Last Wednesday's concert in the NCH was devoted to Mexican music. The infectious tunefulness, the exciting rhythms and the colourful orchestration have an instant appeal and show that in Mexico orchestral music remains close to its popular roots. It is the sound of field and fair and saloon, not of study and drawing-room.
The works from the earlier part of the last century by Guizar, Ponce, Carrillo and Velazquez are popular songs redolent of an exported European sentimentalism, only partly disguised by the vigour of the arrangements.
Danzon No. 2 by Arturo Marquez, who was present for the performance, could be called the apotheosis of the danzon. This particular form of dance has been expanded by the composer into an almost barbaric tone-poem.
Equally Mexican in flavour were Samuel Zyman's Encuentros (1992) and Huapango (1941) by Moncayo. In contrast, though just as colourful, was Lavalle's Obertura colonial, which sounded like a sort of updated Rossini.
Less explicitly exotic was Siete canciones by Revneltas. These settings of five songs by Lorca and two songs by other hands were, except for the last, quietly reflective and made the other works sound brash in comparison.
Kathleen Tynan, soprano soloist in these and the other songs, made a commendable imitation of Spanish intonations, but a more caressing vocal timbre could have made the texts more appealing. The popular style of the music suited the RTECO and under Robert Houlihan was delivered with plenty of punch.