Critical Study of Benjamín Gutiérrez's Viola Concerto Sobre UnCanto Bribri

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Authors Guandique Araniva, Orquidea Maria

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CRITICAL STUDY OF BENJAMÍN GUTIÉRREZ’S VIOLA CONCERTO SOBRE UN CANTO BRIBRI

by

Orquídea María Guandique Araniva

______________________________ Copyright © Orquídea María Guandique Araniva 2012

A Document Submitted to the Faculty of the

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of

DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS

In the Graduate College

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

2012

2    

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE

As members of the Document Committee, we certify that we have read the document prepared by Orquídea María Guandique Araniva entitled Critical Study of Benjamín Gutiérrez’s Viola Concerto Sobre un Canto Bribri and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the document requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts Date: 4/5/2012 Hong-Mei Xiao Date: 4/5/2012 Carrol McLaughlin Date: 4/5/2012 Mark Rush Final approval and acceptance of this document is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the document to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this document prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the document requirement. Date: 4/5/2012 Document Director: Hong-Mei Xiao

3    

STATEMENT BY AUTHOR

This document has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library.

Brief quotations from this document are allowable without special permission,

provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder.

SIGNED: Orquídea María Guandique Araniva

4    

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First, I would like to express my gratitude to my husband, Fernando, because he

has always believed in me and has been really supportive during this process. I also want

to thank my family for their unconditional support and encouragement during all my life.

Next I want to thank Dr. Sturman, who has been an inspiration for me and for

opening new doors to knowledge. It has been a truly privilege to study and work with her.

I also want to express my sincere appreciation to Professor Xiao who has guided

me through my studies at the University of Arizona. She has been extremely supportive

and also has been a great influence in my development as a violist.

I must thank my doctoral committee, Dr. Carrol McLauphlin and Professor Mark

Rush for their patience and their support assisting me during my doctoral studies.

I also want to thank Tereza for her time and dedication.

I want to express my endless gratitude to the School of Music of The University

of Arizona, for all their support and for helping me achieve my dreams.

Finally, I want to thank all of my friends that have made this journey a real

pleasure.

5    

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................. 7

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ...................................................................................... 8

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... 10

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 11

A. Preface .................................................................................................................. 11

B. Limitations of the Study ........................................................................................ 13

C. Previous Research .................................................................................................. 15

D. Methodological Approach ..................................................................................... 17

CHAPTER 2 BENJAMÍN GUTIÉRREZ ......................................................................... 19

A. Biographical Information ...................................................................................... 19

B. The Composer ........................................................................................................ 24

C. Nationalism ............................................................................................................ 29

CHAPTER 3 ORQUESTA SINFÓNICA NACIONAL DE COSTA RICA ................... 33

A. The Orchestra Before 1970 .................................................................................... 33

B. The Musical Revolution of 1970: The New Orchestra .......................................... 40

C. William Schuck ..................................................................................................... 48

CHAPTER 4 BRIBRI GROUPS ...................................................................................... 50

A. Historical background ............................................................................................ 50

B. Musical style .......................................................................................................... 54

6    

TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued

CHAPTER 5 VIOLA CONCERTO SOBRE UN CANTO BRIBRI ............................... 59

A. Commission of the Concerto ................................................................................. 59

B. Performances ......................................................................................................... 63

C. Analysis of the piece .............................................................................................. 63

D. The bribri hoax ...................................................................................................... 82

E. The concerto in the context of the repertoire for viola .......................................... 84

F. Comparison of Gutiérrez and Hindemith works .................................................... 89

CHAPTER 6 GUTIÉRREZ’S CONCERTO: TECHNICAL DEMANDS FOR

THE PERFORMER .......................................................................................... 93

A. Right arm technique. .............................................................................................. 93

1. String crossing ................................................................................................. 94

2. Color changes .................................................................................................. 97

B. Range ................................................................................................................ 102

C. Left hand technique ............................................................................................. 106

1. Double stops .................................................................................................. 106

2. Chromatic language ....................................................................................... 110

CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................. 113

APPENDIX A PERMISSION BY THE COMPOSER .................................................. 116

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 117

 

   

7    

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Map of Bribri territories ..................................................................................... 51

Figure 2. Formal outline of the Concerto ......................................................................... 68

Figure 3. Formal outline of the Introduction. ................................................................... 70

Figure 4. Outline of the A section ..................................................................................... 73

Figure 5. Outline of section B ........................................................................................... 78

Figure 6. Thematic materials used in each section of the Concerto .................................. 82

 

   

8    

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES

Musical Example 1. Transcription of Estilo Segundo (Siwa’ Kulé), “Second Style,” a Bribri chant from the Siwa’ tradition. ................ 56

Musical Example 2. Transcription of Sörröbö .................................................................. 58

Musical Example 3. Manuscript of the first page of the score .......................................... 61

Musical Example 4. First motive. Original cell ................................................................. 64

Musical Example 5. Expansion of the first motive ........................................................... 64

Musical Example 6. Further expansion of the first motive ............................................... 64

Musical Example 7. Excerpt of the Viola Concerto. Beginning of the initial Cadenza .... 65

Musical Example 8. Initial cadenza. .................................................................................. 66

Musical Example 9. Transformation of the original cell ................................................... 68

Musical Example 10. Accompaniment motive in 7/8 ....................................................... 71

Musical Example 11. Theme b section from the opening cadenza, followed by the transformations suffered in A .................................................. 73

Musical Example 12. Transformation of b ........................................................................ 73

Musical Example 13. Further transformation of b ............................................................ 74

Musical Example 14. Motive derived from the extension of a ......................................... 74

Musical Example 15. Transposition of a in the dissolving transition ............................... 75

Musical Example 16. Quasi recitativo. Juxtaposition of thematic material ...................... 76

Musical Example 17. B section cadenza ........................................................................... 78

Musical Example 18. Repeated figure in the viola ............................................................ 79

Musical Example 19. Eight notes motive in the strings .................................................... 79

9    

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES - Continued

Musical Example 20. Final cadenza .................................................................................. 81

Musical Example 21. Passage with problematic string crossing ....................................... 95

Musical Example 22. First transposition of a .................................................................... 95

Musical Example 23. Second transposition of a ............................................................... 95

Musical Example 24. Theme c. String crossing ................................................................ 96

Musical Example 25. String crossing in mm. 62 to 64 ...................................................... 96

Musical Example 26. Double stops, mm. 103 to 111 ...................................................... 108

Musical Example 27. Double stops in fifths, cadenza in m. 171 .................................... 109

Musical Example 28. Use of chromatic language, opening cadenza .............................. 111

 

 

10    

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the present document is to offer a critical study of the elements

that played a defining role in the composition of Benjamín Gutiérrez concerto for viola. It

offers an analysis of the structure of the piece and also a description of the technical

elements required to perform the piece.

In order to contextualize this task, the researcher examined the historical elements

that changed the course of symphonic music tradition in Costa Rica, and also the

governmental policies that played a role in the establishment and institution of Costa

Rica’s national symphony. It also provides a description of the economic turmoil that

affected the country during the gestation of the concerto and the repercussions of this

turmoil in regards to cultural advocacy.

Finally, the document includes discussion regarding the structure and technique of

the concerto. The intention is to offer guidance to both teachers and performers regarding

the most significant technical elements encountered in the concerto.

11    

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

A. Preface

This document focuses on the Viola Concerto Sobre un Canto Bribri (Concerto

for Viola and Orchestra Based on a Bribri Song) by Benjamín Gutiérrez (b. 1937). The

intent of this project is to analyze the Concerto for Viola by Gutiérrez from a variety of

perspectives. The first portion focuses on the analysis of the historical aspects

surrounding its creation. This will be followed by a formal analysis of the work, and

finally, it will provide a detailed analysis of the performance techniques required to play

the concerto.

Despite the activity of composers of classical music in Costa Rica in the twentieth

century, their music is relatively unknown outside the country, partly for reasons of

accessibility. Gutiérrez's Concerto for Viola, although beautiful and challenging, has not

yet earned a place in the professional repertory of modern violists, since it has yet to be

published. The inaccessibility of this piece lies in the fact the only source for this

concerto is the composer’s manuscript, and the only copy of the manuscript is at the

historical archives at the Universidad de Costa Rica in San Jose, Costa Rica. The original

manuscript is in possession of the composer. Furthermore, the work has never been

recorded, and since its premiere, this concerto has only been performed twice: in 1985 by

William Schuck at the National Theatre with the Costa Rican National Symphony

Orchestra, and in 2010 by Costa Rican violist Edmundo Ramírez also with the National

12    

Symphony at the Teatro de la Aduana. The repertoire for viola players is not as vast as

other string instruments like the violin or cello, so it is our privilege and responsibility to

find and study new repertoire, thus broadening the possibilities for the instrument and

supporting the composition of works by lesser known composers.

