Music for solo bassoon by Mexican composers: Practical guides to compositions by Mario Lavista, Javier Alvarez, and Rodrigo Sigal

Abstract

This paper addresses compositions for solo bassoon and electronics by three Mexican Composers: Mario Lavista’s Plegarias (Prayers) (2009); Javier Alvarez’s De tus manos brotan pájaros (Birds spring from your hands) (2010); and Rodrigo Sigal’s Twilight (2001). Given that each piece requires extended techniques including: microtonal pitches and trills, alternate timbre and color change fingerings, flutter tonguing, glissandi, multiphonics, and more, I have chosen to provide practical explanations and potential solutions for the extended techniques and technical challenges for the bassoon. To help contextualize the use of electro-acoustic music in the three works written by Mexican composers, I provide a brief background of contemporary music composition and electro-acoustic music in Mexico. Each of the three chapters includes three sections: 1) a background of each composer, 2) a background of each composition, and 3) explanations of the extended techniques required and a practical guide with potential solutions for extended techniques and technical challenges aimed to assist future bassoonists in the successful execution of these deserving compositions by Mexican composers. Due to this project’s emphasis on performance details, this paper is presented as part of a double-lecture recital, presenting explanations, examples and full performances of each composition.