For the first installment of Mexico at 200, Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas conductor and New York native, Alondra de la Parra examines Mexican music from the late 1700s through early 1900s, and traces how Euro-centric Mexican composers began to exoticize their sound through local new-world character.
The Birth of Nationalism sets the stage for the birth of avant-garde Mexican modernism and the transformation of an imported European sound into something uniquely Mexican, with music by Juventino Rosas, Ricardo Castro and Gustavo Campa, among others.
Mexico at 200 is hosted by maestra de la Parra and is an in-depth look at Mexican orchestral music from the 18th century to the present with episodes devoted to The Birth of Nationalism, Modernism and the Avant-Garde, Living Legends, and The Young Generation. Ms. de la Parra’s commentary is insightful and concise, and there’s lots of really appealing and interesting music from composers ranging from pioneers such as Ricardo Castro and Silvestre Revueltas to emerging artists.
