This concert recording looks back to the Classical Music Institute of San Antonio's program "The Apotheosis of the Dance," featuring rhythmic music by four composers.
Ludwig van Beethoven's "Symphony No. 7" anchors the concert, with its grand, emotional sweep and four movements that Ricard Wagner once called the ideal embodiment in music of bodily motion.
Prior to that, there's music from Dmitri Shostakovich, Miguel del Aguila's cheeky "Conga Line in Hell," and a brand new piece of music by San Antonio composer Edna Alejandra Longoria, called "La Banda."
The piece is based on a rhythmic genre of music from Mexico called "banda." Born in McAllen, Longoria grew up in Mexico, and says she enjoys expressing her culture and heritage through music.
"When I was younger, I used to listen to a lot of Latin music with my grandpa. My grandpa's the one that basically opened my mind to improvising things, and loving art," Longoria says. "When he passed away I was in sixth grade. So I feel like now, that's part of my inspiration every time I write rhythmic stuff, very Latin [sounds]. It makes me think of those times and it just makes me happy."
Hear this program on KPAC 88.3 FM or KTXI 90.1 FM Saturday, June 17 at 7 p.m., or listen now using the audio player above.