This concerto is also important because it shows that the research and history of

indigenous communities had a great impact on Costa Rican society. Additionally, it is

valuable to bring to light one of the least known pieces of this renowned Costa Rican

composer in order to make it more accessible to viola players and musicians in general.

This piece explores a new musical language that the composer developed from his

contact with many different sources – indigenous music, post-romanticism, atonalism,

twelve-tone system—and the unique blend of techniques and sonorities that resulted from

this exchange.

The purpose of this document is to examine the concerto for viola in detail in

order to provide a deeper understanding of the work, and reveal the musical devices that

make the work unique and worthy of attention. This document will also highlight the

connections between the concerto and works by other composers in order to place

Gutiérrez’s concerto for viola in the continuity of the history of viola repertoire. A

secondary aim of this document is to promote the publication of the Concerto to make it

accessible to performers as well as the general audience.

13    

B. Limitations of the Study

The historical elements that prompted the composition of the concerto are

significant in relationship to the development of the country, not only in terms of the

musical scene but also because of the series of events that were developed in the last

portion of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s. Gutiérrez composed the Concerto

for Viola during a musically and socially significant time in the history of Costa Rica.

The economic crisis of the 1970s in Costa Rica was not an isolated event that only

affected the arts in Costa Rica, it was a global crisis that affected the economies of

leading countries, which was echoed in underdeveloped countries.

Although the main portion of this investigation will focus on the historical and

economic elements relevant to the composition of the concerto, it will not engage in a

deeper analysis of those issues. Rather, it will offer a summary of the events in Costa

Rica’s economy that led to a dramatic change in the musical scene of the time

(particularly in the symphony orchestra), as well as an overview of the many elements

that, in one way or another, promoted the creation of the concerto. This document will

also address the politically relevant elements that contributed to the re-establishment of a

newly formed symphony orchestra, and show that reforms in the employment of foreign

musicians established in the orchestra were not an isolated event in the development of

symphonic music in Latin America. Nevertheless, a deeper analysis of the development

of symphonic orchestras in Latin America is a subject for further research though it is not

the aim of the present work.

14    

The portion of this document related to the bribri music and culture will address

this genre from a musical perspective. It aims to provide the reader with an overview of

bribri culture in its present state, and also to call attention the musical elements that can

be tied to the formal structure of Gutiérrez’s concerto. The musical examples of bribri

music include transcriptions created by the author as well as a select number of

transcriptions by Jorge Acevedo.

This document will also provide a formal analysis of Gutiérrez’s concerto from

the performance perspective, and will focus on the establishment of the motives and

thematic material of the piece, as well as their usage and transformation throughout the

work. Additionally, this research will highlight the technical elements required for

performance of the work for both the left hand and the right arm. Detailed analysis of the

harmonic elements in relation to the construction of this work, however, will not be

addressed, leaving these elements open for subsequent research. Finally, this study will

also call attention to a variety of elements of works from the standard repertoire for viola

for the purpose of establishing connections between Gutiérrez’s work and those of other

composers. There will be no analysis of the works of reference, however, they will help

to place Gutiérrez’s work in the larger body of viola repertoire, trace stylistic features in

the development of the viola concerto in the twentieth century, as well as emphasize the

importance of the role of the performer in the promotion of new compositions for viola.

15    

C. Previous Research

This research is of critical importance because, as yet, there have not been any

detailed studies published of Gutiérrez’s Concerto for Viola. However, it has not gone

entirely unmentioned. One of the few references to this piece appears in an article by

Erasmo Solerti, “Obra y Legado del compositor Benjamín Gutiérrez: Apuntes Sobre su

Concierto para Violín y Orquesta,”1 (Work and Legacy by Composer Benjamín

Gutiérrez: Sketches on his Concerto for Violin and Orchestra) in which the piece is

briefly mentioned during a discussion of the history of Gutiérrez’s violin concerto.

Another important work related to this document is the Doctor of Musical Arts

dissertation on Benjamín Gutiérrez’s music by Juan Pablo Andrade,2 in which he offers

an analysis of the musical style of Gutiérrez’s pieces for solo piano, as well as a

biography of the composer. In addition to the literature regarding the musical style of

Gutiérrez, an article by Ronald Sider offers an analysis of the works and musical

activities of two of Costa Rica's central figures, Bernal Flores and Benjamín Gutiérrez.3

                                                                                                                         1. Erasmo Solerti, “Obra y Legado del Compositor Benjamín Gutiérrez: Apuntes Sobre el

Concierto para Violín y Orquesta,” La Retreta II, no. 1 (2009), http://laretreta.net/0201/conciertoparaviolin.pdf (accessed December 10, 2010).

2. Juan Pablo Andrade, “Costa Rican Composer Benjamín Gutiérrez and his Piano Works” (DMA diss., The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2008).

3. Ronald Sider, “Contemporary Composers in Costa Rica,” Latin American Music Review /Revista de Música Latinoamericana 5, no.2 (1984): 263.

16    

Other documents make reference to some of Gutiérrez’s works for choir, such as

the dissertation by Carrillo,4 which is an analysis of Gutiérrez’s works Vocalice and Rey

de Gloria es Jehova. Despite the importance of Gutiérrez to the music of Costa Rica, the

only academic work at the present time that focuses on the analysis of his music is the

above mentioned dissertation by Andrade. Apart from Andrade’s dissertation, there are

no analyses or in-depth studies of his music available at the present time. There are,

however, attempts to document historical aspects of his music by professors at the

University of Costa Rica, such as the aforementioned article by Solerti, as well as other

articles published by the Faculty of Arts of the University of Costa Rica, although none

of these have an academic or theoretical orientation. Most of the efforts made to preserve

the music of Gutiérrez have been promoted by various musical institutions of Costa Rica.

The University of Costa Rica has promoted the publication of several of his works, and

has also produced recordings of some of his music. The National Symphony has also

shared an interest in promoting the music of Costa Rican composers by including their

works in regular concert seasons.

It is clear that the opportunities for studying the music and musical contributions

of Gutiérrez are still wide open. By presenting this document, the author hopes to interest

other scholars in pursuing further study of the music by Benjamín Gutiérrez and also to

promote its dissemination.

                                                                                                                         4. Juan Israel Carrilo, “Survey of Choral Music by Selected Costa Rican Composers” (DMA diss.,

University of Cincinnati, 1993).

17    

While academic investigation concerning the music of Benjamín Gutiérrez falls

short, research regarding the bribri culture and music is extensive and well documented.

Most notable are the studies by Laura Cervantes, Adolfo Constela Umaña, and Jorge Luis

Acevedo. Constela’s approach to the study of bribri music is from the linguistic point of

view, an approach shared by Cervantes as well. Nevertheless, Cervantes’s background in

music provides a solid platform for the study of the stylistic aspects of bribri music.

Acevedo’s research, on the other hand, includes a compilation of music from the

Talamancan region. Also, in his publication Breve Reseña de la Música en Talamanca

(Brief Summary of Music in Talamanca), he includes a transcription of a bribri song.

However, there are many characteristics of bribri music that cannot be illustrated in

standard western musical notation.

D. Methodological Approach

The most important sources for this investigation are the study of primary sources

concerning the Concerto for Viola. This includes the study of the manuscript and sources

that contain information about its history such as program notes, newspapers articles, and

interviews with the composer, as well as the study of documents held at the historical

archive of the Universidad de Costa Rica concerning the time when the composer was

working at the institution.

For the purpose of analysis and comparison between Gutiérrez’s concerto and

bribri song, two original transcriptions of bribri songs will be presented: one of the Siwa’

18    

Kulé style and one of the sorbón style. This will help to establish connections between

bribri music and Gutiérrez’s work regarding musical language.

Finally, as stated earlier, this document will provide a detailed analysis of the

techniques required by the violist to perform the concerto, making observations about

difficulties and technical issues. To this aim, Gutiérrez’s concerto will be compared to

three compositions most representative of the standard solo viola literature: the concerti

by William Walton, Paul Hindemith, and Béla Bartók.

