fundación Schola Cantorum de Caracas, Caracas.
______. “La cabrita” (The Little Goat). Madrigales y Canciones Corales. Músicos Contemporáneos de Venezuela. Caracas: Dirección de Cultura, Universidad Central de Venezuela, 1967.
______. “La mañana ajena” (Distant Morning). Score. 1971. Archives of Fundación Schola Cantorum de Caracas, Caracas.
116 117
______. “Velero mundo” (Sailing the World). Score. 1971. Archives of Marino Ramirez, Margarita.
______. Manchas sonoras (Splashes of Sound). Caracas: Fundación Schola Cantorum de Caracas, 1975.
______. “Basta, basta, basta” (Enough, Enough, Enough). Score. 1981. Archives of Fundación Vinicio Adames, Caracas.
______. “Barco de la media noche” (Midnight Boat). Score. 1982. Archives of Escuela de Música José Angel Lamas, Caracas.
______. “Por un camino arenoso” (On a Sandy Path). Score. 1986. Archives of Fundación Schola Cantorum de Caracas, Caracas.
______. “Con esta parrandita” (With This Christmas Party) Score. 1986. Archives of Fundación Schola Cantorum de Caracas, Caracas.
______. “Sin vinos ni hallacas” (Without Wine or Hallacas). Score. 1986. Archives of Fundación Schola Cantorum de Caracas, Caracas.
Capriles, Irina, ed. Composiciones Originales para Tres Voces Claras (Original Composicions for Three Trebble Voices). V Encuentro Nacional e Internacional de Cantorías Infantiles “Un Canto por la Paz”. Mérida: Dirección de Cultura del Estado Mérida, 1994.
______. Modesta Bor. Fondo de Aportes Mixtos a las Artes, FAMA. Caracas: Fundación Polar, 1998.
“Para mi Corazón Basta tu Pecho”. (Your Bosom is Enough for my Heart). Orfeón Universitario: 55 años de su Creación. Mérida: Universidad de los Andes, 1999.
“Aquí Te Amo” (Here I Love You). Orfeón Universitario: 55 años de su Creación. Mérida: Universidad de los Andes, 1999.
“Bajaste del Cielo con Luz Primorosa” (You Came Down from Heaven in a Glowing Light). Orfeón Universitario: 55 años de su Creación. Mérida: Universidad de los Andes, 1999.
118
Other Works
Primer Cuaderno de Canciones Polifónicas Infantiles (First Notebook of Polyphonic Children’s Songs). Caracas: Gobernación del Distrito Federal, Dirección Municipal de Educación, 1958.
Bor, Modesta. Aguinaldo Margariteño: para coro de niños con acompañamiento de cuatro e instrumentos aguinalderos (Christmas Song from Margarita Island: for Children’s Choir Accompanied with a Cuatro and Aguinaldo’s Instruments). Caracas: El Farol, año 26, no. 11 (oct-dic 1964).
______. “Suite para orquesta” (Suite for Orchestra). Score. 1959. Archives of the Latin American Music Center, Bloomington, Indiana.
______. Aguinaldo, adoremos a Dios (Christmas Song, Let Us Adore God). Caracas, Venezuela: Ministerio de Educación, Dirección de Cultura y Bellas Artes, Instituto de Folklore, [1967].
______. Aguinaldo, los campos se visten (Christmas Song, The Plains Are Adorned). Caracas, Venezuela: Ministerio de Educación, Dirección de Cultura y Bellas Artes, Instituto de Folklore, [1967].
______. Aguinaldo, noche de alegría (Christmas Song, Night of Happiness). Caracas, Venezuela: Ministerio de Educación, Dirección de Cultura y Bellas Artes, Instituto de Folklore, [1967].
______. Madrigales y canciones corales. (Madrigals and Choral Songs). Colección Músicos Contemporáneos de Venezuela, no. 6. Caracas: Universidad Central de Venezuela, Dirección de Cultura, 1967.
