Jorge Montilla (b. 1970) stands as a major Venezuelan clarinet performer, arranger and composer of the twenty-first century. His arrangements and compositions for the solo Eb clarinet, solo bass clarinet, Eb with piano, and clarinet duets, trios and quartets are been played all over the globe. These compositions and arrangements are extraordinary well written for the clarinet. Montilla knows the strengths of each different clarinet, bass, Eb and soprano. Most of his pieces show his roots in Venezuelan folk music, giving him an enormous advantage to write for the clarinet family. His repertoire for these instruments consists of solo work for Eb and bass clarinet, duets for two Bbs, trio for bass clarinet and two soprano clarinets, trio for Eb, Bb Soprano and Bass clarinet, clarinet quartet “Four for Four,” and arrangements of Latin American composers such as Beatriz Lockarht and Astor Piazzolla.
These pieces are extremely well written and are very idiomatic for each instrument. Montilla explores and takes advantage of the entire clarinet register and the sound of each instrument in each of his compositions and arrangements. In this essay, I will put emphasis on one of his most famous clarinet quartets, “Four for Four.” This is because the core of his knowledge, composition and performance skills can be seen in this work, especially in the movements “Joropo” and “Merengue,” and once we get to know the background of this piece, we will be able to apply it to most of his compositions and arrangements.
I will also show how he incorporates two of the most important folk music genres into his compositions such as “Joropo” and “Merengue.” These rhythms and musical genres are also the most common used by Jorge Montilla and Venez...
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...and different combinations of instruments. Also used as a solo instrument, its characteristics, in terms of manufacturing techniques, size, number of strings and sonority vary according to the region. In addition to the traditional cuatro, there are a number of variants known as cuatro de cinco cuerdas (five-stringed cuatro), also called the requinto, which has a double order in lieu of a single fourth string, and the cuatro y medio (four and a half): in the latter, the first string is attached to a peg which is inserted into the lower part of the instrument. The cuatro tradicional is tuned in a similar way to the Renaissance guitarrilla (or small guitar): from the first to the second string there is an ascending perfect 5th interval, followed by a descending major 3rd and a descending perfect 4th: B–F#–D–A (the first string, B, is played an octave lower).
Guillermo González Camarena was a Mexican electrical engineer who was the inventor of a color-wheel type of color television, and who also introduced color television to Mexico,
“Santo Domingo” highlighted the stunning, fast-paced playing of Quintero, who rapped and fingered the strings of her guitar almost simultaneously, creating a clean and indiscernible rhythm between the two.
`La Tierra de Alvargonzález' is similar to the old ballads in its content of crime and violence. Machado leaves much of the background o...
A sinfonia (Italian for symphony) broadly refers to a number of instrumental works from the Baroque period, including symphonies, sonatas, canzonas, concerti, and Italian opera overtures. Even J.S. Bach titles his “three-part” inventions for harpsichord “Sinfonia”. Torelli’s Sinfonia in D (G.8) is a four-movement “concerto” for trumpet, strings and harpsichord continuo. Unlike a concerto grosso, where a main theme is presented and then reappears in fragments, the main themes of Sinfonia in D are developed rather freely. The second movement (Adagio) is a very short, slow, interlude without trumpet that introduces the third movement (Allegro). Hence, the program shows these two movements as “adagio-allegro” joined together.
The clarinet is a woodwind instrament consisting of a cylindrical wood, metal, or ebonite pipe with a bell-shaped opening at one end and a mouthpiece at the other end, to which a thin reed is attached. The clarinet has five different sections, the mouthpiece, the barrel, the upper section, the lower section, and the bell. The length of the entire instrument is 60 cm long. The mouthpiece section consists of a slotted cylinder, to which a reed is attached by a metal clamp called a ligature. The mouthpiece plugs into the next section which is a barrel. The barrel is simply a connecting cylinder to which the mouthpiece and the upper section plugs into. The upper section is a cylindrical pipe consisting of 4 holes and 9 keys placed in different locations along the pipe. On the back of the pipe there is a hole and a key that is used by the thumb. The lower section plugs into the upper section and is also connected via a special bridge key. This piece consists of 3 holes and 8 keys. On the inward facing side of the pipe, there is a protruding piece of metal called a thumb rest, which supports the entire clarinet. The bell plugs into the lower section. It consists of a cylinder that flares out into a bell shape and ends the clarinet.
