Musicatlas
Music
Full orchestra
- Caminos (1934) 8:00
- Danza geométrica (1934) 9:00 ("Geometric Dance")
- Esquinas (1933) 7:00
- Itinerarios (1938) 10:00
- Janitzio (1936) 8:00
- La Coronela (1940) 35:00 ("The Woman Colonel") Ballet for Orchestra
- La noche de los Mayas (1939) 33:00
- Redes (1935) 16:00 ("The Nets")
- Ventanas (1931) 11:00 ("Windows")
Chamber orchestra
- Alcancías (1932) 10:00 ("Piggy Banks")
- Colorines (1932) 8:00
- El renacuajo paseador (1935) 8:00 ("Polliwog Takes a Stroll")
- Homenaje a Federico García Lorca (1936) 13:00 ("Homage to Lorca")
- Hora de Junio (1938) 11:00 ("June Hour")
- Música para charlar (1938) 30:00 ("Chit-chat Music")
- Troka (1940) 10:00 Music for a Puppet Show
- Sensemaya, orinally written for chamber orchestra in 1937. The most recorded versions are for 27 wind instruments, 14 percussion instruments and strings.
Mixed instrumental ensemble
- Batik (1926) 4:00 fl, 2 cl, 2 vn, va, vc
- Ocho por radio (1933) 6:00 ("Eight Musicians Broadcasting") cl, bn, tpt, perc, vn 1-2, vc, db
- Planos (1934) 9:00 ("Layers") cl, b cl, bn, tbn, pf, 2 vn, vc, db
- Toccata without a Fugue (1933) 4:00 pic, 3 cl, hn, tpt, timp, vn
- Tres sonetos (1938) 7:00 ("Three Sonnets") 2 cl, b cl, bn; hn, 2 tpt, tba; tam-tam; pf
Woodwind ensemble
- Little Serious Piece No. 1 (1940) 3:00 pic, ob, tpt, cl, bar sax
- Little Serious Piece No. 2 (1940) 1:00 pic, ob, tpt, cl, bar sax
String quartets
- String Quartet No. 1 (1930) 8:00
- String Quartet No. 2, Magueyes (1931) 7:00
- String Quartet No. 3 (1932) 13:00
- String Quartet No. 4, Música de feria (1932) 9:00 ("Festival Music")
(Contribution by Charles Berry <chuck_berry
quinton.com>)
Life
Silvestre Revueltas the "great free spirit of Mexican music," was born on December 31, 1899. After early training as a violinist, he concentrated his talents on conducting and composition. At Carlos Chávez’s invitation, he became Assistant Conductor of the Mexico Symphony Orchestra (1929-1935) and taught violin and composition at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City, also conducting the Conservatory Orchestra. In 1937 he conducted several of his orchestral works in Spain, lending his support to the Republican cause during the Spanish Civil War. In October 1940, barely 40 years old, he succumbed to pneumonia aggravated by alcoholism. In his last decade, Revueltas was astonishingly productive, writing almost 40 works - including 6 for full orchestra and 8 film scores - in a mature, vitally individual voice.
Recent performances and recordings have helped address the lack of attention given Revueltas’ music in the decades since his death. His monumental La Noche de los Mayas, with a finale requiring 11 percussionists, has thrilled audiences of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, and the American Composers Orchestra in recent years. The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s all-Reveultas CD with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting, won the 1999 Diapason Award. On Koch International Classics, Giséle Ben-Dor leads the Santa Barbara Symphony and English Chamber Orchestra in Revueltas’ last work La Coronela, along with orchestral works Itinerarios and Colorines.
(Contribution by Charles Berry <chuck_berryquinton.com>)