 

19    

CHAPTER 2

BENJAMÍN GUTIÉRREZ

A. Biographical Information

Benjamín Gutiérrez was born in 1937 in Costa Rica to a musical family. He began

his musical training in piano under the tutelage of his grandmother Rosa Jiménez Núñez.

At age thirteen, he continued his training at the National Conservatory of Costa Rica

(now the Escuela de Artes Musicales de la Universidad de Costa Rica), under the

guidance of Miguel Angel Quesada, whom he credited as the person who inspired him to

continue further studies in music.5 In 1956, after four years of musical training, and after

dropping out of mainstream high school, Gutiérrez acted on the advice of his teacher, and

pursued further studies at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Guatemala

(Guatemalan National Conservatory), which allowed him more time to practice. There,

he studied piano and composition under the guidance of the Belgian composer, pianist,

and conductor Augusto Ardenois, who had immigrated to Guatemala during World War

II.6 Gutiérrez’s move to Guatemala was fuelled by the fact that at the time it was the only

country in Central America that had a music program at a university level and which

offered a Bachelor in Music degree. In contrast, the conservatory in Costa Rica only

offered a diploma in music.

                                                                                                                         5. Andrade, 36.

6. Ibid., 38.  

20    

Founded in 1873, the Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Guatemala was one

of the most appealing options for young Central American musicians, since Guatemala

City was the most culturally and musically advanced city in Central America. In 1955,

the conservatory built a center that included classrooms and practice rooms specially

designed for the music department. The program was financially prosperous enough to

offer scholarships to foreign students and Gutiérrez was one of the students granted a

scholarship.

According to Gutiérrez, his experiences at the new school and with the teachers at

the conservatory in Guatemala marked a turning point in his career, and played a

particularly important role in his decision to become a composer rather than a concert

pianist:

He [Ardenois] suggested to me, not because of my talent, but when he saw that I could be a composer he told me that it was better to pursue a career as a composer because it was not worth it to try to make a career as a concert pianist when in Central America we have six or seven countries and only six or seven pianos…we should have one country and more pianos…But also he said that the composer has more prestige, and more possibilities of transcending internationally.7

Those words certainly made a strong impression on the young composer, but it

was not until after he returned to his native Costa Rica following the completion of his

Bachelor of Arts Degree in piano in 1957, that Gutiérrez devoted himself completely to

the pursuit of a career in composition. The impetus for this change in direction was the

immense success of his opera, Marianela (also the first Costa Rican opera) which

premiered October 7, 1957 in Costa Rica’s National Theatre in San José with Gutiérrez at

                                                                                                                         7. Gutiérrez interview by Juan Pablo Andrade, tape recording, San José, December 19 2006.

Translation by Andrade.

21    

the baton. The singers that participated in this production were Albertina Moya (soprano),

Emer Campos (baritone), Gustavo Silesky (tenor), and Claudio Brenes and José Rafael

Ochoa (basses). The opera is based on the novel of the same name by Benito Pérez

Galdós, with a libretto by the Guatemalan Roberto Paniagua. Of the premiere in

Gutiérrez’s remarked:

When I returned from Guatemala I presented the opera Marianela in the National Theater. I was only twenty years old and was going to study architecture because that is what my father wanted. Everything was planned, but that opera was a great success, because it was the first opera presented by a Costa Rican composer. The night of the premiere, the ambassador of the United States came to see the opera and called me after the performance asking me to go by his office the next day. He gave me the name of a secretary named Mrs. Aragón and they offered me a scholarship to get a master’s degree in Boston. He was very impressed that a Costa Rican, who had not studied conducting, would conduct his own opera. Of course, when I told this to my father he said to me: ‘Well, go and get that master’s because that is the United States and that is a completely different story…’8

Due to the success of the opera, Gutiérrez was granted a scholarship to study at

the New England Conservatory in Boston by the Instituto Internacional de Educación

(Institute of International Education). He moved to the United States in the fall of 1958 to

pursue a Master’s Degree in composition at the New England Conservatory, which he

completed in 1960. During his time in the States he had the opportunity to study with

renowned composers such as Darius Milhaud (1892-1974)—whom he met in 1959 when

attended the Aspen Music Festival—and Francis Judd Cooke (1910-1995).

Gutiérrez returned for a short period to Costa Rica after graduation from the New

England Conservatory, but “he was quickly advised by the minister of education, who at

the time was Estela Quesada, to take advantage of another opportunity to study

                                                                                                                         8. Ibid.

22    

abroad…Also, Emma Gamboa, the dean of the School of Education of the University of

Costa Rica at the time, advised him to pursue studies in music education with the

agreement that upon returning home he would be given a teaching position at that

school,”9 which he did in 1961. This time he made his way to the University of Michigan

in Ann Arbor to study music education with a minor in music composition, where he also

had the opportunity to study with Ross Lee Finney (1906-1997). However, after a year of

study he decided that pursuing a career in music education was not his main interest, so

he once again moved back to Costa Rica to dedicate himself to compose and to teaching

composition.

In 1965, thanks to a fellowship granted by the University of Costa Rica, Gutiérrez

travelled to Argentina to attend the Instituto Torcuato Di Tella in Buenos Aires to study

under the tutelage of Alberto Ginastera. At the time, Ginastera was the director of the

Centro Latino Americano de Altos Estudios Musicales (Latin American Center of Higher

Musical Studies) (CLAEM), which was part of the Instituto Torcuato DiTella, and

subsidized by the Rockefeller Foundation. The CLAEM was founded in 1962 with the

hope to “create a space where composers—not only from Argentina, but all over Latin

America—could study the latest compositional trends in a style that resonated with their

unique cultural environment.”10 Ginastera made this possible by granting two year

fellowships in its inaugural year to young talented Latin American composers. The

                                                                                                                         9. Andrade, 46.

10. Deborah Schwartz-Kates, Alberto Ginastera A Research and Information Guide (New York: Routledge, 2010), 11.

23    

CLAEM also worked to bring two international composers per year to join the faculty.

Notable members included Copland, Xenakis, Messiaen, Dallapiccola, Maderna, and

Nono.

Gutiérrez began teaching relatively early in his career, in 1954, and subsequently

taught at several institutions in Costa Rica including the University of Costa Rica. From

1972 to 1975 he was also the director of the Music School at the University of Costa

Rica, and taught full time in the areas of composition, orchestration, and piano. He retired

in 1984, and in 1986 was awarded the honorific title Profesor Benemérito de la

Universidad de Costa Rica (Meritorious Professor of the University of Costa Rica). In

addition to his work as composer, Gutiérrez also devoted part of his career to conducting,

and in 1970 was appointed assistant conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra, a

position he held in addition to acting as conductor of the orchestra and chorus of the

university music school.

Due to his substantial contribution towards the development of academic art

music in Costa Rica, Gutiérrez received numerous awards during his career, including

honors from:11 the Alpha Lotta Association 1959, the Premio de Composición Aquileo

Echeverría 1962-1963, the Juegos Florales de Guatemala 1966, the Premio Nacional de

Música 1973, 1977, 1980 and 1985, the Premio Ancora de la Nación 1983, Premio de

Música de Cámara, Teatro Nacional 1978. He was declared musician of the century by

La Nación in 1999, and won the prestigious Magón prize in 2001.

                                                                                                                         11. Benjamín Gutiérrez, “Maestro Benjamín Gutiérrez,” interview by Antonio Briceño,

Tiquicia.com (accessed on 24 January 2012), <http://www.tiquicia.com/entrevistas/0008Benjamin/>

24    

The majority of the awards was granted by institutions in Costa Rica, and were

conferred for outstanding works—such as the prize in 1983 for the composition of his

viola concerto—others were given because of his contributions to the musical

developments of the country.