Smith, Douglas Alton. A History of the Lute from Antiquity to the Renaissance. Massechusetts: The Lute Society of America, Inc., 2002.
In mm. 47-50 another Mahlerian technique which is used throughout the movement can be seen. The clarinets in A and the violas play the 4-note motif. Mahler assigns different combinations of instruments to play simultaneously either the identical music (for example in mm. 58-61, the flutes and the violins) or the same rhythmic motif but with different notes.
This article furthers discussion on Hummel’s life and his contribution, namely the Trumpet Concerto. A critical point that was made is that, “The Trumpet Concerto is Hummel’s most-recorded work” (201). The article discusses briefly that the three movements of the piece are highly virtuosic and show different aspects of the trumpet. This is important to understand as a performer for several reasons. One, it makes the player aware that performing this work is akin to playing three separate concertos in certain respects because the requirements of the performer are incredibly demanding. Two, it makes the player aware of the different styles of the three movements, and the importance of recognizing the individual character of each movement.
Oct. 29: Puerto Rican Music Between Rafael Hernandez and Rafael Cortijo. Guest Lecture by Prof. Lise Waxer, Music Dept., Trinity College
The world music phenomenon has been shaped and has evolved overtime. Its distribution has affected much of today’s music. Nueva Canción is one genre that has a deep historical story, of which gives us understanding of how the people and events of history influenced the way music is today by globalisation, migration and commodification and their political and social struggles of which they endured and found hope through their music. Many people worked together to get through this upheaval, and even when some were persecuted for what they stood for, they persevered. The music that came from this revolution is a testimony for their memorable work, making this genre of world music significant and worthy of recognition and respect.
The Spanish Villancico took a homophonic, strophic approach, just like the frottola. One Villancico composer was Jaunde Encino.
Since the early sixteenth century, the Island music scene was greatly influenced by the Spanish presence, which included a variety of European extraction with instruments including drums, harp, bells, the guitar and harpsichord, among others. Religious ceremonies introduced for the decade of 1670 an organist and choirmaster, which were part of religious services of the ‘Cathedral of San Juan.’
Nepomuk Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto in E is one of the most famous pieces in the trumpet repertoire and one of Hummel’s most recognizable works. Hummel had a very close connection to Mozart and his works, which helped establish a foundation for Hummel’s compositional style. His studies and friendship were no doubt an influence in creating this masterpiece for the trumpet. When listening to Hummel’s concerto for trumpet, one can find direct references Mozart’s Don Giovanni and other works by Mozart. Although Mozart was only apart of Hummel’s life for a brief period of time, he left the largest impression on Hummel’s compositions and it is very apparent in the Trumpet Concerto in E.
...chestral introduction with an imperfect cadence. A strong rhythmic ¾ allegro passage, with sequences and descending scales is played by the orchestra, with timpani and cymbals. The music modulates, and a short, quiet woodwind passage is then alternated with an orchestral passage with dotted rhythms, creating a `terraced dynamics' effect. Part B begins with a major clarinet melody accompanied by pizzicato strings. A minor flute sequence follows, and is followed by a repetition of the oboe melody. A string sequence is then played, imitated by the oboe. There is a crescendo, then the rhythmic orchestral melody returns, alternated with a short flute passage. There are suspensions, descending scales and a crescendo, followed by a strong rhythmic passage with the timpani playing on the beat. Imperfect cadences are played, before the piece finishes with a perfect cadence.
A comparative study of the use of the barqoue and modern flute in composition, with specific reference to -- Sonata IV for flute and continuo by J.S Bach, and Sonata for flute and piano by Hindemith