PAULINO PAREDES (1913-1957): Symphonic Works, Vol. 1 - Sinfonía Provinciana, Cañón Huasteca, 4 Convidados.

Description: Born in Michoacan, Paredes achieved academic degrees in sacred music and Gregorian chant but also studied under several Mexican composers including Miguel Bernal Jiménez. Most of his music remained unpublished until a burst of activity on the 40th anniversary of his death which produced scores and the recordings here and below. His first of two symphonies dates from around 1945-47 and is a 31-minute work in the standard four movements. Allusions are made in the first movement to the Mexican national anthem which return in the finale but, otherwise, the only patently Mexican music is in the scherzo which is subtitled Fandanguillo. Otherwise, we have a finely made work of late Romanticism which gained international exposure by being entered in a competition organized by the president of the Detroit Symphony. Recorded 1997 and 2003-04. Possibly more striking is the 15-minute symphonic poem "Huasteca Canyon", a Romantic-Impressionist canvas inspired by a majestic and wild landscape in Nuevo Leon whose second theme has folk music associations. The Convidados are a suite of short character pieces of significant color and wit. Orquesta Sinfónica UANL; Félix Carrasco.