Silvestre Revueltas (1899-1940)

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Right, "dirty Mexican" is always fucking hilarious.

I thought it was, so that's why I posted it.

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Well, I don't know. I'm of Mexican descent and I found it quite funny. Lighten up a bit.

Exactly. I think people should lighten up. I wouldn't be calling Revueltas a dirty Mexican drunk if he wasn't.

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But here's a novel idea: let's discuss his music! I mean, you know, since this is his thread.

[arkiv]

Do you consider this work to be for children?


http://www.youtube.com/v/yzaRcnl5tbY

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Do you consider this work to be for children?


http://www.youtube.com/v/yzaRcnl5tbY

I can't view the video from here, but could you be referring to El renacuajo paseador (The Wandering Tadpole)? I'm not sure if it's for children but it certainly is a lot of fun.

Here's some background on the work:

Silvestre Revueltas, composer of genre-defying, visceral works like La noche de los Mayas and Redes, might not normally be associated with dance works, especially dance works for children. Yet Revueltas did produce a children's ballet, El renacuajo paseador (The Wandering Tadpole). El renacuajo paseador was composed in 1935, but was given its premiere by the renowned dance group La paloma azul (The Blue Dove) on October 4, 1940, while Revueltas was dying an untimely, unfortunate death. The bright, bouncy melodies, broad humor, and sudden shifts in mood in El renacuajo paseador all make this work accessible to children; however, it should be noted that these features are quite characteristic of Revueltas. This short ballet has a quick-moving plot involving a tadpole, the tadpole's mother, some mice who meet and befriend the tadpole, and a couple of menacing cats. Revueltas precisely characterizes each animal; after a characteristically ambiguous opening flourish on the trumpet, the tadpole's sprightly, childlike theme enters, played by a solo horn and then by the strings. As the tadpole wanders, Revueltas creates almost cinematic instrumental effects to describe the journey; a piccolo plays quietly over pizzicato strings at one point, creating an effect both ghostly and cheerful, and at a couple of points the strings play swirling glissandi while horns blare out alternately joyful and menacing melodies. The tadpole melody never leaves the orchestra for long, until just before the very end of the work, when the music turns solemn and almost harrowing for a brief span. After this, though, the tadpole theme comes back in abruptly, ending the ballet happily. El renacuajo paseador certainly will appeal to children, but Revueltas' unique instrumentation and vibrant rhythms make this charming composition for everybody, regardless of age.

[Article taken from All Music Guide]

https://www.youtube.com/v/1-K-mWZXSBM

[lescamil]

Revueltas wrote the score and even had a brief appearance in the following film as the piano player:

https://youtu.be/vaDdhCo1qM4?t=55m14s

The sign says "please don't shoot the pianist."

[Monsieur Croche]

AbsoFreakinLutely!
I can open / view / listen to the vid; it IS, indeed, "El Renacuajo Paseador.

It is ebullient, clearly playful, full of good solid musical jokes which are not nearly as obvious and broad as some pre and mid 20th century American cartoon scores. It is delightful, and I'm certain even young children would 'get' the jokes, the misplaced bits of harmony, the disruptions which sound exactly like some of the players lost their place, or skipped a page, etc.

I think it is near impossible to overestimate to what degree semiotic  expectations are already in place, with people in general, and very young children being no exception... if they have heard 'regular' music, even folk songs with instruments, Mariachi music, whatever, so much is already subliminally set up in even the young mind that all these jokes, the well handled dissonances, surprises both rhythmic, melodic would be well understood, and children would find it very entertaining and very funny.

This wonderful piece: Joseph Fennimore ~ Concerto Piccolo for piano and chamber orchestra,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGC1L48Saow
[^since 'the problem' continues, if that doesn't play, copy and paste that URL into a new window -- that should work.]
is also ebullient, clearly playful, also truly funny (and longer -- maybe outside the five or six year-old's attention span) but in a very different more 'sophisticated' (or at least, 'adult') manner, and would not, I think, hit children in the same manner or as directly as the Revueltas piece you've posted.

