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Silvestre Revueltas (1899-1940)

Silvestre Revueltas, the "great free spirit of Mexican music," was born on the very eve of the 20th century, on December 31, 1899. His work as a composer came relatively late in his life, beginning when he took on the duties of associate conductor of the Mexico Symphony Orchestra (1931–34). Before that he played violin in a theater orchestra in San Antonio, Texas, and conducted an orchestra in Mobile, Alabama. He also studied in the United States (in Chicago, IL and Austin, TX), building on his early training in Durango and Mexico City. In the last years of his life, which ended early due to complications of alcoholism, he taught at the conservatory in Mexico City. The music of Revueltas is striking in its use of distinctive tone colors and complex rhythmic structures, often showing the influence of European composers such as Igor Stravinsky. More importantly, however, Revueltas strove to create a music that reflected the indigenous Mexican culture. To do this, he often used elements of the folk songs and dances of the mestizo culture (a blend of European and native traditions that we recognize in styles such as mariachi music). Revueltas also took elements of the so-called Aztec Renaissance, which tried to evoke pre-Columbian musical and cultural practice. All of this creates a musical style of great variety, one infused with Revueltas's distinctive wit.

Silvestre Revueltas' music -- most of it written during the last decade of his short life -- bursts with energy, instrumental color, and mocking humor. Revueltas was hard-living and self-destructive; although he officially succumbed to pneumonia at age 40, the long-term truth is that he drank himself to death. What survives is a decade's worth of arresting, concentrated works of differing character that shares a single, forceful voice.

