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)