Presents
Manuel Ponce
4 Miniatures for String Quartet
Manuel Ponce (1882-148) was born in the Mexican town of Fresnillo. From his early youth, he was considered a musical prodigy both on the piano and as a composer. After studying at the National Conservatory in Mexico City, he traveled to Italy where he studied with Giovanni Martini at the Bologna Conservatory and then in Berlin at the Stern Conservatory with Martin Kraus. Afterwards, he concentrated on composing and teaching at the National Conservatory. The bulk of his compositions were for voice, piano and guitar. However, he did not ignore chamber music, which includes a string quartet, a piano trio and two other works for string trio along with some instrumental sonatas.
In 1925, he received a scholarship allowing him to study at the Ecole Normale in Paris. His teachers included Nadia Boulanger and Paul Dukas. As a result of his studies with them, his style changed radically. Whereas prior to his studies at the Ecole Normale, his music show the influence of the late romantic era composers, afterwards there was a radical change in which he became an accolyte of late French Impressionis as well as polyphony. He did not entirely abandon earlier structures however although dressing them up in modern clothing. The Miniatures, which date from 1927 and which are in four movements, include a movement entitled Scherzo and the finale in the form of a fugue. The music combines baroque ideas with polyphony. Of particular note is that in the last movement, each voice is in a different key. The first violin is in A Major, the second violin in B flat Major, the viola in F Major and the cello in D flat Major. Although there is considerable dissonance, critics were able to discern that there was still a strong leaning toward a tonal foundation as can certainly be heard in the work's final two chords.
This is a very interesting work by one of Mexicos Most important composers. It deserves concert performance and is sure to hold an audience's attention.
Parts: $15.95
Parts & Score: $19.95
