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Latin American Choral Music

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What do you know about music from Latin America?

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  1. Mariachi
  2. La cucaracha
  3. Shakira

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… more recently, “Coco”

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  • Alberto Ginastera (O vos omnes)
  • Ariel Ramírez (Misa Criolla)
  • Heitor Villa-lobos (As costureiras)
  • Alberto Grau (kasar mie la gaji)

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… “De colores”

… “Mata del anima sola”

… “Tres cantos nativos”

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  • Guitars and percussion
  • Rhythmic dance music
  • Bright and festive

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… “Spicy”

… “Fiesta”

… “Passionate Latin lover”

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Colonial Period

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Cathedrals and Convents in Guatemala and Cuba

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Mexican Cathedrals (Puebla, Oaxaca, Mexico City)

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Colombian and Peruvian Cathedrals

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Chiquitos Missions

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California Missions

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Imperial Palace in Rio de Janeiro

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Some Colonial Period Composers:

All public domain, numerous free scores on CPDL and IMSLP:

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  • Manuel de Sumaya
  • Esteban Salas
  • Hernando don Franco
  • Francisco López Capillas
  • Tomás de Torrejón y Velasco
  • Juan de Araujo
  • Manuel de Ubeda
  • Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
  • Jose Mauricio Nunes Garcia

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Two Early 20th-Century Mexican Choral Composers

(That You Probably Don’t Know About)

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Miguel Bernal Jiménez

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Miguel Bernal Jiménez

  • Much of his music is public domain or freely available through sacred music publishers and in hymnals
  • Most important and prolific Mexican composer for organ and of sacred music of the early 20th century
  • Wrote extensively for children’s choirs of all levels
  • Wrote large liturgical works in a variety of configurations: a cappella, with orchestra, and with organ
  • Many of his Christmas carols and service music are mainstays of Mexican church choirs
  • Some of his music is in a panmodal, impressionist language and some in a very tonal, romantic language

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Tres antífonas para México

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Por el valle de las rosas

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Recommended choral works:

  • Ave gratia plena (SATB)
  • Por el valle de las rosas (SSA, solo, and organ/orchestra)
  • Aleluya (SSA and organ)
  • Misa aeternae trinitatis (SATB and organ)
  • Misa Guadalupana Juandieguito (SATB, congregation, and organ)
  • Antífonas para México (SSA and piano)
  • Te deum (SATB and organ)

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Blas Galindo

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Blas Galindo

  • Mexican nationalist style, used elements of indigenous and folk music in his works
  • Wrote several large cantatas on secular and patriotic subjects for choir, orchestra, and soloists
  • Wrote several part songs for unaccompanied mixed chorus
  • Wrote many arrangements of Mexican folk songs and rounds of varying difficulty for elementary school choirs
  • His art songs are often performed in Mexico with treble ensembles (unison with piano accompaniment)

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Three Established, Living, Latin American Composers

Not Known for Their Choral Music

Whose Choral Music You Should Definitely Check Out

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Leo Brouwer (Cuba)

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Arturo Márquez (Mexico)

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Osvaldo Golijov (Argentina)

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“La barca de oro”

a Ranchera song by Abundio Martínez

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(SATB arrangement by Ramón Noble)