B. The Composer

Gutiérrez’s world travelling exposed him to a great variety of influences in his

formative years, and, as a result, his style developed into a unique blend of twentieth-

century techniques colored by his own personal style, which allowed him to become one

of Costa Rica’s best-known and most frequently performed composers. During his

studies abroad, Gutiérrez worked primarily with composers who dealt with contemporary

musical languages, leading him to experiment with compositional techniques such as

polytonality, and it was from his studies in the United States that he absorbed the

dominant musical language of the time: the twelve-tone system. In his article

“Contemporary Composers in Costa Rica,” Ronald Sider remarks, “[Gutiérrez’s] ‘Music

for Seven Instruments’ (1965) was written in Buenos Aires, and he uses the twelve-tone

idiom fairly consistently, and the Toccata and Fugue for Piano (1960), written under

Milhaud, is very free, tonally, and explores dissonant sonorities.”12

Gutiérrez’s studies abroad offered him other unique opportunities as well. As a

student of the New England Conservatory, he presented his compositions in a series of

recitals alongside other notable students including Phillip Glass and Richard Provost,                                                                                                                          

12. Sider, 268.

25    

among others. 13 However, unlike these composers, Gutiérrez moved more toward a

particular musical style that, while still employing elements of atonality, remained

accessible to the rather conservative Costa Rican musicians and audiences. His early

works, such as his opera Marianela (1957) and the Concerto for Clarinet (1960), show a

clear tendency towards lyricism and romanticism. Marianela, especially, was written

with high post-romantic musical influences, and is strictly tonal. The audiences at the

time showed a great appreciation of tonal music: “Costa Rican audiences and the

National Symphony Orchestra tended to be rather conservative, so the National

Symphony does not perform a great deal of modern music.”14 Keeping his music

accessible to the general Costa Rican audience, however, was a challenge for Gutiérrez,

and while his later compositions—from 1978 onward—show a measure of stylistic

experimentation, they still maintained a solid lyrical background. His possible frustration

with the situation was illustrated later in an interview with Gerardo Meza:

In 1972 we traveled with the trio to Guanajuato [Mexico]. The festival required composers to submit works that were written in modern idioms and with the trio we had great success. They gave me a silver medal and the trio received great reviews. But when we returned, we played it here upon the initiative of Jan Dobrzelewski, and people did not like it. When I have to send chamber works to be performed abroad I am more daring and write in a more contemporary language, but here [in Costa Rica] I try not to write music the people will not understand.15

                                                                                                                         13. “YOUNG COMPOSERS HEAR THEIR MUSIC: Works Written by Students at Five Schools

Played at ‘Forum’ Concerts.” New York Times, 7 May 1960: 16. http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed October 29, 2009).

14. Sider, 263.

15. Benjamín Gutiérrez, interview by Gerardo Meza. Guadalupe, San José, 16 August 2006.

26    

Nevertheless, Gutiérrez was not afraid of experimentation, since he absorbed so

well the musical aesthetics to which he was exposed during his education. According to

Sider:

…his style has gradually evolved from the full-blown romanticism of his early works—an expansive, romantic spirit, rhythmic vitality, with certain Latin American influences, seen in rhythm and orchestration (he cites the influence of Revueltas and Ginastera), modality and ostinatos—through shifting tonalities and polytonal experiments, to the free use of dodecaphonic techniques since 1978.”16 Additionally, Bernal Flores describes Gutiérrez as a composer whose “style is

contemporary-romantic, with firm orchestration and dissonant harmony without

extremes, in which the use of tonality, within a free context, appears darkened by chords

that speak twentieth-century idioms.”17 It is relevant to mention that Costa Rica’s musical

life during the first half of the twentieth century was impregnated by a combination of

romantic western traditions flavored by the traditions of salon music. According to

Flores:

The musical movement during the first decades of the twentieth century was very poor. The music being heard, within the limited concert activity taking place, was predominantly tonal, of the periods baroque, classic and romantic…The ears of local composers were being nurtured only by the music of the past, being natural to them to “imitate”—consciously or not—this music in their compositions. There were only a few (like Julio Fonseca or Alejandro Monestel or a few others) who had a more ample and advanced technical knowledge; the majority wandered dreamily through the regions of a primitive harmony, sometimes revealing a valuable musical sense and particular talent, but working with very rudimentary technical tools.18

                                                                                                                         16. Sider, 268.

17. Bernal Flores, La Música en Costa Rica (San José: Editorial Costa Rica, 1978), 137.

18. Ibid., 130. Translation by Juan Pablo Andrade.

27    

Alejandro Monestel (1865-1950) and Julio Fonseca (1885-1950) were the most

prolific Costa Rican composers of the first half of the twentieth century. Monestel

focused mostly on sacred choral music with some forays into chamber music. Fonseca

also made a considerable contribution to sacred choral music, but he wrote symphonic

and instrumental music as well. Both composers studied in Brussels and their music

emphasizes nineteenth century compositional traits within a strictly tonal-functional

harmonic display. Another important figure in musical life in Costa Rica in the twentieth

century was Julio Mata (1899-1969), who studied in the United States and whose music

is characterized by references to Costa Rican traditional music in his compositions. This

scenario reveals the antagonistic developments that were taking part in Costa Rica in the

twentieth century in contrast with the musical environment in the United States and

Europe. While composers such as Monestel or Mata were satisfying the musical taste of a

society, composers in other areas of the world had long ago abandoned tonal-functional

music structures. It is in this context that Gilbert Chase stated in an article written in 1959

that “for the Central American Republics, at present we can only say that they are

still struggling to establish the foundations of their musical activity on a firm basis

(with Guatemala leading in this respect), and that as yet none has produced a composer

of significant international stature.”19 Even though Costa Rica had contributors to the

establishment and development of regional and academic music, the production did not

satisfy the international compositional standards of the time. However, according to

                                                                                                                         19. Gilbert Chase, “Creative Trends in Latin American Music-II,” Tempo 50 (1959): 26.

28    

Chase, Costa Rica was not the only country in the Latin American region that did not

move along the trends of the time:

In the twentieth-century panorama of Latin American music the key words are Provincialism, Nationalism, Universality. Some countries are still in the first stage, others in the second, and a few have made the transition from the second to the third. While progress will eventually remove provincialism, the consensus seems to be that the preservation of national character is essential to the achievement of true universality.20 Using Chase’s reasoning, we can place Gutiérrez’s early works in the

provincialist style, due mainly to the influences and the musical preferences of Costa

Rican society during the first half and a good portion of the second half of the twentieth

century. Provincialism (applied to the particular context of Gutiérrez’s music) refers to

the incorporation of elements that were conventional in the Costa Rican music

environment that held appeal to the local society, because Gutiérrez did not incorporate

elements from his traditional or folkloric musical surroundings. An example of this

period is the success of his opera Marianela mentioned earlier. However, as a result of

the influences he encountered during his studies in the United States and Argentina (as

well as his short visits to countries such as France and Mexico) he quickly absorbed the

techniques and taste of the universal language, leaving behind provincialism to become a

universal composer. It is difficult to talk about universalism, particularly concerning the

products of the twentieth century when music became more eclectic in contrast with the

nationalism of the previous century. However, it is fair to assume that “a universal

                                                                                                                         20. Ibid., 28.

29    

composer” in this context means one who follows the contemporary trends of the time, as

did Gutiérrez.

C. Nationalism

As a result of the numerous prizes Gutiérrez has been granted in Costa Rica, and

also because of the importance of his work to the development of the nation’s music,

many interviews with the composer have been conducted. The Costa Rican newspapers

La Nación and Tiquicia have published interviews with the composer, in addition to

several interviews between the composer and professors at the University of Costa Rica.

In those interviews, Gutiérrez spoked vividly about his encounters and studies with the

composer Alberto Ginastera, whom he considers a strong musical influence in his life. He

has also named the Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas as an additional influence,

particularly for his treatment of rhythm and orchestration. Both of these composers are

significant figures of nationalism expressed in Latin American music, even though they

both transformed their later musical approaches to incorporate the techniques admired in

universal circles. Chase writes:

[Ginastera was] highly sensitive to all the cultural connotations of his national environment, familiar with his country's history, folklore, and literature, reacting strongly to the stimulus of its physical reality, expressed in the symbolic language of his music the concentrated and sublimated essence of the Argentine character and landscape… Even in his most ‘abstract’ works, [he] never ceases to think of himself as an Argentine musician whose work reflects, in however recondite or subjective a manner, the reality – perhaps we should say the psychic reality, in which emotion[ally] – charged symbols are as important as the physical environment-of his national heritage.21

                                                                                                                         21. Gilbert Chase, “Alberto Ginastera: Portrait of an Argentine Composer,” Tempo 44 (1957): 15.

30    

On the other hand, Revueltas was a composer who identified himself with the

landscapes and colors of Mexico: “what concerns him more vitally are the people, the

types, the gestures, the way women speak and walk, children with their games and

shouting.”22 These two composers unabashedly identified themselves with their

surrounding culture and expressed this through the use of a variety of stylistic features,

such as their treatment of rhythm, use of compound metrics, insertion of rhythms found

popular music (such as Ginastera’s use of the malambo, among others). Overall, their

music is characterized by a vigorous vitality, impregnated with the landscapes of their

places of origin.