COMPOSITIONS                                                            Revueltas Links     ~ ~ ~     Works by Genre
Adagio, piano (1918) [chamber music ???]
Tragedia en forma de Rábano (No es Plagio) (Tradgedy in the Shape of a Radish - No Plagiarism) , piano (1924)
El Afilador, violin and piano (1924) [arr. for wind septet, 1929] ["The Sharpener"]
Tierra p’a las macetas, violin and piano (1924)
A manera de preludio, violin and piano (1924)
Elegía, voice and piano (1926)
Batik, flute, 2 clarinets and string quartet (1926)
Pieza para Orquesta (Piece for Orchestra) (1929)
Pieza para Doce Instrumentos (Piece for 12 Instruments) (1929)
Cuatro Pequeños Trozos (Four Little Pieces for String Trio), 2 violins and cello (1929)
String Quartet No. 1 (1930)
Canción (Song), piano (1939)
Dúo para pato y canario (Duet for duck and canary), soprano and instrumental ensemble (1931; soprano and piano, 1931)
String Quartet No. 2, "Magueyes" (1931)
String Quartet No. 3 (1931)
Ventanas (Windows), orchestra (1931)
Esquinas (Street Corners), musical pieces for orchestra (1931; rev. 1933)
Madrigal, violin and cello (1931)
Ranas (Frogs), voice and piano (1931; soprano and instrumental ensemble, 1932)
Cuauhnáhuac, string orchestra (1931; full orch., 1931/1932) [old name for resort town of Cuernavaca in an Indian language]
Colorines (Colored Beads), chamber orchestra (1932)
El Tecolote (The Owl), soprano and piano (1931; soprano and instrumental ensemble, 1932)
Tres Piezas para Violín y Piano (Three Pieces for Violin and Piano) (1932)
String Quartet No. 4, "Música de Feria" ("Fair Music") (1932)
Alcancías (Piggy Banks), chamber orchestra (1932)
Parian (Marketplace), high voice, chorus and chamber orchestra (1932)
Toccata (sin Fuga) (without a Fugue), solo violin, pic, 3 cl, hn, tpt and timp (1933)
Troka, dance pantomime for children, orchestra (1933) [music for a puppet show]
Ocho por Radio (Ocho X Radio) (8 on the Radio), cl, bsn, tpt, perc, 2 vln, vc and db (1933)
Janitzio, orchestra (1933; rev. 1936)
El Renacuajo Paseador (The Wandering Tadpole), children's pantomime, chamber orchestra (1933/35; 2nd ver., 1936)
Caminos (Paths/Roads), orchestra (1934)
Danza Geométrica (Geometric Dance), orchestra (1934) [orchestral version of "Planos", 1934]
Planos (Layers), cl, bs cl, bsn, trom, pf, 2 vln, vc and db (1934)
Redes (Fishermen's Nets/The Wave), film score (1934-35)
Mexican Dance, symphonic band (based on music from film score Redes, 1935)
¡Vámonos con Pancho Villa! (Let's Go with Pancho Villa!), film score (1935)
Homenaje a Federico García Lorca (Homage to Lorca), instrumental ensemble (1936)
Caminos, film score (1936) [from the orchestral work, 1934)
Amiga que te vas, mezzo-soprano and piano (1936) [Friends that you go]
Caminando (Walking), baritone and piano (1937; for 2 voices and instrumental ensemble, 1937)
Sensemayá, chant for the killing of a snake, instrumental ensemble (1937; orchestral version, 1938)
No sé Por Qué Piensas Tú (Why Do You Believe?), baritone (low voice) and instrumental ensemble (1937)
Dos Pequeñas Piezas Serias (Two Little Serious Pieces), pic, ob, tpt, cl and bar sax (1938)
Escenas Infantiles (Childhood Scenes), chamber orchestra (1938)
La bestia negra (The Black Beast), film score (1938)
El Indio (The Indian), film score (1938)
Ferrocarriles de Baja California (Railroads of Baja California), film score (1938; selections reworked as "Música para charlar")
Canto de una muchacha negra (Song of a Black Girl), mezzo-soprano and piano (1938)
Canciones (Songs) de García Lorca (7 songs), voice and piano (1938)
Itinerarios (Travel Diary), orchestra (1938)
Cinco Canciones de niños y dos canciones profanas (5 Children's & 2 Profane Songs, mezzo-sop and pf/instr. ens (1938-39)
Música para charlar (Chit-chat Music), chamber orchestra (1938) [from film score "Ferrocarriles de Baja California"]
Paisajes (Landscapes), chamber orchestra (1938) [from "Música para Charlar"; orchestral suite arr. by E. Kleiber ]
Tres Sonetos (Hora de Junio) (Three Sonnets - June Hour), speaker, 2 cl, bs cl, bsn, hn, 2 tpt, tba, tam-tam, pf (1938)
(Bajo) el signo de la muerte ([Under] the Sign of Death), film score (1939)
La Noche de los mayas (Night of the Mayas), film score (1939)
La Noche de Los Mayas (Night of the Mayas), orch/chbr orch (1939) [2 Suites: arr. by Hindemith, 1939; arr. by Limantour, 1959]
Allegro (ostinato), piano (1939) [a passage used also in Cuauhnáhuac]
La coronela (The Lady Colonel), ballet (1940 - unfinished; orchestrated by Moncayo and arr. by Limantour)
Éste era un rey (This was a King), chamber orchestra (ca. 1940)
¡Que viene mi marido! (That Is My Husband), film score (1940)
Los de abajo, film score (1940)
Mala yerba, film score (1940) [Bad Grass?]


WORKS BY GENRE                                                            Revueltas Links     ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
El Renacuajo Paseador (The Wandering Tadpole), children's pantomime, chamber orchestra (1933/35)
El Renacuajo Paseador (The Wandering Tadpole), ballet pantomime for marionettes, instrumental ensemble (2nd version, 1936)
La coronela (The Lady Colonel), ballet (1940 - unfinished; orchestrated by Moncayo and arr. by Limantour)