______. Sonata para violín y piano (Sonata for Violin and Piano). Caracas: Universidad Central de Venezuela, Dirección de Cultura, 1967.
______. Aguinaldo de Juan Griego (Christmas Song of Juan Griego). Caracas: Ministerio de Educación, Dirección de Cultura y Deportes, 197?.
Cantar navideño (Sing Christmas!). Conjunto de Aguinaldos de la Schola Cantorum de Caracas. Caracas: C.A. Electricidad de Caracas, 1976.
Retablo navideño (Nativity Scene). Cantoría Alberto Grau. Caracas: C.A. Electricidad de Caracas, 1979.
119
Castillo, Alecia and Ana Molina Gil. Repertorio Coral: Canciones para Voces Blancas, (Choral Repertoire: Songs for Equal Voices),Valencia: Coral Infantil de Valencia, 2d ed., 1976.
IX Jornada de canto común (IX Journey of Choral Showcase). Caracas: Fundación Schola Cantorum de Caracas, 1977.
Canciones cultas y diversas para tres y cuatro voces iguales (Culturally Diverse Songs for Three and Four Equal Voices). Caracas: Edición Congreso de la República, 2 vols. 1978.
Renacer navideño (Come again Christmas!). Coro de Cámara de Caracas. Caracas: C.A. Electricidad de Caracas, 1978.
Bor, Modesta. Tríptico sobre poesía Cubana: para canto y piano (Triptych of Songs on Cuban Poetry: for voice and piano). Serie Músicos Venezolanos Contemporáneos, no.7. Caracas: Instituto de Investigaciones Musicales Vicente Emilio Sojo, 1979.
______. “Sarcasmos” (Sarcasms). Score. 1979-1980. Archives of Escuela de Música José Angel Lamas, Caracas.
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C. Theses and Dissertations
Alfonso Peyre, Elsa Magaly. “Un Acercamiento al Lenguaje Musical de Modesta Bor” (An Approach into the Musical Language of Modesta Bor) Thesis, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Escuela de Artes, Caracas, 1991. 126
Guilarte, Gisela. “Sincretismo Afro-Venezolano en las Obras de Isabel Aretz y Modesta Bor” (Afro-Venezuelan syncretism in the Works of Isabel Aretz and Modesta Bor). Thesis, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Escuela de Artes, Caracas, 1989.
Fermín Antonio. “The Evolution of the Venezuelan Piano Waltz.” Ph.D diss., New York University, 2000.
Izcaray, Felipe. “The Legacy of Vicente Emilio Sojo: Nacionalism in Twentieth-Century Venezuelan Orchestral Music. Thesis. University of Wisconsin Madison, 1996.
Labonvile, Marie. “Musical Nationalism in Venezuela, the Work of Juan Bautista Plaza (1898-1965).” Ph.D diss., University of California, Santa Barbara, 1999.
Maelzner, Khristien. Modesta Bor: Obras Completas para Piano (Modesta Bor: Complete Piano Works). Thesis, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Escuela de Artes, Caracas, 2001.
D. Articles
Alfonzo Peyre, Magaly. “Bor Modesta” Enciclopedia de la Música en Venezuela (1998): 210-213.
Alvarado, Maria Adela. “La Música Popular Caribeña: una Reflexion Personal del Sentir Caribeño” ( Caribean Popular Music: personal thoughts of the Caribean feelings). The Internacional Choral Bulletin (April 1999): 4-5.
