A Guide to the Latin American Art Song Repertoire: An Annotated Catalog of Twentieth-Century Art Songs for Voice and Piano

20 Puerto Rico

198 20 Puerto Rico With an ethnographic history similar to that of Cuba and the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico has a diverse cultural composition.1 Formerly a colony of Spain, it is now a commonwealth of the United States, although it maintains its own strong national identity and Spanish remains the primary language. It is important to note that there is a passionate nationalistic movement for independence in Puerto Rico regarding its status with the United States.2 The nationalistic quality of Puerto Rican music comes from the use of folk and traditional music, often through the use of native instruments such as the cuatro and tiple and forms such as the décima and the seis.3 Spanish and Afro-Cuban influences are also evident.4 There is a very high quality of music education on the island, and composers are of the highest caliber. Several universities, a national conservatory, a national orchestra, and many other professional ensembles help to ensure the high quality of music performance and music education. Héctor Campos Parsi (1922–1998) is probably the best known Puerto Rican composer of nationalistic music, although he later turned to neoclassicism, atonality, and serialism.5 Narciso Figueroa (1906– 2004), of the famous Figueroa family of musicians, wrote several beautiful songs that are both contemporary in feel yet traditional in style. Luis Manuel Alvarez (1939–) and Ernesto Cordero (1946–), both composers and guitarists who have taught at the University of Puerto Rico, also wrote songs that are both lyrical and interesting. Rafael Aponte Led ée (1938–) is a particularly prolific composer writing in a more modern puerto rico 199 style. Also worthy of mention are Raymond Torres-Santos (1958–), Jack Delano (1914–1998), and Amaury Veray (1922–1995). In 1986, the National Association of Puerto Rican Composers published a song anthology, readily available through interlibrary loan in the United States. It features a diverse and comprehensive body of literature , and includes songs for both voice and piano and voice and guitar . In his prologue, composer and guitarist Leonardo Egúrbida points out that the inclusion of songs accompanied by guitar is important both to the composers who wrote them as well as to the society for which they were written.6 Alvarez, Luis Manuel, 1939– 20.1, Canción tonta, 1962, García Lorca, E4–E5, Med, —, ANCPR, La canción de arte, + 20.2, Media luna, —, García Lorca, C4–C#5, Med, —, ANCPR, La canción de arte, + Aponte Ledée, Rafael, 1938– 20.3, Calla niño, calla, 1961, Traditional poetry , D#4–B4, Low, A Enrique Massó, TR, The Latin American Art Song, + 20.4, Cuando voy a la aldea, 1963, Traditional poetry, G4–G5, Med-high, A Alfredo Romero, TR, The Latin American Art Song, + 20.5, Éstas lágrimas tan bellas, 1963, —, Eb4–G5, Med, —, ANCPR, La canción de arte, + 20.6, Zarzamora con el tronco gris, 1963, Federico García Lorca, Bb3–Gb5, Med, —, TR, The Latin American Art Song, + Cabrer, Carlos R., 1950– 20.7, Canción, 1985, Jesús Tomé, Db4–Eb5, Med, —, ANCPR, La canción de arte, + Campos Parsi, Héctor, 1922–1998 20.8, Columnas y círculos, 1968, —, —, Soprano, Graphic notation, m, —, + 20.9, Puntos cubanos 20.9a, 1. Muerta, 1960, Luis Llorens Torres, C4–F#5, Med-high, —, ICP, —, + 20.9b, 2. Mi rancho, 1960, Luis Llorens Torres, E4–F#5, Med-high, —, ICP, —, + 20.9c, 3. Madrugada, 1960, Luis Llorens Torres, D4–F5, Med-high, —, ICP, —, + 20.9d, 4. Vida criolla, 1960, Luis Llorens Torres, E4–G5, Med-high, —, ICP, —, + Additional titles: Los paréntesis; Majestad negra; Nana; Tres poem[a]s de Corretjer. Cordero, Ernesto, 1946– 20.10, La hija del viejo Pancho, 1974, Luis Llorens Torres, D4–G5, Med, A Aura Robledo, ANCPR, La canción de arte, + 20.11, Pregunta, 1974, Nimia Vicens, D4–F#5, Med, A Elaine Arandes, ANCPR, La canci ón de arte, + 20.12, Si quieres comprender, 1974, Juan Antonio Corretjer, A4–F5, Med, A Margarita Castro Alberty, ANCPR, PEN, La canción de arte, The Art Song in Latin America, + a guide to the latin ­american art song repertoire 200 20.13, Voz del güiro, 1967, Andrés Castro Ríos, F4–G5, Med, A Luisita Rodríguez, ANCPR, La canción de arte, + Delano, Jack, 1914–1998 20.14, Tres cancioncitas del mar 20.14a, 1. Los catañecitos, 1963...