Flores del Monte and Flores del Campo. Since then he has continued to devote his time and inspiration to our folk music of the highest grade, climaxing his successes by producing Campo, probably the most perfect symphonic work on our folk music, La Isla de los Ceibos, and La Melga. These constitute the trio of his folk music symphonies to date and crown him as a world-famous artist. Never tiring, he has produced, and continues to produce, many beautiful folk songs, amongst them El Poncho, La Güeya, and El Nido, showing faithfully in all of them a profound knowledge and comprehension of native songs and a perfect instrumental technique. To this generation also belongs L. Cluzeau Mortet, whose keen understanding of his native folk lore is permitting him to write works of value, so gs and fantasias of haunting, pure melodic strains, among which we can recall the musical setting of Amado Nervo's beautiful poem Bajo el Alero de las Pestañas; also Noche Blanca de Luna, Evocación, Criolla, Pericón, and Carreta Quemada. During these later years, many other composers have been busy. One is Vicente Ascone, who scored a triumph with his Suite Uruguaya, and whose latest work, a ballet called La Carreta (based on a poem from the pen of Víctor Pérez Petit), is a revelation to us. This had its première in August, 1932 Without losing for an instant the melody of our folk music, the richly colorful nstrumentation and surprising orchestral effects permit this work to be classed with the most modern compositions and to belong to universal music. Pilades Stampanoni (codirector of the Conservatorio Montevideo) has just completed a notable suite of new and harmonious instrumentation, which he modestly names Impresiones Sinfónicas. The young maestro Marotti, after writing many minor works, has recently published a suite for grand orchestra, entitled No. 1. Calcavecchia, bandmaster of the Municipal Band, shows his inspiration in the symphonic works Uruguay and Pre'udio. And amongst the most prolific composers is Félix Peyrallo, concert viola, founder of the Centro Enciclopédico, whose chorus and orchestra he conducts. He has written many beautiful works, especially choruses; the best is probably the centennial hymn Uruguay, composed in 1930 on the conclusion of the celebration of the first century of our independence. Among our very modern song writers we recall Luis Pedro Mondino, whose original songs are bringing him fame in Europe and his own country. We also have our women composers, the most versatile probably being María Galli, whose valuable works, full of character, have brought her fame. A little Italian influence is discernible in her romances and songs. Her sonatas are inspired indeed, and her descriptive native themes, such as Alborada and Cabalgada, are truly worthy of admiration. To the same generation belongs the composer "UN SOGNO" BY E. M. S. DE PATE (ELISABETTA") The score above and on the preceding page is part of a work for string quartette who signs herself "Elisabetta," author of many minor pieces such as military marches and concert waltzes. It is considered that her best orchestral works are Suite Uruguay-Italia (where native airs mingle with Italian romance); Elegia in Memoriam, written in homage to our lost painter Carlos M. Herrera; Gypsy and Un Sogno, the latter for string quartette. There are so many writers of music, typical and otherwise (as the production of popular native music is enormous), that we believe it is impossible, however pleasant the task might be, to give, in a few short notes, a lucid idea of our love of music in every form or to name all those who have contributed to it. Since our country is bathed by the ocean, a circumstance which in the life of a nation entails communication, travel, and progress, the influence of other nationalities filters in. While it unites us with the uplifting spirit of the great old masters of Europe, we still, in many cases, write in typically Uruguayan fashion. It even seems probable that our music may develop a still more truly native character, acknowledging more and more the beauty of the descriptive airs which have been handed down to us in simple form and are being developed into immortal works by men like Fabini, Mortet, Ascone, and others. As for vocal music, singing comes to us easily and naturally from the Gaucho who in bygone days so softly plucked his guitar and so cleverly voiced his thoughts as a payador. Enriched by education and culture, the Gaucho persisted through the years, the same blood running through his veins, mixed with the heritage from old Spain and Italy; his song lived through the struggles on the broad plains and valleys of the "Purple Land," finally filtering into the cities. through the conservatories and universities. The amalgamation of 141901-32-Bull. 11-3 races from all climes, the vigorous blood that pulses under the Southern Cross, has produced full-throated human songbirds, and it is of interest to note that in the female voices, the mezzos and contraltos are balanced in number with the sopranos. It can be said of Uruguayans that "we sing because we love to sing," and it is almost impossible to find a home, however modest, in which folklore is not loved and where music does not reign in some form. Choral work is highly developed, especially in Montevideo, the oldest and largest association being La Coral which, directed first by Kolischer, now has as conductor Carlos Correa Luna. Risler, Rubenstein, Koschetz, and E. D'Hors have passed judgment in praise of this mixed chorus which the eminent kapellmeister, Felix Weingartner, conducted on three occasions, one program including Mozart's Hostia and Brahms's Nanie. At the conclusion he autographed his baton in a burst of admiring enthusiasm and presented it to the association. Although Uruguay is rich in concert artists, we have spoken here principally of some of our composers, since these, even if they do not travel, can, from their homeland, send to all nations loving greetings, becoming faithful messengers of the sentiments of a race and speaking to everyone in that universal tongue, a language, all its own, understood by every human being on earth-MUSIC. |