Eduardo Hernandez Moncada
Encyclopedia
Eduardo Hernández Moncada (September 24, 1899–December 31, 1995) was a Mexican
composer
, pianist
, and conductor
. He is one of the essential musicians representative of the Nationalist Movement of the Post Revolutonary years in Mexico
.
His music
strives for a balance between modern influence and folk roots. His compositions include orchestra
l music
, opera
, ballet
and film score
s.
, Veracruz
, son of a clarinetist. Hernández Moncada started piano
lessons at an early age and at 19 moved to Mexico City
to enter the National Conservatory
. While still in school, he was hired to provide piano accompaniment to silent films playing at a local movie theater
. In 1925 he married Teresa de Anda, an opera
singer. While working in the movie theater, he met Carlos Chávez
, and they began a long friendship. In 1929, Chávez invited Hernández to join the Mexican Symphony Orchestra as pianist, at the same time Silvestre Revueltas
became assistant conductor. When Revueltas left the orchestra to form his own National Symphony Orchestra in 1936, Hernández succeeded him as assistant to Chávez. He served as a Director to the Conservatory Choir
and Director and Founder of the Opera
Academy. He was received an Ariel Award
for the score to the movie Deseada (1951). Hernández Moncada was also a teacher and was appointed Principal to the National School of Music
. He published several texts including an autobiography
and bibliographical sketches of his friends Carlos Chávez and Silvestre Revueltas. He was highly regarded by his peers, including artists like Dimitris Mitropoulos
, who conducted his First Symphony
.
Duos
Chamber Music
Orchestra
Choral Music
Opera
Ballets
Film scores
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, and conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. He is one of the essential musicians representative of the Nationalist Movement of the Post Revolutonary years in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
His music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
strives for a balance between modern influence and folk roots. His compositions include orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
s.
Biography
Born in XalapaXalapa
Xalapa-Enríquez, commonly Xalapa or Jalapa, is the capital city of the Mexican state of Veracruz and the name of the surrounding municipality. In the year 2005 census the city reported a population of 387,879 and the municipality of which it serves as municipal seat reported a population of...
, Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
, son of a clarinetist. Hernández Moncada started piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
lessons at an early age and at 19 moved to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
to enter the National Conservatory
National Conservatory of Music (Mexico)
The National Conservatory of Music of Mexico is a music conservatory located in the Polanco section of Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico.-History:...
. While still in school, he was hired to provide piano accompaniment to silent films playing at a local movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
. In 1925 he married Teresa de Anda, an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer. While working in the movie theater, he met Carlos Chávez
Carlos Chávez
Carlos Antonio de Padua Chávez y Ramírez was a Mexican composer, conductor, music theorist, educator, journalist, and founder and director of the Mexican Symphonic Orchestra. He was influenced by native Mexican cultures. Of his six Symphonies, his Symphony No...
, and they began a long friendship. In 1929, Chávez invited Hernández to join the Mexican Symphony Orchestra as pianist, at the same time Silvestre Revueltas
Silvestre Revueltas
Silvestre Revueltas Sánchez was a Mexican composer of classical music, a violinist and a conductor.-Life:...
became assistant conductor. When Revueltas left the orchestra to form his own National Symphony Orchestra in 1936, Hernández succeeded him as assistant to Chávez. He served as a Director to the Conservatory Choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
and Director and Founder of the Opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
Academy. He was received an Ariel Award
Ariel Award
The Ariel is the Mexican Academy of Film Award. It has been awarded annually since 1947. The award recognizes excellence in motion picture making, such as acting, directing and screenwriting in Mexican cinema. It is considered the most prestigious award in the Mexican movie industry.- History :The...
for the score to the movie Deseada (1951). Hernández Moncada was also a teacher and was appointed Principal to the National School of Music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. He published several texts including an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
and bibliographical sketches of his friends Carlos Chávez and Silvestre Revueltas. He was highly regarded by his peers, including artists like Dimitris Mitropoulos
Dimitris Mitropoulos
Dimitri Mitropoulos , was a Greek conductor, pianist, and composer. Also known as Dimitris Mitropoulos.-Life and career:Mitropoulos was born in Athens, the son of Yannis and Angeliki Mitropoulos. His father owned a leather goods shop at No. 15, St Marks Street. He was musically precocious,...
, who conducted his First Symphony
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
.
Selected works
PianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Prelude (1926)
- Album of the Heart (1934)
- Costena (1962)
Duos
- Romanza for cello and piano (1949)
- Rhapsody of Sotavento for violin and piano (1974)
Chamber Music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
- Suite Romántica (1937)
- Suite of Dances (1939)
- String Quartet (1962)
Orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
- Funerary March (1938)
- Symphony Number 1 (1942)
- Symphony Number 2 (1943)
- Guelatao (1957)
Choral Music
- Poems by Omar KhayyámOmar KhayyámOmar Khayyám was aPersian polymath: philosopher, mathematician, astronomer and poet. He also wrote treatises on mechanics, geography, mineralogy, music, climatology and theology....
(1932) - Costena Song (1958)
- Give Me Moon Papyrus (1958)
- Three Sonnets of Sor JuanaSor JuanaSor Juana Inés de la Cruz , fully Juana Inés de Asbaje y Ramírez de Santillana, was a self-taught scholar and poet of the Baroque school, and nun of New Spain...
(1979)
Opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
- Elena (1948)
Ballets
- Endless Voyage (1949)
- Ermesinda (1952)
- Maíz (1952)
Film scores
- Enamorada (1946)
- El Desquite (1947)
- Si me viera Don Porfirio (1950)
- Deseada (1951)
External links
- Herrera, Jesús. "Eduardo Hernández Moncada".