Orchestra
Pieza para Orquesta (Piece for Orchestra) (1929)
Ventanas (Windows), orchestra (1931)
Esquinas (Street Corners), musical pieces for orchestra (1931; rev. 1933)
Cuauhnáhuac, string orchestra (1931; full orch., 1931/1932) [old name for resort town of Cuernavaca in an Indian language]
Colorines (Colored Beads), chamber orchestra (1932)
Alcancías (Piggy Banks), chamber orchestra (1932)
Troka, dance pantomime for children, orchestra (1933) [music for a puppet show]
Janitzio, orchestra (1933; rev. 1936)
Caminos (Paths/Roads), orchestra (1934)
Danza Geométrica (Geometric Dance), orchestra (1934) [orchestral version of "Planos", 1934]
Redes, orchestral suite from film score (1934/1935; orch. suite arr. Erich Kleiber, 1935)
Sensemayá, chant for the killing of a snake, instrumental ensemble (1937; orchestral version, 1938)
Escenas Infantiles (Childhood Scenes), chamber orchestra (1938)
Itinerarios (Travel Diary), orchestra (1938)
Música para charlar (Chit-chat Music), chamber orchestra (1938) [from film score "Ferrocarriles de Baja California"]
Paisajes (Landscapes), chamber orchestra (1938) [from "Música para Charlar"; orchestral suite arr. by E. Kleiber ]
La Noche de Los Mayas (Night of the Mayas), orch/chbr orch (1939) [2 Suites: arr. by Hindemith, 1939; arr. by Limantour, 1959]
    Suite, chamber orchestra (2 mvts) (arr. by Hindemith, 1939)
        - Lento; Andantino; Allegretto; Andante
        - Lento; Moderato; Lento; Allegro
    Suite, orchestra (4 mvts) (arr. by Limantour, 1959)
        - Noche de los Mayas (Night of the Maya)
        - Noche de jaranas (Night of Revelry)
        - Noche de Yucatán (Yucatan Night)
        - Noche de encantamiento (Night of Enchantment); Tema y variaciones
Éste era un rey (This was a King), chamber orchestra (ca. 1940)

Band
Mexican Dance, symphonic band (based on music from film score Redes, 1935)

Chamber
Batik, flute, 2 clarinets and string quartet (1926)
Pieza para Doce Instrumentos (Piece for 12 Instruments) (1929)
Cuatro Pequeños Trozos (Four Little Pieces for String Trio), 2 violins and cello (1929)
String Quartet No. 1 (1930)
String Quartet No. 2, "Magueyes" (1931)
String Quartet No. 3 (1931)
Madrigal, violin and cello (1931)
String Quartet No. 4, "Música de Feria" ("Fair Music") (1932)
Toccata (sin Fuga) (without a Fugue), solo violin, pic, 3 cl, hn, tpt and timp (1933)
Ocho por Radio (Ocho X Radio) (8 on the Radio), cl, bsn, tpt, perc, 2 vln, vc and db (1933)
Planos (Layers), cl, bs cl, bsn, trom, pf, 2 vln, vc and db (1934)
Homenaje a Federico García Lorca (Homage to Lorca), instrumental ensemble (1936)
Dos Pequeñas Piezas Serias (Two Little Serious Pieces), pic, ob, tpt, cl and bar sax (1938)
Tres Sonetos (Hora de Junio) (Three Sonnets - June Hour), speaker, 2 cl, bs cl, bsn, hn, 2 tpt, tba, tam-tam, pf (1938)

Solo Instrument
El Afilador, violin and piano (1924) [arr. for wind septet, 1929] ["The Sharpener"]
Tierra p’a las macetas, violin and piano (1924)
A manera de preludio, violin and piano (1924)
Tres Piezas para Violín y Piano (Three Pieces for Violin and Piano) (1932)

Piano
Adagio, piano (1918)
Tragedia en forma de Rábano (No es Plagio) (Tradgedy in the Shape of a Radish - No Plagiarism) , piano (1924)
Canción (Song), piano (1939)
Allegro (ostinato), piano (1939) [a passage used also in Cuauhnáhuac]

Vocal
Elegía, voice and piano (1926)
Dúo para pato y canario (Duet for duck and canary), soprano and instrumental ensemble (1931; soprano and piano, 1931)
Ranas (Frogs), voice and piano (1931; soprano and instrumental ensemble, 1932)
El Tecolote (The Owl), soprano and piano (1931; soprano and instrumental ensemble, 1932)
Parian (Marketplace), high voice, chorus and chamber orchestra (1932)
Amiga que te vas, mezzo-soprano and piano (1936) [Friends that you go]
Caminando (Walking), baritone and piano (1937; for 2 voices and instrumental ensemble, 1937)
No sé Por Qué Piensas Tú (Why Do You Believe?), baritone (low voice) and instrumental ensemble (1937)
Canto de una muchacha negra (Song of a Black Girl), mezzo-soprano and piano (1938)
Canciones (Songs) de García Lorca (7 songs), voice and piano (1938)
Cinco Canciones de niños y dos canciones profanas (5 Children's & 2 Profane Songs, mezzo-sop and pf/instr. ens (1938-39)

