AbstractsLanguage, Literature & Linguistics

Part I of the dissertation is comprised of two pieces written for orchestra. The first piece, El Porfiriato, takes its inspiration from the infamous Mexican president Porfirio Diaz. This work is built around a single motive that takes a variety of forms throughout the piece. It begins with a three-note motive comprised of an ascending minor second followed by a descending minor third. In the middle section, a five-note motive that expands chromatically is developed as an extension of the original motive. The original motive, which can be found embedded in the five-note motive, becomes the melodic structure of a waltz (reminiscent of the European salon music influence during the Porfiriato). When the waltz ends, the five-note motive is isolated and an imitative counterpoint section ensues. The entire piece is approximately ten minutes in duration and is scored for full orchestra.The second piece, Los Niños Heroes, takes its title from the six Mexican military cadets that died defending Mexico City’s Chapultepec Castle from U.S. forces in the September 13, 1847 Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War. It is said that one of the cadets wrapped himself with the Mexican flag and jumped from the roof of the castle to keep it from falling into enemy hands. The piece begins with erratic meters and rhythms as fragments of the primary four-note motive begins to materialize. This tetrachord, taken from the octatonic scale, often interacts with a secondary motive based on a descending arpeggio-like figure. The middle section of the piece uses both of these motives in more lyrical and less percussive manner, but after a slow and gradual build up, the material from the initial section reappears at a slower tempo, eventually returning to tempo primo and ending with a climactic statement of the fully realized motive. The composition is approximately nine minutes long and is also scored for full orchestra.Part two of this dissertation examines two orchestral compositions by two Mexican composers, Jose Pablo Moncayo’s Huapango (1941) and Blas Galindo’s Sones de mariachi (1940). In order to clarify the political and cultural situation in Mexico and the significance of Mexican musical nationalism at the time these works were written, the theory portion of the dissertation will begin with an overview of the history of Mexican music. The overview will not only focus on the cultural and political issues, but will also focus on the development of classical music in Mexico. Since these works are based on Mexican folk music, specifically the son jalisciense and the son jarocho, a section describing these folk genres has been included. The examination of each work begins with an analysis of the sones that comprise each orchestral composition. A transcription of each son will be included and used as an analytical tool. The purpose is to dissect the melodic structure of each composition and compare it to the transcriptions. A look at the harmonic and rhythmic structure of each son will be important to understand its structural and…