Ventanas (Revueltas)
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''Ventanas'' (Windows) is an orchestral work by the Mexican composer
Silvestre Revueltas Silvestre Revueltas Sánchez (December 31, 1899 – October 5, 1940) was a Mexican classical music composer, a violinist, and conductor. Life Revueltas was born in Santiago Papasquiaro in Durango, and studied at the National Conservatory of Mu ...
, written in 1931. A performance of it lasts about 11 minutes.


History

''Ventanas'' was Revueltas's third orchestral work, composed immediately after the first versions of '' Cuauhnáhuac'' and ''
Esquinas ''Esquinas'' (Corners) is an orchestral composition by the Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas, written in 1931 and extensively revised in 1933. The first version is in two movements with a duration of about 11 minutes in performance; the seco ...
'', and concurrently with the second, large-orchestral version of ''Cuauhnáhuac'' and the ''Duo para Pato y Canario''. It was completed in December 1931 and premiered on 4 November 1932 by the under the composer's direction. Although not so indicated in the published score, Revueltas dedicated ''Ventanas'' to Ángela Acevedo, whom he married in the year of its premiere.


Instrumentation

''Ventanas'' is scored for an orchestra of piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, E clarinet, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, and strings.


Programmatic content

In one programme note, Revueltas gave a rather conventional programmatic description: "''Ventanas'' is sharply romantic music. Who does not remember a window by the light of the moon, or without it?" In another, better-known one, however, he demurred:


Analysis

Like ''
Planos Planos (), also known as Tsilivi (), is a village and a tourist resort on the island of Zakynthos, Greece. It is part of the municipal unit Arkadioi. It is situated on the northeastern coast of the island, about four kilometres northwest of the c ...
'', ''Ventanas'' is exceptional among Revueltas's single-
movement Movement may refer to: Generic uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Movement (sign language), a hand movement when signing * Motion, commonly referred to as movement * Movement (music), a division of a larger co ...
works in that it does not fall into a three-part structural pattern but rather is formally free and
through-composed In the theory of musical form, through-composed music is a continuous, non- sectional, and non- repetitive piece of music. The term is typically used to describe songs, but can also apply to instrumental music. While most musical forms such as te ...
. ''Ventanas'', characteristic of Revueltas's style, employs
pedal tones Pedal tones (or pedals) are special low notes in the harmonic series (music), harmonic series of brass instruments. A pedal tone has the pitch of its harmonic series' fundamental tone. Its name comes from the foot pedal keyboard pedals of a pip ...
and
ostinato In music, an ostinato (; derived from the Italian word for ''stubborn'', compare English ''obstinate'') is a motif or phrase that persistently repeats in the same musical voice, frequently in the same pitch. Well-known ostinato-based pieces inc ...
s as bases for musical constructions which usually are accumulations of rhythms and instrumental textures. Broadly melodic sections contrast with others in which small motives are developed rhythmically. These fragmentary motives recall folk music, often as melodies in parallel thirds. The harmonic texture is mostly open rather than dense, despite chromatic melodic movement, and there are frequent hints of
bitonality Polytonality (also polyharmony) is the musical use of more than one key (music), key simultaneity (music), simultaneously. Bitonality is the use of only two different keys at the same time. Polyvalence or polyvalency is the use of more than one di ...
. Fifths and octaves anchor the strongly etched melodic contours and active harmonic rhythms. In the scoring, Revueltas displays a fondness for the low brass, especially the tuba, which also has a prominent role in many of Revueltas's other works, such as ''
Sensemayá ''Sensemayá'' is a composition for orchestra by the Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas, which is based on the poem of the same title by the Cuban poet Nicolás Guillén. It is one of Revueltas's most famous compositions. Poem Guillén's poem ...
'', ''
Homenaje a Federico García Lorca ' (Homage to Federico García Lorca) is a work for chamber orchestra by the Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas. History On 19 August 1936, the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca was murdered by fascist militia forces. Outraged, along wit ...
'', ''El renacuajo paseador'', ''Troka'', and '' Alcancías''. Rhythmic complexity is also a feature, with constantly changing rhythms and meters. The music "never stands still (except when the composer intends so, always to maximum effect; these episodes are felt both as moments of melodic statement and rhythmic repose)."


Reception

As an instance of Revueltas's harsher, more abstract, and modernist style ''Ventanas'', as also ''Esquinas'' were poorly received by audiences, in contrast to his more lyrical and tonal examples, such as '' Colorines'' and ''
Janitzio Isla de Janitzio () is the largest of five islands in Lake Pátzcuaro in the state of Michoacán, Mexico. The town of Janitzio, which means "maize flower" in Purépecha, is located atop a hill on the island. Janitzio can only be reached by boats ...
'', were warmly praised. On 8 September 1944,
Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, critic, writer, teacher, pianist, and conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as the "Dean of American Compos ...
wrote, in a letter to Arthur Berger from
Tepoztlán Tepoztlán () is a town in the central Mexican state of Morelos. It is located at in the heart of the Tepoztlán Valley. The town serves as the seat of government for the municipality of the same name. The town had a population of 14,130 inhabit ...
, Mexico: A 1999 review of
Esa-Pekka Salonen Esa-Pekka Salonen (; born 30 June 1958) is a Finnish conducting, conductor and composer. He is the music director of the San Francisco Symphony and conductor laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra in London and the Sw ...
's recording rates ''Ventanas'' somewhat higher, as a "minor masterpiece", in fact, describing it as cinematic and rhapsodic with primitive, ritualistic episodes recalling ''Sensemayá'', but also with "delightful interludes in the Mexican folk style, a blues-tinged oboe theme, impassioned violins, and a drunken, orgiastic coda that builds to an appropriately festive climax". The work has been interpreted as an example of Revueltas's representation of Mexican society, in which different cultural, ethnic, and social-class differences do not coexist peacefully, much less are brought into a harmonious or even dialectical synthesis. Although the music "sometimes clearly celebrates the plurality and vitality of Mexican society, the audible violence of the music, more openly in some pieces than in others, acknowledges clear conflicts among cultures and between premodern and modern social structures with their associated class configurations".