Of course, Ginastera and Revueltas were not the only Latin American composers

that identified themselves with the nationalistic movement: other important figures

include Mexican nationals Manuel María Ponce (1882-1948) and Carlos Chávez (1899-

1978), Brazilian Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959), as well as Roque Cordero (1917-2008)

in the neighbor country of Panamá, to note but a few of the most significant.

Gutiérrez did not draw upon Ginestera and Revueltas’s enthusiasm for

nationalism in the development of his own musical language, since he actively avoided

any association with nationalistic trends. In an interview with Fernando Zúñiga,23 the

composer made plain his ideas regarding nationalism: “nationalism requires a certain

degree of aristocracy that makes music decadent.”24 This statement leads us to assume

                                                                                                                         22. Otto Meyer-Serra, “Silvestre Revueltas and Musical Nationalism in Mexico,” The Musical

Quarterly 27, no. 2 (1941):128.

23. Benjamín Gutiérrez, Interview by Fernando Zúñiga, tape recording, San José, January 2010.

24. Ibid.

31    

that Gutiérrez has never identified himself with a national trend, not only regarding

musical expression, but culturally as well. Andrade argues that Gutiérrez’s lack of

interest in the nationalistic musical trend was because of the reasons expressed by

Béhague: the avoidance of “facile exotic regionalism” and the desire to “gain recognition

through the intrinsic quality of [the compositions].”25 In other words, his avoidance of

incorporating indigenous or traditional elements of Costa Rican music was not because of

his lack of knowledge of these expressions but because he wanted to be considered a

universal composer, rather than an exotic one.

However, returning to Chase’s statement about the panorama of Latin American

music development (see p. 28), composers generally fall into the line of development:

provincialism, nationalism, and universalism. Paradoxically, he also adds that “While

progress will eventually remove provincialism, the consensus seems to be that the

preservation of national character is essential to the achievement of true

universality.”26 When viewed in these terms, Gutiérrez’s early works can be easily placed

in the category of provincialism, not because of the use of folk or peasant tunes in his

work, but because of his influence on the musical spirit of Costa Rican society: he

composed what people liked, but he did not compose nationalistic music (Costa Rican

folk-based music). However, soon enough, during his encounters with compositional

trends of the time (twelve-tone system, among others) he started to experiment with a

whole new world of possibilities:

                                                                                                                         25. Andrade, 73.

26. Gilbert Chase, “Creative Trends in Latin American Music-II,” Tempo 50 (1959): 28.

32    

Although Gutiérrez has experimented with avant-garde idioms, he has always gravitated towards more traditional practices, and his more mature style bows to neoromanticism rather than to modernism. Harmonically, his music is constructed mostly of chords and key centers that can be recognized and analyzed according to tonal procedures. He particularly likes to use tritones, major sevenths and minor seconds. His melodic treatment sometimes shows hints of Romanticism by reaching a peak toward the end of the melody.27

In conclusion, Gutiérrez is a composer who during his training years absorbed

musical influences from many different contexts: from the Guatemalan conservatory,

from the United States twentieth-century trends, and also from the nationalistic

movement in Latin America. He also traveled briefly to Mexico in 1972 and to Paris in

1984 encountering new musical ideas there as well. Nevertheless, he did not adhere to

any particular compositional technique; rather, he took elements from all movements that

he encountered, and blended them into a unique style. Most significantly, despite the

influence of the nationalistic trend in Latin America culture, Gutiérrez did not favor the

creation of music with national archetypes.

The success of Gutiérrez’s viola concerto was contingent upon the existence and

support of an orchestra to perform it, in this case the Costa Rican National Symphony

Orchestra, an institution that until recently could not be taken for granted. The story of

the development of the symphony orchestra in Costa Rica is thus intrinsically connected

to an appreciation of the importance of the concerto.

                                                                                                                         27. Andrade, 70.

33    

CHAPTER 3

ORQUESTA SINFÓNICA NACIONAL DE COSTA RICA

A. The Orchestra Before 1970

Musical tradition in Latin American countries is rooted in colonization by

Western cultures, and Costa Rica was no different. However, each country developed

their musical traditions differently. According to Elman Service,28 Costa Rica (along with

Argentina, Uruguay, some parts of coastal Brazil, and most of the Antilles) belongs to a

group that is “non-Indian in both race and culture” which he refers to as Euro-

American.29 The rest of the countries are classified in two separate groups: Mestizo-

American and Indo-American, depending on their racial and cultural characteristics. Even

though the Spaniards brought with them a significant musical tradition to the new land,

Costa Rican indigenous groups already had a tradition and instruments of their own.

Currently, some instruments and melodies are still preserved, but most of the cultural

developments grew to the side of western music tradition. During the colonial era

formally composed music had essentially three different roles in society: supporting the

services of the Catholic Church, providing entertainment at musical soirées in private

                                                                                                                         28. Elman R. Service, “Indian-European Relations in Colonial Latin America,” American

Anthropologist 57, no. 3 (1955): 411-425.

29. Ibid., 411.

34    

homes, and supporting official and civic events with accompanying military and wind

band music.30

In Costa Rica, sacred music for the Catholic Church reached its pinnacle in art

western music with the works for choir by Monestel and Fonseca. Musical soirées were

the onset of the western concert tradition, and the military music that once accompanied

official events remains an important part of Costa Rican musical life today. During the

nineteenth century, the country was flooded with immigrant musicians from around the

world, many of whom brought with them the instructional methods in the art of western

musical practice. These musicians were involved in the training of younger generations,

and founded numerous informal music schools, whose primary focus was to teach

children the arts of singing, playing an instrument, and the basics of music theory.31 It

was this influx of activity that spurred musical growth and interest and which enabled the

establishment of a national symphony.

Western instrumental musical practice in Costa Rica has its roots in military

bands. Military bands have certainly been an important institution in the western cultural

tradition. In the past wind bands used to accompany the militia in battle. In Latin

American, the practice was also adopted, and the tradition of musicians at the service of

the militia continued until the twentieth century. After the abolition of the militia in 1948,

the military bands turned into civic bands and continued to be an important part of the

                                                                                                                         30. Iván Molina and Steven Palmer, eds. The History of Costa Rica (San José: Editorial de

la Universidad de Costa Rica, 2005), 52.  

31. Flores, 54.

35    

cultural life in the country. For this reason most of the scholarly accounts on the music

history of the country are in great part devoted to this institution. The works by Pompilio

Segura32 and María Clara Vargas33 are among the most significant literature regarding the

history and developments of the military bands in Costa Rica.

Although the existence of musical groups that accompanied activities for the

militia dates from the colonial period, it was not until 1860 that the aggrupation was large

enough (in terms of number of instrumentalists) to be recognized as a band.34 By that

time, the group of San José included 68 musicians. Due to the increase of musicians, and

consequently the increase in bands across the country, the wind band became a formal

institution, and in 1866 the first reference to the position of Director General de Bandas

(General Band Director) appeared in print in the budget of the Cartera de Guerra y

Marina (War and Marines Branch).35 This position was granted to Manuel María

Gutiérrez (1829-1887) in 1852 and Rafael Chávez Torres (1839-1907).

In addition to their military duties, military bands also performed at religious and

public activities:

Gradually, these ensembles ceased to be merely reinforcement for the military activities, and assumed a fundamental role in the social entertainment of the civilians. The musical commands, ‘de retraite’ in French, that were used to alert the army to cease activities and, during the evenings, to summon the troops back

                                                                                                                         32. Pompilio Segura, Desarrollo musical en Costa Rica durante el siglo XIX: Las Bandas

Militares (Heredia: Editorial de la Universidad Nacional, 2001).

33. María Clara Vargas, De las Fanfarrias a las Salas de Concierto, Música en Costa Rica (1840-1940) (San José: Editorial de la Universidad de Costa Rica, 2004).

34. Ibid., 39.

35. Ibid.

36    

to the headquarters, became true concerts outdoors. They were called retretas, if they took place during the evening and recreos if they were held at some point in the afternoon.36 Since there was no symphony orchestra, the band had a defining role in the

acquisition of the western tradition of concert music, as Flores describes: “each band

would normally perform at a kiosk especially built in the central park of each community.

