Topic: Your Favorite Latin American Composer?

[Mirror Image]

Who is your favorite Latin American composer out of this list? You have to accept my apologies for not including more composers, but I consider these four composers the most important to come out of Latin America.

[Mirror Image]

Villa-Lobos gets my vote. I love his music for reasons which I detailed in the Villa-Lobos composer thread.

[Air]

Easy.  Too easy.  For mere breadth it would be impossible for me to pick otherwise.  Though I suppose Ginastera is a distant second.

[Bulldog]

Although not on the list, I pick Xavier Cugat.  Here's one of his most famous quotes:

"I would rather play Chiquita Banana and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve." 

[Mirror Image]

Easy.  Too easy.  For mere breadth it would be impossible for me to pick otherwise.  Though I suppose Ginastera is a distant second.

For some this may be easy, but I can understand how some people would have hard time choosing one composer over the other. They're all so different.

[Air]

For some this may be easy, but I can understand how some people would have hard time choosing one composer over the other. They're all so different.

True, this was only my personal opinion.  And the other three composers have a great catalogue of works too (though I'm not too familiar with Chavez) -Ginastera probably being the most well-known to the general public, even more than Villa-Lobos.

[Mirror Image]

True, this was only my personal opinion.  And the other three composers have a great catalogue of works too (though I'm not too familiar with Chavez) -Ginastera probably being the most well-known to the general public, even more than Villa-Lobos.

Chavez, along with Revueltas, was one of the foremost Mexican composers of the 20th Century. He helped in the development of Mexican art music. Apart of this development, besides his notable compositions, was his founding of the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, which are one of the oldest orchestras working in North, Central, and South America.
 
Two of my favorite Chavez's works are Sinfonia India and Horse Power Suite. Both of these works demonstrate his compositional prowess.

[Lethevich]

I prefer Nancarrow and Piazzolla (by a hair) to their compatriots, so I think HVL is my default vote. I would probably not change my choice of those other two were included, however. Villa-Lobos offers much more music for me than the rest, and much of it is darn fine quality.

[some guy]

I consider these four composers the most important to come out of Latin America.

Well now. That seems to open things up to asking you some personal questions, two pertinent ones being "How many Latin American composers are you familiar with?" and "Why? Why do you consider these four the most important?"

There are also ones like "What do you mean by 'important'?," but perhaps the first two are enough for now?

Otherwise, I have two names for y'all, one a recently deceased composer, Mauricio Kagel, one a still living composer, Julio Estrada. (There are more, of course, but these two have really pushed the boundaries of music in a very real, very legally binding way.*)

*This last bit is a Python reference, and not a point for argument. Unless you're just doing it in your spare time.**

**Yes, it is.

[Mirror Image]

Well now. That seems to open things up to asking you some personal questions, two pertinent ones being "How many Latin American composers are you familiar with?" and "Why? Why do you consider these four the most important?"

There are also ones like "What do you mean by 'important'?," but perhaps the first two are enough for now?

Otherwise, I have two names for y'all, one a recently deceased composer, Mauricio Kagel, one a still living composer, Julio Estrada. (There are more, of course, but these two have really pushed the boundaries of music in a very real, very legally binding way.*)

*This last bit is a Python reference, and not a point for argument. Unless you're just doing it in your spare time.**

**Yes, it is.

Research each composer yourself and their importance will be revealed to you. I don't need to tell you why they're important to Latin America.
 
That said, I could have thrown in a bunch of names Moncayo, Estevez, Piazzolla, Castillo, Guarnieri, Roldan, Marquez, Caturia, etc., but I didn't. I simplified the list with who I considered to be the most important to the development in Latin music and I think each composer fits the bill quite nicely.

[Daverz]

Mozart

[some guy]

Mirror, the question your post raised and which I asked was "Why did you choose these four?" Not "Why are these four the greatest?" So asking me to do some research (I do know all four) is completely off the point. (Besides, I already do know these four--and four or twenty others--and have not come to the conclusion that each fits the bill nicely. (I hesitate to say this. The meaning of "bill" has changed at least once in the course of this thread!))

Let me put it this way, your post raises the question of your credentials. Why did you choose these four? How many Latin American composers do you know well? (Do you know Kagel and Estrada for starters? Do you know Ferreyra or Mandolini or Justel, just to name three that pop readily to mind. Readily to my mind, that is!)

My questions for you remain unanswered.

[Daverz]

Mozart

Darn, no one took the bait.  I meant Mozart Camargo Guarnieri, of course.

[Teresa]

Darn, no one took the bait.  I meant Mozart Camargo Guarnieri, of course.

I have Mozart Camargo Guarnieri's Brazilian Dance which is from Hi-Fi a la Española on Mercury Living Presence.

I chose Ginastera based solely on the three works I have by him Estancia, Panambi and the Overture To The Creole "Faust". 

I also really like Villa-Lobos, Chavez, Revueltas and many other latin American composers. 

[Daverz]

I have Mozart Camargo Guarnieri's Brazilian Dance which is from Hi-Fi a la Española on Mercury Living Presence.

I think you'd like his symphonies on Bis.  The music is very tuneful, and this whole series has fabulous sound.

[71 dB]

Heitor Villa-Lobos is not only my favorite Latin American composer but one of my favorite composers in general.

[Guido]

Honestly it would have to be Piazzolla, even if he is not as "great" as Villa Lobos. I would feel a greater sense of loss if I could never hear Piazzolla again than if I could never hear the others on this list again.

[petrarch]

Otherwise, I have two names for y'all, one a recently deceased composer, Mauricio Kagel, one a still living composer, Julio Estrada.

Indeed, those are two of my favourites. I would also add Mesías Maiguashca.

[jowcol]

Honestly it would have to be Piazzolla, even if he is not as "great" as Villa Lobos. I would feel a greater sense of loss if I could never hear Piazzolla again than if I could never hear the others on this list again.

I feel that way about Piazzolla and Revueltas-- even if their contributions may be narrower.   I liked your approach- that is usually how I answer the "greatest" polls.

[karlhenning]

I prefer Nancarrow and Piazzolla (by a hair) to their compatriots, so I think HVL is my default vote. I would probably not change my choice of those other two were included, however. Villa-Lobos offers much more music for me than the rest, and much of it is darn fine quality.

Hmm, Nancarrow was Latin American only in sense similar to Roman Polanski being Swiss ; )