NOTE: Please acknowledge the authorship of these program notes by Jose Elizondo, the composer, if you use them for publicity material, concert program notes, or any other publication.

 

·                  

·                  Danzas Latinoamericanas

·                            I.   Otoño en Buenos Aires

·                            II.  Pan de Azúcar

·                            III. Atardecer Tapatío

·                  Latin American Dances

·                             I.    Autumn in Buenos Aires

·                             II.   Sugar Loaf Mountain

·                             III.  Sunset in Guadalajara

 

·        Commission: Commissioned by and dedicated to Mexican cellist Carlos Prieto

·        Duration: 10 to 15 minutes for all 3 movements (depending on the version)

·                      Approximately 3 to 4 minutes per movement.

·        Mood: festive, lyrical, Latin, energetic

·        Movements: Three movements. They can be performed as a suite or independently

·        Description: Danzas Latinoamericanas is a suite consisting of 3 movements inspired by dances from Argentina (tango), Brazil (bossa nova), and Mexico (jarabe) respectively.

 

Program Notes by José Elizondo:

 

THE COMMISSION

 

In 1996, Mexican cellist Carlos Prieto returned to his alma mater, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), to present a series of recitals and lectures. After one of those concerts, I had the privilege of meeting him. To my great surprise, he asked me to compose a piece for two cellos. He granted me complete freedom regarding the length and content of the piece and mentioned that he planned to perform a concert with Maestro Yo-Yo Ma in the near future, where he would be delighted to play my composition.

 

The prospect of having two of my musical idols perform my music was both exhilarating and intimidating. At that time, I had never written anything significant for the cello and hadn’t played any string instruments myself. Determined to rise to the challenge, I embarked on an intensive self-taught study of Bach’s cello suites. I composed a series of short dances in the Baroque style. Initially, I viewed those as mere learning exercises, but these “Baroque Dances” were later premiered by Maestro Carlos Prieto in duet with Maestro Álvaro Bitrán.

Regarding the original commission, several factors influenced my decision to infuse the music with a Latin American flavor. During that period, I was captivated by the works of composers such as Astor Piazzolla and Heitor Villa-Lobos. I immersed myself in studying their compositions and aimed to create music that paid homage to these great artists.

 

I didn’t want to produce a piece that merely referenced or overly stylized elements of Latin American music. Instead, I aspired to compose music that “tasted” like actual tango, bossa nova, and Mexican folkloric dance—music that could be both played and danced authentically. I drew significant inspiration from Maestro Yo-Yo Ma’s enthusiasm for music from diverse cultures and Carlos Prieto’s passion for Latin American music.

 

FIRST MOVEMENT

 

After immersing myself in countless tangos by Piazzolla and the legendary Carlos Gardel, I began composing “Otoño en Buenos Aires” (Autumn in Buenos Aires), which would eventually become the first movement of the piece I presented to Maestro Carlos Prieto. My initial goal was for the two cellos to converse and interact in a manner akin to a couple dancing tango. I aimed for the melodies to capture the dramatic contrasts characteristic of Gardel’s tangos.

 

I intended for this work to be performed in the tradition of tango performance, which is a departure from the sensibilities of European concert music. This tradition involves an expressive use of tempo, with sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic modifications that follow the push and pull of the tango dance. My hope was to create music that genuinely embodied the spirit of tango.

 

SECOND MOVEMENT

 

For the second movement, I decided to write a piece inspired by Brazilian music, and this decision came about under very particular circumstances. I had just received a medical diagnosis that required a very aggressive and devastating treatment. Simultaneously, during this period, I fell in love for the first time in my life. The intensity of these contrasting emotions influenced the romantic and melancholic melodies of this work. During this time, I listened devotedly to the music of the great Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, particularly his “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5,” and I also had the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim in mind. The influence of these two composers is palpable in my composition “Pan de Azúcar” (Sugarloaf Mountain).