This Revueltos is superbly and very successfully aimed at children, with that additional quality that adults can enjoy it without feeling condescended toward... which is a 'hats off, ladies and gentlmen' moment for any who can make a work which so fully reaches both audiences.

Fun piece. Thanks.


Best regards.

[Karl Henning]

The sign says "please don't shoot the pianist."

Because It is forbidden to shoot the pianist would be read as practically an invitation.

[Mirror Image]

Revueltas wrote the score and even had a brief appearance in the following film as the piano player:

https://youtu.be/vaDdhCo1qM4?t=55m14s

The sign says "please don't shoot the pianist."

Yeah, I remember seeing this particular clip of him a few years ago. I wish there were actual interviews with him available. I don't mind reading subtitles even though my Spanish is getting better.

[snyprrr]

Revueltas always lightens my mood

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Revueltas always lightens my mood

He certainly wrote some incredible music. I look at Revueltas' 1930s compositional period as I do Janacek's late period in the sense that both composers wrote music of such magnificence in such a short period of time. Something was definitely in the tequila water.

[arkiv]

https://www.youtube.com/v/6bgjoc3ETEs

Radio Televisón Española has made an exquisite travail of Redes suite.

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Thought it was time to revive this thread, it's sunny and hot here and Revueltas' music is the just what the doctor ordered.

[vandermolen]

Currently enjoying 'La noche de los Mayas'. A very atmospheric score.

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Currently enjoying 'La noche de los Mayas'. A very atmospheric score.

Indeed, Jeffrey. A fantastic piece.

[vandermolen]

Indeed, Jeffrey. A fantastic piece.

Possibly my favourite work by Revueltas.

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Possibly my favourite work by Revueltas.

It's certainly one of mine. I also adore Sensemayá, Redes, Janitzio, Cuauhnáhuac, Colorines, Ventanas, and Itinerarios. I haven't been able to get into the string quartets, but it's been quite some time since I've heard them. I remember them being quite knotty and aggressive.

[Symphonic Addict]

La noche de los mayas has been one of my first important discoveries of 2021 thus far. I seriously consider this work should be in the standard repertoire and in concert halls overall. That epic theme of the opening is something else, and it shows up in the last movement, closing in full uproar!! All what you need to be hooked from the very beginning. I also like the Mexican folk influences, mostly in the 2nd movement. It reminded me of Chávez's Sinfonía India and Moncayo's Huapango. I first thought this work was gonna be more serious and experimental (I mean, dissonant), but it is little or none of it.

Revueltas, despite writing not many works, most of them are of high quality. It's a real shame he died too young. I'm pretty sure he had much more to offer and give us.

[Mirror Image]

La noche de los mayas has been one of my first important discoveries of 2021 thus far. I seriously consider this work should be in the standard repertoire and in concert halls overall. That epic theme of the opening is something else, and it shows up in the last movement, closing in full uproar!! All what you need to be hooked from the very beginning. I also like the Mexican folk influences, mostly in the 2nd movement. It reminded me of Chávez's Sinfonía India and Moncayo's Huapango. I first thought this work was gonna be more serious and experimental (I mean, dissonant), but it is little or none of it.

Revueltas, despite writing not many works, most of them are of high quality. It's a real shame he died too young. I'm pretty sure he had much more to offer and give us.

It certainly does deserve better treatment and I think it should be standard repertoire, but alas I don't make these kinds of decisions, so in the meantime, I'm grateful for all of the performances of it that exists. One of the interesting aspects of Revueltas is the fact that he produced so much incredible music in such a short time. In this regard, he reminds me of Janáček. If only these two composers were given another 20 years.

[Symphonic Addict]

It certainly does deserve better treatment and I think it should be standard repertoire, but alas I don't make these kinds of decisions, so in the meantime, I'm grateful for all of the performances of it that exists. One of the interesting aspects of Revueltas is the fact that he produced so much incredible music in such a short time. In this regard, he reminds me of Janáček. If only these two composers were given another 20 years.

Yes, I think there is a decent number of recordings devoted to his music that allow to listeners give a clue about how great Revueltas was. Hopefully we will have more recordings in the future.