Recordings

*Silvestre Revueltas: ''Ventanas''; Lothar Klein: ''Musique à Go-Go''.
Louisville Orchestra The Louisville Orchestra is the primary orchestra in Louisville, Kentucky. It was founded in 1937 by Robert Whitney (1904–1986). The Louisville Orchestra employs salaried musicians, and offers a wide variety of concert series to the communit ...
, Robert Whitney, cond. LP recording, 1 disc: 33⅓ rpm, 12 in. , stereo. Louisville First Edition Records LS-672. Louisville, KY: Louisville Orchestra Association, 1967. * Silvestre Revueltas: ''La noche de los mayas''; ''Caminos''; ''Música para charlar''; ''Ventanas''.
Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México The Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra () is an orchestra of international rank founded and underwritten by the government of Mexico. The home venue is the Silvestre Revueltas Hall at the in Tlalpan, Mexico City, which opened in 1979. History ...
,
Enrique Bátiz Enrique Bátiz Campbell (4 May 1942 – 30 March 2025) was a Mexican conductor and concert pianist. Trained as a pianist in Dallas, New York City and Warsaw, he focused on conducting from 1969. He co-founded the Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado d ...
, cond. DDF LME-250. 1985. * Silvestre Revueltas: ''Sensemayá''; ''Ocho por radio''; ''La noche de los mayas''; ''Homenaje a Federico García Lorca''; ''Ventanas''; ''Dos pequeñas piezas serias''.
Los Angeles Philharmonic The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California. The orchestra holds a regular concert season from October until June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from ...
New Music Group,
Esa-Pekka Salonen Esa-Pekka Salonen (; born 30 June 1958) is a Finnish conducting, conductor and composer. He is the music director of the San Francisco Symphony and conductor laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra in London and the Sw ...
, cond. CD recording, 1 disc: digital, 4¾ in., stereo. Sony Classical SK 60676. ew York Sony Classical, 1999. * ''Revueltas 2''. Silvestre Revueltas: ''La noche de los mayas''; ''Itinerarios''; ''Ventanas''; ''Caminos''. Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa,
Carlos Miguel Prieto Carlos Miguel Prieto (born 14 November 1965) is a Mexican conductor. He is music director of the North Carolina Symphony, the Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria, and The Orchestra of the Americas in Washington, D.C.. Early life and education Prieto ...
, cond. Recorded 30 November 2006. CD recording, 1 disc: digital, 4¾ in., stereo. Urtext Digital Classics JBCC 150. México, D. F.: Urtext, 2007. * ''Ventanas''.
Michael Kamen Michael Arnold Kamen (April 15, 1948 – November 18, 2003) was an American composer (especially of film scores), orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, songwriter, record producer and musician. Early life Michael Arnold Kamen was born in ...
: Saxophone Concerto (arr. wind band by Zane Douglass);
Malcolm Arnold Sir Malcolm Henry Arnold (21 October 1921 – 23 September 2006) was an English composer. His works feature music in many genres, including a cycle of nine symphonies, numerous concertos, concert works, chamber music, choral music and music f ...
: ''Water Music'', Op. 82; Silvestre Revueltas: ''Ventanas'' (arr. wind band by Zane Douglass);
Bruce Broughton Bruce Harold Broughton (born March 8, 1945) is an American orchestral composer of television, film, and video game scores and concert works. He has composed several highly acclaimed soundtracks over his extensive career and has contributed many ...
: ''Celebration''; Anthony Labounty: ''Salmo della rinascita''. The UNLV Wind Orchestra, Thomas G. Leslie, cond. Recorded at Artemus Ham Concert Hall (except Arnold, recorded at Dr. Arturo Rando-Grillot Hall), April 2009 (Kamen) and March 2013. CD recording, 1 audio disc: digital, 4¾ in., stereo. Klavier Records KCD-11199. Klavier Records, 2014.


References

Sources * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* Giro, Radamés. 1983.
Imágen de Silvestre Revueltas
'. México, D. F.: Presencia Latinoamericana. * Revueltas, Silvestre. 1970. ''Ventanas'', for large orchestra (score). New York: Southern Music; Hamburg: Peer Musikverlag. * Revueltas, Silvestre. 1989.
Silvestre Revueltas, por él mismo: apuntes autobiográficos, diarios, correspondencia y otros escritos de un gran músico
', edited by Rosaura Revueltas. Mexico, D.F.: Ediciones Era. . * Stevenson, Robert. 2001. "Revueltas, Silvestre". ''
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language '' Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and t ...
'', second edition, edited by
Stanley Sadie Stanley John Sadie (; 30 October 1930 – 21 March 2005) was a British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' (1980), which was published as the first edition ...
and John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan.


External links

*,
Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México The Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra () is an orchestra of international rank founded and underwritten by the government of Mexico. The home venue is the Silvestre Revueltas Hall at the in Tlalpan, Mexico City, which opened in 1979. History ...
,
Enrique Bátiz Enrique Bátiz Campbell (4 May 1942 – 30 March 2025) was a Mexican conductor and concert pianist. Trained as a pianist in Dallas, New York City and Warsaw, he focused on conducting from 1969. He co-founded the Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado d ...
{{Authority control Compositions by Silvestre Revueltas 1931 compositions Compositions for symphony orchestra Music dedicated to family or friends Symphonic poems