The programs usually included some transcriptions of arias from Italian opera, which

became very popular in Costa Rica during the nineteenth century, selections of Spanish

zarzuelas, Viennese waltzes and other dances such as polkas, mazurkas, gavotas, and

works by local composers.”37 Also, the influence of Italian opera and Spanish zarzuelas

was very significant for Costa Rican audiences in the last decades of the nineteenth-

century. The country enjoyed regular visits from different foreign opera companies such

as those led by Manuel Lorenzo, Saturnino Belen, and Villalonga, among others.

The wind band gradually assumed a central role in the cultural scene of the

country and in 1907 the Belgian conductor and composer Jean Loots was brought in as

Director General de Bandas (General Director of Bands) to improve and reform the

existing national band system. Some of the changes promoted during his time as director

involved improving maintenance of the instruments, promoting a more varied repertoire,

improving salaries, establishing a pension system for the members of the bands, and,

                                                                                                                         36. María Clara Vargas, “Práctica Musical en Costa Rica, 1845-1942” (master’s thesis,

Universidad de Costa Rica, 1999), 104. Translated by Manuel Matarrita.

37. Flores, 265. Translated by Juan Pablo Andrade.

37    

above all, improving the education of their members.38 Given this attention the wind band

became not only the most important institution for musical exposé in Costa Rica, but it

also served an essential role in the education of its members.

Loots remained active in the military bands until his death in 1929 and, in

addition to reforming the band system, he created a Military Music School for the

members of the military bands. It was his dedication to his work with the institution that

led him to organize the first symphonic orchestra in the country in 1926. Although it was

still relatively new, the symphony had its first tour in 1927 to perform in Guatemala and

Mexico, which was made possible thanks to a private donation. The orchestra’s visit to

Guatemala was met with a friendly reception, and according to Bernal Flores musicians

harbored fond memories of this trip.39 However, their visit to Mexico was not so well-

received. The Costa Rican musicians were highly criticized for their lack of ability and

were told that they did not have the technical and musical capabilities to be part of a

symphonic orchestra.40 Sadly, the situation was further exacerbated by the fact that the

orchestra administrator had disappeared, taking with him all of the orchestra’s money and

leaving the musicians unable to afford their passage back home. In the end, the musicians

were aided by the association of musicians in Mexico, who granted them a loan for the

return home, which was later repaid by the Costa Rican government. Following the

                                                                                                                         38. Eugenio Rodríguez Vega, Costa Rica en el Siglo XX (San José: Editorial Universidad Estatal a

Distancia, 2004), 271.

39. Flores, 74.  

40. Ibid.

38    

ordeal, the Costa Rican musicians were harshly criticized by the Mexican media, and the

orchestra disbanded.

This may have seemed like the end of efforts to create a formal symphonic

orchestra in Costa Rica, and indeed it took a cultural revolution of sorts almost a decade

and a half later to renew those efforts. The year 1940 was of great importance in the

history of Costa Rica, not only in the creation of new cultural institutions, but in the

political changes that defined the country over the following decades. Rafael Angel

Calderón Guardia was elected president of Costa Rica in 1940, and with him, Costa Rica

witnessed the birth of many significant cultural institutions such as the Universidad de

Costa Rica (1940), Conservatorio Nacional de Música (1941), Orquesta Sinfónica

Nacional (1942), and Sociedad de Geología e Historia (1940). The creation of the

Universidad de Costa Rica (University of Costa Rica) in particular brought about many

cultural changes in Costa Rican society. These changes included the foundation of

cultural groups that were part of the regular programs of the university such as the

Compañía Teatral Universitaria (University Theatre Company), Coro Universitario

(University Choir), the Círculo de Poetas y Escritores Universitarios (University Poets

and Writers Circle), Círculo de Poetas de Turrialba (Turrialba’s Poets Circle), as well as

the creation of various cultural magazines such as Repertorio Americano (American

Repertoire) and Brecha (Gap).41 These groups were relevant not only to the university

                                                                                                                         41. Juan Rafael Quesada Camacho and Daniel Masís Iverson, Costa Rica Contemporánea: Raíces

del Estado de la Nación (Costa Rica: Proyecto Estado de la Nación, 1997), 245.

39    

community, but to the nation as a whole because their target was the Costa Rican general

audience.

All of these institutions had a great impact on Costa Rican culture, and it was this

explosion of cultural activity that helped prompt the reorganization of the orchestra in

1940. The task was headed by the Uruguayan conductor Hugo Mariani and violinist

Alfredo Serrano, who organized a group of string players from different music schools to

join wind players from various bands. They prepared a concert in October of 1940 and it

was financed by the Rotary Club. During the years of 1941 and 1942, the orchestra

survived thanks to the support of private grants. Finally on December 1942 the orchestra

was institutionalized and included as part of the state budget. Hugo Mariani assumed the

direction of the orchestra from 1940 until 1948. In the following six years he was

succeeded by numerous other conductors, including Edvard Fendler and Joseph Wagner,

until Mariani took the position again, from 1954 until his death in 1966. In June 1967

Carlos Enrique Vargas took over the position of the director of the national symphony

orchestra.

The twentieth century was a period of transition from informal music studies to

the establishment of important institutions devoted to the training of music professionals.

During the founding of the symphony orchestra, music education and training in

performance was still underdeveloped, and subsequently there were no advanced studies,

the music schools of the time only offered an “elemental level” of instruction.42 In

addition, many people interested in the musical craft did not aspire to become

                                                                                                                         42. Flores, 106.

40    

professional players, but rather played for pleasure. In the configuration of the new

orchestra, most of the members were Costa Rican instrumentalists, but they were mostly

amateur musicians. Their lack of proper musical and technical instruction did not allow

the players to compete with international orchestral standards, a case similar to the

previous orchestra of 1927. However, the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional continued to

bring musical luminaries such as Jascha Heitfetz, Claudio Arrau, Nathan Milstein,

Yehudi Menuhin, Ruggiero Ricci, and William Primrose to participate in their regular

concert seasons. Also, and more important, the creation of the orchestra played an

important part in the development of musical awareness in Costa Rican society.

B. The Musical Revolution of 1970: The New Orchestra

The decade of 1970s brought many changes to the musical environment of Costa

Rica. The orchestral institution once established in the decade of 1940s was now under

the scope of a new ministry that had planned to execute a series of reforms in order to

boost the musical and technical level so the orchestra might compare to orchestras in

Europe and the United States. The idea with the reformation of the orchestra was to

create a professional orchestra, and by that, the vice-minister Guido Sáenz meant to have

an orchestra where its members were entirely devoted to the practice of music and their

instrument.43 All these changes represented a dramatic transition to the established

members of the orchestra, but in the end, it represented a new achievement in the history

of Costa Rican music culture.                                                                                                                          

43. Guido Sáenz, Para qué Tractores sin Violines (San José: Editorial Costa Rica, 1982).

41    

The 1970s brought many changes to the musical activity in Costa Rica, but also to

the economy. In 1970 José Figueres was elected the president of Costa Rica and created

a new governmental office that would be in charge of the cultural matters in the country,

the Ministerio de Cultura, Juventud y Deporte (Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports).

Before the creation of this institution, the agency in charge of the cultural matters was the

Ministry of Education. The newly created ministry began its work in January 1971, but it

was not officially approved by the Costa Rican Congress until July of the same year,

under the law No. 4788. The language of that law confirms the new ministry and outlines

its duties and responsibilities as follows:

Article 1. The Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports is created. Article 2. The new ministry will assume the responsibilities, and functions that the law previously assigned to the Ministry of Public Education that deals with: General Direction of Arts and Letters, General Direction of Physical Education and Sports, Costa Rica Editors, National Museum, National Symphony Orchestra, National Prizes (Magón, Aquileo Echeverría, and Joaquín García Monge), and the Commission established by the law no. 3535 on August 3, 1965. Article 3. The General Direction of Libraries and the National Theatre will be adscript to the ministry created by this law. The Executive Power will provide, by the creations of decrees, what other departments and organisms will be part of the new ministry.44

The first Minister of Culture was Alberto Cañas and the Vice-Minister Fernando

Volio. However, at the time, Guido Sáenz was the main player behind the scenes,

                                                                                                                         44. Ministerio de Cultura, Juventud y Deporte, Ley 4788, Asamblea Legislativa de la República

de Costa Rica. (July 5, 1971). Artículo 1º.- Créase el Ministerio de Cultura, Juventud y Deportes. Artículo 2º.- El nuevo Ministerio asumirá las responsabilidades, injerencias y funciones que la ley señala al Ministerio de Educación Pública en relación con la dirección General de Artes y Letras, la Dirección General de Educación Física y Deportes, la Editorial Costa Rica, el Museo Nacional, la Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, los Premios Nacionales Magón, Aquileo J. Echeverría y Joaquín García Monge, y la Comisión establecida por ley 3535 de 3 de agosto de 1965. Artículo 3º.- La Dirección General de Bibliotecas y el Teatro Nacional estarán adscritos al Ministerio que por esta ley se crea. El Poder Ejecutivo dispondrá, por medio de decretos, cuáles otros departamentos u organismos formarán el nuevo Ministerio.

