La Noche de los Mayas (The Night of the Mayas) III. Noche de Yucatán
Silvestre RevueltasPiece Duration: 5:58
About this Piece
(Movement III. is 11:18-17:20)
Program Note: "Revueltas scored or contributed music to eight more films before he died in October 1940. One of the last of these was La noche de los mayas, adapted by the director Chano Urueta from a story by Antonio Mediz Bolio, who was born in the state of Yucatán and became an important advocate for Mayan culture.
In 1960 the composer and conductor José Yves Limantour arranged music from the 36 cues of Revueltas’ score into a four-movement suite. This suite has the shape of a symphony. [The third movement is a] nocturne, with a central interlude for flute and light Indian percussion based on a traditional Yucatan evening song." - John Henken
Recommended Performance Video: Due to copyright issues, another performance of this piece, featuring Alondra de la Parra conducting the Orchestre de Paris, can only be viewed on YouTube. Click here to view it! (Movement III. is 12:45-19:25. Timestamps for this video are linked in the notable passage text, below)
Table of Contents:
I. La noche de los mayas
II. Noche de jaranas
III. Noche de Yucatán
IV. Noche de encantamiento
Notable Passages
Description:
A chromatic passage is heard in the strings. Listen for the half-step motion in this section!
(Recommended Performance Video 13:27-14:26)
Keywords: Chromatic
Description:
Parallel Motion is heard in the two clarinet parts!
(Recommended Performance Video 14:45-15:07)
Keywords: Parallel Motion
Description:
At Rehearsal 6, Parallel Motion is heard once again, this time in the Violin I and Violin II's!
(Recommended Performance Video 15:49-17:10)
Keywords: Parallel Motion
Description:
Look out! At the end of this movement, there is a startling attacca transition into the fourth movement 17:20! This means that Movement IV. begins right away, with no pause in-between!
The video shows the last three measures, without a traditional double bar line (like the one seen at 11:18). Instead, the score shows two thin bar lines and a courtesy time signature, so the conductor can prepare the next entrance!
(Recommended Performance Video 19:14-19:32)
Keywords: Attacca , Contrast