Sones de Mariachi

Blas Galindo
Piece Duration: 9:35

About this Piece

Program Note: "Blas Galindo composed Sones Mariachi in 1941 for an exhibition 20 Centuries of Mexican Art at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It is a medley of traditional Mexican music, including some newly-invented tunes, but it is the orchestration that stands out: section solos, call-and-response dialogue between small ensembles, and lively solos. The piece is held together by a pervading rhythmic pulse." - Austin Symphony Orchestra

Notable Passages

Time Stamp: 0:00 — 0:28
Description:

The high strings start us off in duple meter, but wait! The low strings come in with quarter-note triplets, making the music feel like it’s in triple meter!

These two rhythmic ideas create a polyrhythm when combined!


Keywords: Meter - Misc. , Triplet

Time Stamp: 0:37 — 0:54
Description:

Listen for the violin melody that is echoed in the trumpets!


Keywords: Call and Response , Timbre - Composition Technique , Timbre - Instruments

Time Stamp: 0:54 — 1:16
Description:

The violins play eighth-note duplets, while the rest of the ensemble plays eighth-note triplets! The woodwinds echo the violins using triplets only, and the violins answer them afterward.


Keywords: Call and Response , Duplet , Timbre - Composition Technique , Timbre - Instruments , Triplet

Time Stamp: 2:01 — 2:26
Description:

Listen for the "eighth note, quarter note" rhythmic pattern!


Keywords: Rhythmic Pattern

Time Stamp: 3:54 — 5:17
Description:

An oboe solo begins a slower middle section. The flute joins later with similar material!


Keywords: Call and Response , Solo and Ensemble

Time Stamp: 7:40 — 7:59
Description:

The solo trumpet plays duplets, while the strings accompany with triplets

Eighth-note syncopations are also heard in the bassoon and lower strings.


Keywords: Duplet , Syncopation , Triplet

Time Stamp: 8:33 — 9:35
Description:

The music barrels forward to the finish, full of different rhythmic durations!


Keywords: Rhythmic Duration

Time Stamp: 9:18 — 9:35
Description:

The music ends with a caesura (or pause), and then two fermatas: one before the final chord, and another on the final chord!


Keywords: Fermata

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