42    

responsible for many of the changes in the musical environment of the country and by the

end of 1970 he was the new Vice-Minister of Culture. Sáenz details the changes in the

musical scene of the country and the revolution created by the new ministry, from his

own perspective in his book Para que Tractores sin Violines (Why Tractors without

Violins?).45

At the very beginning of the new government, Sáenz initiated an underground

movement to unofficially inform his friends and allies of the orchestra of his plans to

reform the institution by importing qualified musicians from around the globe. As one

can imagine, this garnered Sáenz many supporters but also many dissenters. However,

the idea to import foreign musicians to train a new generation of professional musicians

was not new in the Central American region. Since 1961, the U.S. Peace Corps is an

organization that sends volunteers to 76 different countries around the globe to build

community and provide technical assistance and education in various fields. In 1966, the

Peace Corps considered the possibility of bringing professional musicians to El Salvador

“to create a group of Salvadorian teachers, highly qualified as professors and

musicians.”46

In early 1970 the head of the music department [in El Salvador], Joseph Karl Doetsch, got together with Gerald Brown (former Peace Corps Volunteer to Bolivia and present conductor of the Costa Rica Symphony) and Peace Corps officials Peggy Doty and Douglas Walker to discuss in earnest the program proposal. After many weeks of planning, both Peace Corps Washington and the government of El Salvador gave their approval. Doetsch was given permission by

                                                                                                                         45. Guido Sáenz, Para qué Tractores sin Violines (San José: Editorial Costa Rica, 1982).

46. Frances S. Reedy, “Music Education Joins the Peace Corps,” Music Educators Journal 61, no. 5 (1975): 47.

43    

the Salvadoran government to go to the US to search for seven specialists in brass, woodwinds, strings, percussion, keyboard, music education, and composition/conducting.47

The idea of reforming music programs in Latin American countries seemed to be

popular around that time, and Gerald Brown was one the figures that led the reformation

of several music programs. A native of Douglas, Arizona, Gerald Brown began his

musical career at age of six with private music lessons and later joined the band program

at the Douglas Unified School District. He earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from the

Arizona State University and pursued his graduate studies at the Juilliard School of

Music. After graduating, he enrolled in the Peace Corps program, which led him to work

with the National Symphony in Bolivia. His duties in the new position required:

…to play French horn and to teach, at the same time the conductor of Bolivia’s national symphony orchestra was leaving. Brown auditioned, got the position and spent the maximum allowable time in the Peace Corps, five years, in Bolivia. He was soon responsible, at the age of 27, for terminating the contracts of more than 30 musicians in the orchestra, bringing fresh blood in and completely reorganizing the orchestra.48

In April 1970, Brown made a short visit to Costa Rica on a trip from El Salvador

to Bolivia to meet with members of the cultural ministry and talk about the musical scene

in Costa Rica. He met with Guido Sáenz and they both shared their interests and

experiences with the new musical programs that Brown had led.49 There were many

similarities between Sáenz’s ideas and Brown’s work in Latin American music

                                                                                                                         47. Ibid.

48. Douglas Dispatch, http://www.douglasdispatch.com/articles/2011/08/19/news/features/doc4e4bdb624a47b106765011.txt (accessed on December 13, 2011).

49. Sáenz, 32.

44    

communities, and the meeting marked a decisive moment in the establishment of the new

orchestra in Costa Rica.

The first task of the ministry was to reform the existing Orquesta Sinfónica

Nacional, which had been created in 1940 primarily by amateur musicians. Among the

members of the orchestra were doctors, merchants, and a variety of professionals in other

fields who were members of the orchestra because they enjoyed the personal and musical

rewards of playing an instrument. As a result, the quality of the orchestra was very poor,

and the players were deficient not only in their musical knowledge, but also in their

technical abilities, which were below the typical standards of a national orchestra. There

were two main issues that contributed to the lack of technical capability among the

players. First, although the country had a conservatory, it did not have teachers qualified

to produce professional musicians. The second issue was money. The budget allotted the

orchestra was not enough to support such an organization, and so it struggled. Despite

these issues, the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional prospered during its first two decades.

However, in time the educated audience in Costa Rica began to realize how far behind

they were musically from other countries. Attempts were made to remedy the situation,

and in 1971the orchestra budget increased from c360,000 granted annually, to

c1,000,00050, more than double of the previous year. The increased budget assigned to

the institution was certainly a step in the right direction, however, this was not the only

change proposed-extreme changes were made. The board of directors of the orchestra

decided to dismiss players that did not meet the standards of education or technical

                                                                                                                         50. Ibid., 55.  

45    

ability. Additionally, the remaining musicians with sufficient musical training were

required to pass a formal audition. Many players found this humiliating, and despite the

fact that they would have most likely passed, they decided not to audition out of protest,

and instead fought for their jobs in the orchestra, but eventually they were also dismissed.

The ministry also let go all of the current personnel—including the conductor, Carlos

Enrique Vargas—and imported a total of 21 professional musicians from the United

States, Central America, South America and Europe to start new contracts in July of

1971. The appointed conductor, the American Gerald Brown, was the man that once

shared experiences with Guido Sáenz, which led to a critical state of affairs in the

institution. Brown has definitely been an important figure in the transformation and

developments of symphony orchestras in different parts of the Latin American region.

Working in the recently reformed orchestra also represented a job opportunity for

younger generations of players, and foreign musicians as well. For the first concert of the

newly-formed orchestra, only 16 of the players came from Costa Rica the remaining

players originating from other countries: United States (7), Guatemala (3), Uruguay (3),

Honduras (1), El Salvador (1), Ecuador (1), England (1), Holland (1), Switzerland (1),

France (1), and Israel (1).51 Working in Costa Rica provided an exciting opportunity for

many young instrumentalists who had recently graduated, not only as players in a

professional orchestra but also as a way to gain experience as teachers. The Professor of

Bassoon at the University of Arizona, Dr. William Dietz, is a prime example as his first

                                                                                                                         51. Luis Fernando Murillo Torres, “Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Costa Rica” (thesis for the

degree of Licenciado en Ciencia Musical, Universidad de Costa Rica, 1986), 102.

46    

professional experience was in the newly formed Costa Rican orchestra. Even Gerald

Brown can be counted similarly. His experience with the Bolivian orchestra during his

time with the Peace Corps became a stepping-stone for his future post as music director

of the Costa Rican orchestra.

With the arrival of these musicians, the ministry aimed to not only reform and

improve the level of the orchestra, but also to promote the creation of a youth symphony

in order to train future members of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, drawn directly from

the Costa Rican community. The Youth Orchestra was created in 1972, and the project

has been a consistent success since its inception. The ministry’s goal has been achieved

and now most of the members of the national orchestra come from the youth orchestra

program. Ultimately, what this means is that today musicians from Costa Rica primary

comprise an institution that once imported its talent from abroad.

With the passing years, Costa Rican audiences witnessed an increased growth in

the musical quality of the orchestra. However, in 1978, there was another change in

government and for the next two years the country experienced instability that led to an

economic crisis in the early 1980s. Although, this economic crisis was felt at the

beginning of the 1980s, it was preceded by a decade of financial troubles in Costa Rican

society. The economic crisis was a response to three earlier cyclical crises to hit the major

capitalist economies, spurred by overproduction in 1969-1970, 1973-1975, and 1979-

1980.52

                                                                                                                         52. Prabhat Patnaik, “On the Economic Crisis of World Capitalism,” Social Scientist 10, no. 5

(1982): 19.

47    

Prior to the 1980s, Costa Rica had witnessed almost three decades of sustainable

economic growth based on the exportation of coffee, bananas, and the expansion of

services.53 This rapid economic growth was felt across Latin America, with Costa Rica in

the lead due in part to its more advanced infrastructure, and in part to social policies

established in the decades following the revolution in 1948, during the government of

Calderón Guardia. These policies included the abolishment of the military, nationalized

banking, government financed health care system, and social programs for the labor

class. These elements made Costa Rica unique among the other countries in the region.