Incidental/Film
Redes (Fishermen's Nets/The Wave), film score (1934-35)
¡Vámonos con Pancho Villa! (Let's Go with Pancho Villa!), film score (1935)
Caminos, film score (1936) [from the orchestral work, 1934)
La bestia negra (The Black Beast), film score (1938)
El Indio (The Indian), film score (1938)
Ferrocarriles de Baja California (Railroads of Baja California), film score (1938; selections reworked as "Música para charlar")
(Bajo) el signo de la muerte ([Under] the Sign of Death), film score (1939)
La Noche de los mayas (Night of the Mayas), film score (1939)
¡Que viene mi marido! (That Is My Husband), film score (1940)
Los de abajo, film score (1940)
Mala yerba, film score (1940)


REVUELTAS  LINKS                                                            Works by Genre      ~ top of page ~
Carlos Chavez and Silvestre Revueltas, the Legend of a Race (Roberto García Bonilla, Artistas y artesanos)
Local Hero (Andrew Clements, guardian.co.uk)
Mariachi Memories Of a 30's Tone Poet (Paul Griffiths, The New York Times)
Meditations on Death and Life: in darkness, there is light (wso.williams.edu)
Mexico's Composing Geniuses (Stephen Brookes, The Washington Post)
Music in the Movies (Alfredo Sanchez Gutierrez, The Thinking Eye)
Performance Issues Related to ... Chavez and Revueltas (Calvin D. Hofer)
Revealing a Lot About Revueltas (Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times)
Revueltas Centennial (R.D., classiccdreview.com)
The Rhetorical Use of the Trumpet in the Works of Silvestre Revueltas (Dr. Richard Fanning, Indiana University)
Silvestre Revueltas: Tale of an Unforgivable Oblivion (Roberto Kolb Neuhaus, peermusic)

Works [under construction]
El Renacuajo Paseador (The Wandering Tadpole)    @    Answers.com   and    music unam
La coronela (The Lady Colonel)    @    MusicWeb International
Cuauhnáhuac    @    Answers.com
Troka    @    arts-history.mx    and    Dilettante Music    and    University of New Mexico
Escenas Infantiles (Childhood Scenes)    @    Dilettante Music
La Noche de Los Mayas (Night of the Mayas)    @    The Kennedy Center

Composer website

Revueltas @ Wikipedia
Revueltas @ Wikipedia Spanish (translated by google)
Revueltas @ About the Composer
Revueltas @ Answers.com
Revueltas @ Azteca21
Revueltas @ Ciaran’s Music Page
Revueltas @ Classical Archives
Revueltas @ Classical Composers Database
Revueltas @ Classical Net
Revueltas @ composition:today
Revueltas @ Dayton Philharmonic
Revueltas @ Efemerides
Revuelats @ Foro Virtual Silvestre Revueltas (Silvestre Revueltas Virtual Forum) (translated by google)
Revueltas @ Gisèle Ben-Dor
Revueltas @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Revueltas @ Los Angeles Philharmonic
Revueltas @ Music is the Key
Revueltas @ MusicWeb International
Revueltas @ MySpaceMusic
Revueltas @ NationMaster
Revueltas @ Naxos
Revueltas @ The New York Times
Revueltas @ W.W. Norton
Revueltas @ Peer Music
Revueltas @ REC Music Foundation /The Lied and Art Song Texts Page
Revueltas @ Santa Barbara Symphony
Revueltas @ G. Schirmer
Revueltas @ SePiensa.org.mx (via Wikipedia Spanish, translated by google)
Revueltas @ Sony/BMG
Revueltas @ United States Marine Band

Streaming Audio
Revueltas @ Classical Music Archives
Revueltas @ Eduardo Marturet
Revueltas @ The Fishko Files/WNYC
Revueltas @ Internet Archive
Revueltas @ last.fm
Revueltas @ W.W. Norton
Revueltas @ Rhapsody

Recordings
Revueltas @ ArkivMusic
Revueltas @ ClassicsOnline

Revueltas @ YouTube