The Quartets of Ernesto Cordero, Leo Brouwer, and Sérgio Assad
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A Performance Guide to Latin-American Guitar Quartets: The Quartets of Ernesto Cordero, Leo Brouwer, and Sérgio Assad Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Puerta, José Luis Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 23/09/2021 23:19:11 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/622968 A PERFORMANCE GUIDE TO LATIN-AMERICAN GUITAR QUARTETS: THE QUARTETS OF ERNESTO CORDERO, LEO BROUWER, AND SÉRGIO ASSAD by José Luis Puerta ____________________________________________________________ Copyright © Jose Luis Puerta 2016 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the FRED FOX SCHOOL OF MUSIC In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2016 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Document Committee, we certify that we have read the document prepared by José Luis Puerta De Jesús titled, A Performance Guide to Latin American Guitar Quartets: The Quartets of Ernesto Cordero, Leo Brouwer, and Sergio Assad and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the document requirement for the Degree of Doctor in Musical Arts. _________________________________________________________Date:11/18/2016 Thomas Patterson _________________________________________________________Date: 11/18/2016 Janet Sturman _________________________________________________________Date: 11/18/2016 Phillip Alejo Final approval and acceptance of this document is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copies of the document to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this document prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the document requirement. _________________________________________________________Date: 11/18/2016 Document Director: Thomas Patterson 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This document has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: José Luis Puerta 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to all of my professors and teachers that lead to this accomplishment. To my guitar teachers for believing in me, and inspiring me: Eduardo Flores, Ivan Rijos, Juan Sorroche, and Leonardo Egúrbida. To my committee members. Professor Patterson for all his support and guidance, and for giving me the opportunity. To Dr. Janet Sturman, for helping me develop as an academic and always pushing me to work harder. To Professor Alejo for helping me with this project. To my family Aita, Ama, Anamaría and Estíbaliz. For always supporting me and encourage me to keep going forward. To Arlene, thank you for your love, patience and support. To my friends that became family during this school years, and that have contributed in one way or another to this process: Gabriel Navia, Valquiria, Juan Carlos Merello, Marjorie Choque, Jaime and Emily Bofill. Thank you to Sathya and Bodil for all the translations and proof reading in all these years. Special thanks to my summer writing partner Faez Abdallah, pura vida! 5 DEDICATION Para mis padres y hermanas por apoyarme incondicionalmente en todo. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................... 6 LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ 8 ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 11 Scope and Aim ............................................................................................................... 12 History of the Guitar Quartet ........................................................................................ 14 CHAPTER II. ERNESTO CORDERO ............................................................................ 19 Composer’s Biography .................................................................................................. 19 Punto y canto para cuatro ángeles ............................................................................... 21 CHAPTER III. LEO BROUWER ..................................................................................... 31 Composer’s Biography .................................................................................................. 31 Cuban Landscape with Rain (Paisaje Cubano con Lluvia) .......................................... 34 CHAPTER IV. SÉRGIO ASSAD .................................................................................... 41 Composer’s Biography .................................................................................................. 41 Sinceridade .................................................................................................................... 43 Uarekena ....................................................................................................................... 47 7 CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION ......................................................................................... 49 APPENDIX ....................................................................................................................... 54 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 56 8 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Munich Guitar Quartet…………………………………………………………16 Figure 2: Rumba clave and son clave…………………………………………..…………23 Figure 3: Punto y canto para cuatro angeles (mm 151-154) ………………….…………23 Figure 4: Sonatina Tropical (mm 1-2) ………………………………………...…………25 Figure 5: Punto y canto para cuatro angeles (mm 1-3) …………………………………26 Figure 6: Punto y canto para cuatro angeles (mm 106-113) …………………………..…28 Figure 7: Punto y canto para cuatro angeles (mm 158-159) ………………………..……29 Figure 8: Punto y canto para cuatro angeles, diagram of guitar strokes…….……………30 Figure 9: Paisaje cubano con lluvia (mm 1-13) …………………………………….……34 Figure 10: Scales…………………………………………………………………………36 Figure 11: Cinquillo rhythm……………………………………………………………...37 Figure 12: Paisaje cubano con lluvia (mm. 64-65)…………………………………...…..37 Figure 13: Notation and explanation of extended techniques………………….…………38 Figure 14: Paisaje cubano con lluvia G –H, and ending. ………………………...………39 Figure 15: Rondo form in Sinceridade……………………………………………………43 Figure 16: Sinceridade (mm1-29) ………………………………………...…………...…45 9 Figure 17: Syncopated binary figures characteristics of choro music. ……………….…46 Figure 18: Sinceridade, guitars 2 and 3, (mm 30-38) ……………………………….……46 Figure 19: Choro rhythm, Choro No. 1 by Heitor Villa-lobos, (mm 26-29) …………...…47 Figure 20: Uarekena (mm. 94-98) ……………………………………………….………48 Figure 21: Uarekena (mm. 283-287) …………………………….………………………48 10 ABSTRACT Latin-American guitarist-composers Ernesto Cordero, Leo Brouwer, and Sergio Assad are three of the most influential figures in the contemporary world of classical guitar. In addition to their important compositions for solo guitar, their compositions for guitar ensemble represent significant contributions to the concert repertory. These three guitarist-composers share a knowledge of popular, folkloric and classical music and demonstrate a commitment to bridging these realms in their compositions in the classical tradition. This study reviews the history of the guitar quartet. It then examines the different cultural influences in selected compositions for classical guitar quartet by each composer, exploring the significance of these choices for the performer and for the medium. The document also offers a performer’s guide for accurate and stylistic performance. When performed well, these quartets represent the vitality of contemporary Latin American composition and confirm the stature of the guitar quartet as a compelling medium for the concert artist. 11 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION Guitar ensembles have long been used in popular and folkloric music, and can be traced back to the tunas and rondallas popularized in medieval times in Spain. Within these popular and folkloric traditions, the role of the guitar varies: accompanying the voice or an instrument, performing solos or introductions, and filling gaps between vocal and melodic sections. However, the classical guitar quartet differs from these ensembles in that, instead of following folkloric traditions, it more closely resembles the string quartet. Since its Spanish origins, the guitar has earned international appeal, becoming the common denominator in the development of Latin-American music and the precursor to of guitar-like instruments including the guitarrón, violão de sete cordas, trés cubano and cuatro. The Latin-American classical guitar repertoire is greatly influenced by popular and folkloric genres