Music Review : An Engaging Survey of Mexican Songs

We have been hearing, and hearing about, a lot of remarkable Mexican music lately, as the “Mexico: A Work of Art” festival continues in Los Angeles.

Soprano Anne Marie Ketchum and pianist Lisa Edwards offered another exploration of Mexican music--this, into the 20th-Century art song--Monday night at the Santa Monica Public Library. Again, it turned up an abundance of gold.

Such as Jose Rolon’s mini song cycle “Sketches on a Port,” seven brief songs on poetry by Jose Gorostiza--some only a few seconds--which simply and Impressionistically capture the feeling of tropical air and sea.

In “La Tarde,” for instance, Rolon sets a gently lulling piano ostinato in motion and the soprano line floats above with the words, “the fragile waves of the afternoon / roll on like clean songs of women.” In “El Faro” (The Lighthouse)--”blond shepherd of the fishing boats” is the entire text--two piano notes suffice as groundwork for the single, searchlight sweep of the vocal line.

The Mexican avant-garde was represented by Juan Fernando Duran’s “The Image of Silence IV,” text by John Cage and Octavio Paz, a work of extended techniques.

that are effectively used to focus the argument on silence.

Songs by Revueltas (his “Duo para Pato y Canario” is a perfect match of nonsense text and quirky music) and Salvador Contreras (his “Avestruz Africano,” a witty musical depiction of gawkiness) made equally strong impressions.

“Paginas verdes” by Galindo, “A quien?” by Huizar, “Todo” by Chavez, “Marinero en Tierra” by Rodolfo Halffter and “The Infinite Fountain” by Aurelio de la Vega--this Los Angeles composer is Cuban-born--proved engaging, unjustly neglected contributions as well.

Ketchum sang throughout in Spanish with unaffected expressivity, in pure, elegant voice. Her reading of Duran’s “Silence” was confident, aptly playful, coquettish. Edwards offered sensitive, communicative accompaniment, in fact, provided equal partnership with Ketchum. One couldn’t ask for more--except perhaps to hear this repertory more often.