♫Music of Middle Latin America: Mexico & Guatemala: Carlos Chavez

Carlos Chavez (1899-1978)

Chavez was a Mexican composer influenced by his native culture, besides been a successful composer; he was also a conductor, music theorist, educator, journalist and founder of the Mexican Symphonic Orchestra. Been so highly involve in the music scene wasn’t enough for him, therefore he also held government positions in the arts in Mexico.

His music style didn’t fall into a specific period but his unique style helped him to be recognized as one of the major composers of Latin America during his time.

All his hard work and compositions were one of the main reasons that Mexico’s music was introduce to the rest of the world during the 20^th century. He created six symphonies but his symphony No. 2, was the most popular of all, where he mainly uses Yaqui percussion instruments. Chavez didn’t focus on one music style; he also formed ballet groups, such as:

-El fuego Nuevo (The New Fire) 1921

-Los Cuatro soles (The Four Soles) 1925

Chavez also formed an orchestra around 1947 named “The Orquestra Sinfonica Nacional (OSN)”, event that helped him to be involved in international organizations planning and scheduling orchestra’s events.

Chavez died in 1978 in Coyoacan Mexico.

Bibliography

http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy.lib.umb.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/05495?q=carlos+chavez&search=quick&pos=1&_start=1#firsthit

Chávez, Carlos. 1937. Toward a New Music: Music and Electricity, translated from the Spanish by Herbert Weinstock, with eight illustrations by Antonio Ruíz. New York: W. W. Norton & Co. Reprinted, New York: Da Capo Press, 1975. ISBN 0306707195 First Spanish edition, as Hacia una nueva música: ensayo sobre música y electricidad. México: El Colegio Nacional, 1992.

Discography

Cantos de México

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