First Advisor

Malde, Melissa

Second Advisor

Elwood, Paul

Document Type

Dissertation

Date Created

5-5-2016

Abstract

Antonio Gomezanda (1894-1961) is one of the most undeservedly obscure composers in Mexican music. Apart from being a piano prodigy and a music critic, he composed romantic and early twentieth-century nationalistic music in many genres including large, small, instrumental, and vocal. His nationalistic topics were often based upon elements from the Mexican folk ranchera musical style that he grew up with in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico. Gomezanda was primarily trained in classical music in Mexico City and later in Germany. He composed over 90 original songs, several vocal dramatic works, and an opera ranchera. Gomezanda continued the stylistic path advocated by his teacher, Manuel Ponce (also known as the Father of Mexican Song), with valuable second-generation nationalistic contributions. He composed art songs, ranchera songs, and a syncretic, or crossover blend of the two. Given the intersection of ranchera music and opera in Mexico City after the Mexican Revolution, Gomezanda’s songs are prime examples of song syncretism from a classical composer in Mexico’s second generation of nationalist song. His songs are shorter and less difficult than his virtuosic solo piano works, rendering them useful for university-level voice majors as well as professionals. Access to Gomezanda’s music in the appendices of this document provides performers and scholars with previously unavailable Mexican art song and rancheras. Rancheras are rarely available with skillful piano accompaniment. This study identifies three periods of Gomezanda song composition in a tonal nationalistic style. Ten songs are presented in more detail with both poetic and literal song translations. International Phonetic Alphabet transcriptions (IPA) are provided and two keys of each song are engraved and now available for use by teachers and singers. A chronology of the composer’s musical activities and vocal catalogue of his works are also included. Gomezanda’s musical contributions to both Mexican classical and ranchera vocal worlds should not be underestimated. This publication of his vocal works offers the beauty of Mexico’s little known song repertoire from a second generation of song nationalists to all, while helping Gomezanda gain wider and well-deserved recognition.

Keywords

Mexican Art Song, Mexico, Music Nationalism, Ranchera music, Ranchera songs, Vocal Music

Extent

248 pages

Local Identifiers

Ulloa_unco_0161D_10484.pdf

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

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