Any understanding of the folkloric music of Mexico would be incomplete without the work of the Mexico City based ensemble Los Folkloristas. The seven piece group, was authentic, not only in its music, but also in its dress. They would come adorned in costume, reflecting the many ethnic origins of the music they performed. Over half a century, the repertory has grown and matured, taking a life unto itself. Gabriela Ortiz, today an internationally acclaimed composer, was there at the beginning of Los Folkloristas.
"It was very important. The group was founded in '65, and I was born in December '64, so basically, I grew up listening to Los Folkloristas!" she says.
"My parents stayed in the group only 14 years. But those first 10 years of my childhood were very, extremely important, you know, because it was a very strong connection. I mean, sometimes Los Folkloristas used to rehearse in my house! I remember my mother said to me, you know, 'go to bed!' And then I obviously didn't go to bed, and I stayed outside ... the room where the Folkloristas were rehearsing, and listened to this incredible music! My parents took me to hear the music. And then I started, you know, playing, you know, the guitar and the little charango...And so my first instrument was not the piano. Later on I started playing the piano, but at the beginning, I started playing, you know, the guitar, the charango, and singing this folk music. And so definitely, it was something that was very natural. I grew up listening to this wonderful music, and I love it, and not only from Mexico, but the whole Latin America... it's probably [in] my DNA."
Gabriela's DNA was tempered as she absorbed other sounds around her. Moving away from Mexico for her education, then back, forced her to reassess who she really was.
"I have this European academic background, but on the other hand, I grew up in Mexico City eating tortillas, but then I heard this kind of indigenous music, but then my brother, you know, was always listening to the Rolling Stones because he hated the folkloric [music]! And he was, you know, the black sheep of the family! And we have this discussion about, 'I prefer the Beatles,' No, 'I prefer the 'Rolling Stones,' you know. And then all these, you know, I said, 'Well... I'm not going to get rid of all of that. What I have to do is just to make it my own.'"
Gabriela Ortiz's latest album confirms her continued concerns over matters cultural as well as musical. The opening movement of "Altar de Cuerdas," in fact, a concerto for violin, is part of an ongoing series of altar pieces. The title, she tells us, is not to be taken in the religious sense. Rather, her altars are symbolic, spiritual and magical. An altar, as she sees it, is a place for bringing music to the forefront. We will hear more music from Gabriela Ortiz on future episodes of Momentos Musicales, but for now, let's look back to Gabriela past as a girl who grew up surrounded by an array of music made by her parents and their friends an ensemble called Los Folkloristas.
Trad: Llueve
Los Folkloristas
La Primera Grabacion
Fonarte Latino
Trad: Aires de Charango
Los Folkloristas
Fonarte Latino
Trad: Bailecitos Queneros
Los Folkloristas
Fonarte Latino
Gabriela Ortiz: Altar de Cuerdas (I. Morisco Chalango)
Marie Duenas, Dudamel, LA Phil
LAPhil02