Bèhague, Gerard. “Venezuela, Art Music.” Grove Music Online. Ed. By L. Macy (accessed [6, October, 2005]), Bor, Modesta. “La Música como Elemento Necesario en el Teatro Venezolano” (Music as a Necessary Element in Venezuelan Dramatic Plays). Cultura Universitaria, no. 108 (January 1985). Chase Gilbert. “Creative Trends in Latin American Music-I.” Tempo-A quarterly Review of Modern Music 48 (Summer, 1958): 28-34. ______. “Creative Trends in Latin American Music-II.” Tempo-A quarterly Review of Modern Music 49 (Winter, 1959): 25-28. 127 ______. “Materials for the Study of Latin American Music.” Notes (March 1942): 1- 12. Escalada, Oscar. “Ritmos Comunes en América y su Desarrollo hasta el Presente” (Common Rhythms in America and their Development until Present Time). The Internacional Choral Bulletin (October 1998): 4-6. Guido, Walter. “Síntesis de la Historia de la Musica en Venezuela” (Synthesis of the History of the Music in Venezuela) Revista Musical de Venezuela. (Mayo-Agosto 1980): 23-33. ______. “Síntesis de la Historia de la Musica en Venezuela” (Synthesis of the History of the Music in Venezuela) Revista Musical de Venezuela. (September-December 1980): 61-73. Hernández López, Rhazes. “La Música Contemporánea en Venezuela: 1918-1968” (Contemporary Music of Venezuela: 1918-1968), Boletín Interamericano de Música (1969): 3-11. Kutnowski, Martin. “Instrumental Rubato and Phrase Structure in Astor Piazzolla’s Music.” Latin American Music Review (Spring/Summer 2002): 106-113. López Chirico, Hugo. “Modesta Bor.” Diccionario de la Música Española e Hispanoamericana. Dir. and Cord. Gen. Emilio Caseres Rodicio. Venezuela Dir José Peñín. Vol. 2 (1999): 623-624. Mead, Rita H. “Latin American Accents in New Music”. Latin American Music Review, (Autumn-Winter, 1982). Orrego-Salas, Juan. “Traditions, Experiment, and Change in Contemporary Latin America.” Latin American Music Review (Autumn-Winter, 1985). Palacios, Mariantonia, and J. F. Sans. “Patrones de Improvisación y Acompañamiento en la Música Venezolana de Salón del S. XIX” (Improvisational Patterns and Accompaniments in the Venezuelan Salon Music of the XIX Century), Resonancias, (May 2001) 45-90. Planchart, Alejandro Enrique. “Caro de Boesi, José Antonio” Grove Music on-line ed. L. Macy (accesed 9 October 2005) http://www.grovemusic.com. Plaza, Juan Bautista. “Music in Caracas during the Colonial Period (1770-1811).” The Musical Quarterly 29, no.2 (april 1943) 198-213. Ramón y Rivera, John Chappell and Gilbert Chase. “Music of the Motilone Indians.” Latin American Issue. Etnomusicology (Jan., 1966), 18-27. 128 Ramón y Rivera, Luis F. “Del Villancico al Aguinaldo” (From the Villancico to the Aguinaldo). Revista Inidef (1981-82): 34-43. ______. “Supervivencias de la Polifonía Popular en Venezuela” (Surviving Popular Poliphony in Venezuela). Revista Venezolana de Folklore (1974): 94-120. Sojo, Vicente Emilio. “Música y Músicos Venezolanos” (Venezuelan Music and Musicians). Revista Musical de Venezuela (January-April, 1987): 59-60. Slusser, Robert M. “Soviet Music Since the Death of Stalin.” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 303, Russia Since Stalin: Old Trends and New Problems (Jan., 1956), 116-125. Téllez, Carmen Helena. “Modesta Bor.” Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy. Oxford University Press, 2004. www.grovemusic.com. E. Sound Recordings Arias, Eduardo, dir. En Atisbo de Azules: Madrigales y Canciones Venezolanas, vol II. Coro de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Universidad Central de Venezuela. Direccion de Cultura UCV, 2002, CD. Arrieche, José Geraldo, dir. 55 años del Orfeón (Fifty fifth Years of the Orfeón). Universidad de los Andes, Dirección General de Cultura y Extensión. Mérida, 2001. CD. Baez Finol, Nazil, dir. Agrupación Polifonía 25 Aniversario (25th Anniversary of the Group Polifonía). FUNVES 008, 2000. CD. Bellorín, Rosario, dir. Oye y Veras (Listen and See). Cantares de Cantarines. Juan Griego, 2000. CD. Bor, Modesta. Musica Venezolana (Venezuelan Music). Grupo Vocal Arpegio. Discomoda, 196?. ______. Música y Músicos de Venezuela: Coplas Venezolanas (Music and Musicians of Venezuela: Venezuelan Coplas)., vol. 27, PRG 0001, Micros 521-540, n.d. CD. 129 ______. Música y Músicos de Venezuela, Danza de la Suite para Orquesta de Modesta Bor (Music and Musicians of Venezuela: Dance of the Suite for Orchestra by Modesta Bor), vol. 45, PRG0001. Micros 881-900, n.d. CD. ______. Música y Músicos de Venezuela: La composicion en Modesta Bor ((Music and Musicians of Venezuela: Music Composition in Modesta Bor) vol. 38, PRG 0001, Micros 741-760, n.d. CD. ______. Polifonía Infantil y Popular Venezolana (Children and Popular Polyphony of Venezuela). Grupo Vocal Arpegio. N.d. LP. Carrillo, César Alejandro, dir. Pescador de Anclas (Fisherman of Anchors). Orfeón Universitario de la UCV, 2004. CD. Castellanos, Pablo, dir. Genocidio (Genocide). Orquesta Filarmónica Nacional y Antonio Fermín. VE0016, Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo, 1998. CD. Castillo, Alecia, dir. Sojo y los Niños (Sojo and the Children). Coral Infantil de Valencia.1987. LP. Celis, Mariangelina. Isabel Grau, contralto. Caracas, 1976. LP. Delgado Estévez, Raul. Orfeón Universitario. Universidad Central de Venezuela, Dirección de Cultura, 1977. LP. Estévez, Antonio. 17 piezas infantiles (17 Children Works). N.p., 1985. LP. Folklore Ocho. Octeto de Voces Oscuras. Vol 1, n.p. LP. Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo. “Bor: Manchas Sonoras” (Bor: Splashes of Sound) in Primera Promoción de Dirección Coral (25-06-1976) Schola Cantorum de Caracas. CD. Grau, Alberto, dir. Antología del Madrigal Venezolano (Anthology of the Venezuelan Madrigal). Schola Cantorum de Caracas, 1975, 2 LP. ______. Cantar Navideño (Sing Christmas!). Schola Cantorum de Caracas: Conjunto de Aguinaldos, 1976, 2 LP. ______. Cantos de Venezuela (Songs of Venezuela). Schola Cantorum de Caracas, 1973, LP. ______. Coral Grupo Consolidado, 1988. LP. 130 ______. La Schola Cantorum de Caracas interpreta música coral de su repertorio (The Schola Cantorum de Caracas Interprets Choral Music of its Repertoire) Caracas, 1976. LP. ______. Schola Cantorum de Caracas: Primer Premio Concurso Polifónico Internacional Guido DÁrezzo, Italia (Schola Cantorum de Caracas: First Prize Internacional Polyphonic Contest Guido D’Arezzo, Italy), 1974. LP. Guinand, María , dir. Cantos corales de América (Choral Songs of America). Cantoría Universitaria Simón Bolívar. Venezuela, 1981. LP. ______. Contacto Pro-Música 77. Cantoría Alberto Grau. Fundación Mito Juan Pro- Música MJ-09, 1977. 