 

I am a very visual composer and often draw inspiration from images of my travels. When visiting the “Sugar Loaf” mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, one typically takes a funicular to the top. The city of Rio is beautiful, yet complex, reflected in an intense symphony of urban sounds. As you ascend the funicular, you gradually leave behind this somewhat chaotic, yet exciting soundscape, and begin to feel a sense of reverence for the stunning landscapes before you. Suddenly, your focus shifts from the city to the vast horizon, from the buzz of the streets to the beauty of the beaches, the mountains, the sun, and the sky.

 

The introduction of “Pan de Azúcar” has an internal logic in terms of melodic and harmonic direction, but it can initially seem disjointed and chaotic. However, it gradually becomes sweeter and more discernible in its melodic line. By the time you reach the end of the introduction and encounter the first lyrical melody, you find yourself in a different sound space. The work has a modular structure that is very regular, with phrases of predictably classic proportions that flow serenely. Each of these modules uses melody and texture to explore different emotions, such as love, melancholy, longing, and tenderness.

 

THIRD MOVEMENT

 

The third movement, “Atardecer Tapatío” (Sunset in Guadalajara), draws its inspiration more from a genre than from a specific composer. During that period, my mother and sister had just relocated to Guadalajara, a city in the Mexican state of Jalisco. In homage to this beautiful city and the rich musical tradition of Jalisco, I aimed to incorporate elements of mariachi music into the composition. Mariachi, with its vibrant rhythms, spirited melodies, and distinctive instrumentation, provided a perfect source of inspiration. The movement features dynamic exchanges between the two cellos, reminiscent of the interplay between the violins, trumpets, and guitars in a traditional mariachi ensemble. The melodies are infused with the characteristic flair and passion of Mexican folk music, creating a vivid musical landscape. With this movement, I decided to conclude the work, which now bears the name “Danzas Latinoamericanas.” This title reflects the diverse influences and rich cultural heritage that shaped each movement, celebrating the vibrant musical traditions of Latin America.

 

PERFORMANCES

 

Carlos Prieto received the work with great enthusiasm. One of the most memorable performances was when Maestro Prieto played “Otoño en Buenos Aires” in a duet with Maestro Yo-Yo Ma at Sala Netzahualcóyotl in Mexico City.  A recording of “Otoño en Buenos Aires” by Maestro Yo-Yo Ma and Maximilian Hornung in 2016, as well as several performances of “Danzas Latinoamericanas” by British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, with Guy Johnston and Ashok Kouda, in several of their concerts in 2018 and 2020 also significantly contributed to the work’s popularity.

 

To date, “Latin American Dances” has been performed in over 1,500 concerts across more than 75 countries. In addition to maestros Carlos Prieto, Yo-Yo Ma, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and Guy Johnston, this work has been performed by distinguished artists such as Álvaro Bitrán, James Buswell, Andrei Ioniță (winner of the 2015 Tchaikovsky Competition), Yibai Chen (2nd prize, 2022 Queen Elizabeth Competition), Hrachya Avanesyan (winner of the 2006 Yehudi Menuhin and the 2008 Carl Nielsen competitions), Han Bin Yoon, Olsi Leka, Joe Wan, James Baik, Eugene Lin, Joseph Zeitlin, Nan-Cheng Chen, Sophie Shao, Maximilian Hornung, Eunghee Cho, Alexandra Soumm, Sébastien Hurtaud, Marc Sabbah, Aurélien Pétillot, among others. It has also been performed by more than 250 orchestras, including the China Philharmonic, the Cuenca Symphony in Ecuador, the Moravian Philharmonic, the Malaysian Philharmonic, the Houston Symphony, and the Macau Orchestra.

 

Other recent memorable performances include a concert that took place on December, 2023, when the orchestral version, conducted by Maestro Jorge Soto, was performed at the Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall in New York, and a concert on February 2024, when the string quartet version was performed at the Berlin Philharmonic Theater.