1. Silvestre Revueltas was one of the most prominent figures of “mestizo realism” from the 20th century. Born in Durango, Mexico, Revueltas was a child prodigy who went on to study in Mexico and the U.S before having to return to home after his friend, and renowned composer, Carlos Chavez asked him to play for the Orquesta Sinfónica de Mexico. Afterwards, Revueltas went to Spain, which was undergoing a revolution, in order to participate in cultural activities of the Loyalist government. Consequently, once he came back he went on to compose many of the masterpieces that are highly regarded today. Most of this inspiration came from experiences he had with various Afro-Cuban artist and pieces, which in turn inspired him to emulate such aspects.
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Revueltas’ style seen in his Homage to Federico García Lorca has been referred as a combination of Mexican and European-modernist music. This is a result, mainly, of his scoring as well as the rhythm of his various movements. Referring to the scoring, the ensemble employed refers a lot to the typical mariachi band which is a very common vernacular group that performs in Mexican cultures; Revueltas uses the typical combination of trumpets and violins, but instead of guitars, he uses a piano and enriches the composition with various woodwind instruments, which adds that European modernist-feel to the piece. Referring to the rhythm, Revueltas uses a variety of rhythms and meter in his movements, from ostinatos paired with soulful melodies, to ammetric movements with varying rhythms.
3. Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story is one of his most popular musicals, and one of the most influential productions to the American musical theater. The plot can be simply summarized as Romeo and Juliet applied to a modern West Side of New York setting; the two gangs of the story, the Sharks and the Jets, prepare to fight, when two star-crossed lovers, Maria and Tony, profess their love to each other. The plot follows much of the same plot as Rome and Juliet but it is still an impactful
Revueltas’ style seen in his Homage to Federico García Lorca has been referred as a combination of Mexican and European-modernist music. This is a result, mainly, of his scoring as well as the rhythm of his various movements. Referring to the scoring, the ensemble employed refers a lot to the typical mariachi band which is a very common vernacular group that performs in Mexican cultures; Revueltas uses the typical combination of trumpets and violins, but instead of guitars, he uses a piano and enriches the composition with various woodwind instruments, which adds that European modernist-feel to the piece. Referring to the rhythm, Revueltas uses a variety of rhythms and meter in his movements, from ostinatos paired with soulful melodies, to ammetric movements with varying rhythms.
3. Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story is one of his most popular musicals, and one of the most influential productions to the American musical theater. The plot can be simply summarized as Romeo and Juliet applied to a modern West Side of New York setting; the two gangs of the story, the Sharks and the Jets, prepare to fight, when two star-crossed lovers, Maria and Tony, profess their love to each other. The plot follows much of the same plot as Rome and Juliet but it is still an impactful