2 LP. ______. Música de Latinoamérica (Latin American Music). Schola Cantorum de Caracas, Orfeón USB. Corvalis, 1998. CD. Guinand, María and Gilberto Rebolledo, dir. Retablo Navideño (Nativity Scene). Cantoría Alberto Grau, 1979, 2 LP. Izcaray, Felipe, dir. Cantares Venezolanos (Venezuela’s songs). Coro de Cámara de Caracas, 1978. LP. ______. Valores Musicales de Venezuela y Latinoamérica (Musical Jewels or Venezuela and Latin America). Quinteto Cantaclaro. Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo, Agrupaciones vocales venezolanas, no.4. Caracas: 2001. ______. Madrigales y arreglos corales de música popular y folklórica de Vicente Emilio Sojo (Madrigals and Choral Arrangements of Popular and Folk Music of Vicente Emilioi Sojo). Coro de Cámara de Caracas. CONAC, 1977. ______. Renacer Navideño (Come again Christmas!). C.A. Coro de Cámara de Caracas. Electricidad de Caracas, 1978. 2LP. Jackson, Bruce R. Doctor of Musical Arts degree recital. Louisville, Ky: Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1987. Cassette. Jaen, Teresa, dir. Venezuela: Rimas y Cantos de la OPEP (Rimes and Songs of the OPEC). Coro de Conciertos de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, 1980. 2 LP. Lisbona Caballer, Agustín, dir. Modesta Bor: La Canción de Arte Venezolana (Modesta Bor: The Venezuelan Art Song). Sara Medina, Diana Duque and Ricardo Hernández. Fundación María Francisca Caballer, Conac, Caracas, 2003. CD. 131 Ojeda, Belén. “Homenaje a Modesta Bor” (Homage to Modesta Bor), interviewed by Mariela Pérez Loreto (Radio Nacional de Venezuela, 23 sept 2004), Nuestra America, continente musical, no.3. Caracas: Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo, 2004. CD. Pérez Loreto, Mariela. Mariela Pérez Loreto, piano. Caracas, 1985. LP. Lugo Noemí, dir. Coral Seguros Orinoco. Caracas, 1976. Martínez, Odaline de la. Songs from Latin American. Tafur, Marina and Nigel Foster. London: Lorelt, 781064011224, 1999. CD. Paez, Jorge, dir. Cimarrón . Quinteto Vinicio Adames. Barquisimeto, 1998, CD. Parra, Cira, dir. Concierto de Gala: Festival Internacional D´Canto. Isla de Margarita, 2004. CD. Parra, Cira and Rafael Jiménez, dir. Colegio Emil Friedman vol 2: Voces Juveniles de Caracas y Arcos y Voces Juveniles de Caracas (Emil Friedman School vol. 2: Youth Voices and Youth Strings and Voices of Caracas). Caracas, 1999. CD. Parra Cira and Felipe Izcaray, dir. Arcos y Voces Juveniles en Concierto: Agrupación Musical del Colegio Emil Friedman (Youth Strings and Voices of the Emil Friedman School). Caracas, 1995. CD. Quevedo, Enrique, dir. Coral Criollisima Gevensa. N.d. LP. Ruiz, Federico, dir. Valores Musicales de Venezuela y Latinoamerica (Musical Treasures of Venezuela and Latin America). Quinteto Cantaclaro. Cuarto programa de la serie Agrupaciones Vocales Venezolanas. FUNVES 111, 2001. CD. Sojo, Vicente Emilio. Madrigales y Canciones Corales de Venezuela (Madrigals and Choral Songs of Venezuela). Orfeón Lamas. VE0060, n.d. CD. ______. Aguinaldos y Madrigales (Carols and Madrigals). Orfeón Lamas. Fundación Vicente Emilio Sojo 150204, n.d. CD. Suárez, Rafael. Música Popular y folklórica de Venezuela, Vol. 4 (Venezuelan popular and folk music, vol. 4). Quinteto Contrapunto, n.d. LP. Tabbush, Hector Vivian, dir. Venezuela Canta en las voces de los niños del Colegio Emil Friedman (Venezuela Sings in the Voices of the Children of the Emil Friedman School). Caracas, 1980. LP.