During the economic crisis, however, the exchange rate of the colón to the U.S.

dollar dropped dramatically, and “the average salary fell more than 40 percent.”54

Consequently, the budget of the national orchestra suffered, and the number of musicians

was cut back considerably. Gerald Brown, who had been the appointed conductor until

then, left the orchestra in 1980 and the future of the orchestra was unclear. The crisis was

felt severely by the members of the orchestra. International musicians left because their

salaries had dropped so drastically that they could not continue to support themselves,

and Costa Rican musicians were let go simply because the orchestra could no longer

afford to support them.

It took a number of years for the Costa Rican economy to stabilize following the

crisis, but the orchestra somehow managed to keep afloat and continue with its regular

                                                                                                                         53. Richard Tardanico, “Crisis Económica y Ajuste Estructural: El Mercado Laboral en San José,

Costa Rica, 1979-1987,” Anuario de Estudios Centroamericanos 16, no. 2 (1990): 93.

54. Jorge Rovira Mas, “The Crisis: 1980-1982,” in The Costa Rica Reader: History, Culture, Politics, ed. Iván Molina and Steven Palmer (Durham: Duke University Press, 2004), 212.

48    

seasons. Agustín Cullel of Spain was brought in to act as conductor during this time,

staying in the position until 1984. Additionally, the orchestra made up for its loss in

numbers by bringing in a large number of young musicians from the youth orchestra

program, the music school of the University of Costa Rica, and from the Conservatorio

Castella.55 These fledgling musicians, who were still in the process of training, made it

possible for the orchestra to not only to survive the crisis but even to establish itself as a

solid and stable institution, and it was this practice that assured the ongoing production of

talented musicians who would one day be part of the national symphony.

C. William Schuck

One of the musicians in the Costa Rican orchestra who connects the history of the

institution to the composition of Benjamín Gutiérrez concerto for viola is the American

born violist William Schuck. Schuck holds a bachelor and master degrees in Music

Education and viola performance from Michigan State University. He started his career

as a violin player, but then switched to viola at Michigan State University in 1965. Some

of his teachers include Walter Evich, Romeo Tata, Lyman Bodman, and Rolf Persinger.

During his time as a student at MSU, he attended festivals such as the Interlochen Music

Camp, and the Aspen Music Festival. He finished his master degree in 1971. He served

as a teacher at different institutions such as Blue Fine Arts Camp in Michigan, and Kellog

Community College in Batte Creek.

                                                                                                                         55. Conservatorio Castella was founded in 1953 and is a high school with a main focus in the arts.

49    

In 1972 he moved to Costa Rica as member of the Peace Corps to form part of the

National Symphony Orchestra and has served has the principal violist as well as viola

teacher at the Instituto Nacional de Música since then. He also served as visiting

professor at the University of Costa Rica.

Schuck is an essential figure in the origin of Gutiérrez’s viola concerto, since the

work was written for and dedicated to him honoring his decision to remain in the country

despite the financial turmoil of the 1980s, while continuing to be part of the orchestra.

 

50    

CHAPTER 4

BRIBRI GROUPS

A. Historical background

The bribri referenced in the title of Gutiérrez’s concerto for viola represent one of

Costa Rica's few surviving indigenous groups. Residing in the mountains of Talamanca

in the southeast part of the country, their musical repertory and style are closely related to

that of the Cabécar groups, broadly known as the Talamancan Indians. The bribri

population, estimated at 11,174 inhabitants (in 2001)56 is the largest of all the indigenous

populations in Costa Rica.57 The Talamancan people have suffered in the process of

acculturation, although the bribri fought to remain isolated from European influences for

an extended period of time.

                                                                                                                         56. Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censo, 2001.

57. Laura Cervantes, “Sounds like Music: Ritual Speech Events among the Bribri Indians of Costa Rica” (PhD diss., The University of Texas at Austin, 2003), 7.

51    

Figure 1. Map of Bribri Territories.58

According to anthropologist Daniel Rojas,59 the history of the bribri can be

traced through the division of three periods after first contact with the Spanish language.

These periods mark the cultural interchanges between the bribri and the Westerners, first

in the form of colonizers, and later, the interaction with the emergent mestizo culture. The

first period dates from 1500 to the second half of the nineteenth century; the second

period dates from about the second half of the nineteenth century to the first half of the

twentieth century; and the last from 1950 through our present.60

                                                                                                                         58. Rubén Chacón and Marcos Guevara, Territorios Indios en Costa Rica: Orígenes, Situación

Actual y Perspectivas (San José: García Hermanos, 1992).

59. Daniel Rojas Conejo, Dilema e Identidad del Pueblo Bribri (San José: Editorial de la Universidad de Costa Rica, 2009).

60. Idem., 5.

52    

The first period is marked by the relationship between the bribri and the Spanish

colonizers, including military and missionaries. From 1709 to 1882 the bribri did not

allow missionaries or other outsiders into their community61 and managed to avoid

acculturation until the end of the nineteenth century with the construction of a railroad

and the production and exportation of bananas. However, “the increasing ‘mental

colonization’ effected in the name of modern education, national health care, and

Christian missionary work has led the bribris to active resistance, with the aim of

reconstructing their cultural identity by creating alternative interpretations of Western

domination.”62

The second period (after the Costa Rican independence from Spain) is

characterized by a more passive interaction between the bribri and the institution of the

United Fruit Company (UFCO) in the region at the beginning of the twentieth century.

This new interaction with the Western culture was affected not through military

domination but rather via technological domination, such as the introduction of industrial

and agricultural machinery and the railroad. These elements had a great impact on the

bribri, not only because of the cultural implications, but also because of the imposition of

new ways of work such as the freedom of contract and the concept of salary.63 Along

with the presence of multinational companies, the state began to have influence in the

                                                                                                                         61. María Eugenia Bozzoli, “Birth and Death in the Belief System of the Bribri

Indians of Costa Rica” (PhD diss., University of Georgia, 1975), 26. 62. Anja Nygren, “Struggle over Meaning: Reconstructing of Indigenous Mythology, Cultural

Identity, Social Representation” Ethnohistory 45, no. 1 (1998): 37.

63. Rojas, 7.

53    

region by placing state authorities in conflict with the indigenous cultural authorities or

chiefdoms known as caciques.

The third period in the development of bribri culture is essentially a continuation

of the preceding one, but with a stronger presence of the state in the region. It is also

marked by the large number of diverse religious groups in the area, oil excavations, and

the presence of the police. After 1940 the first public schools were introduced in

Talamancan areas and, since then, various churches have tried to convert the Indians to

their doctrine by introducing new modes of dress, beliefs, and sacred music. The bribri

still preserve some of their rituals and language, though the majority have adopted

Western clothing, have learned to speak Spanish, and their contemporary music reflects

aspects of Western tonality.

At the present time, the bribri face several obstacles. On the one hand, since the

1940s, “they have suffered an increasing progression through the establishment of

schools for the Indians and the expansion of the Costa Rican population from the center

of the country to the boundaries.”64 On the other hand, according to Cervantes, there are

several other aspects that have contributed to the accelerated acculturation such as “the

penetration into the Talamanca area of several religions, and the general effects of

modernization all over the country, such as the building of new roads and the

improvement of public transportation, which made it easier for companies to move into

their territory and exploit the natural resources of the area.”65 This poses a problem

                                                                                                                         64. Bozzoli, 38.

65. Cervantes, 44.  

54    

because the bribri culture survives through an oral tradition, and as such, the construction

of its history is based upon the oral transmission of knowledge. This transmission can be

severely affected by the acquisition of new cultural identities brought from outside the

community, and combined with the disinterest of newer generations of passing on

cultural traditions and knowledge, recent developments endanger not only bribri music

traditions but also their culture in general.

B. Musical style

Music in the bribri culture is considered a verbal art alongside mythical

narratives. Music theory, as we know it, could be considered irrelevant since the bribri

language does not even have a word for music. Bribri music can be grouped in two broad

categories. The first category (Siwa’ ki) refers to music learned through formal

instruction and includes music for religious purposes, rituals, and chants that tell the

bribri philosophy and mythology. The second category (a jkˋo ki) embraces songs that

are learned through common socialization and do not require formal training to be

learned. These songs are spontaneous in nature and are represented in part by dance

songs, lullabies, and songs that accompany common labor. The music of the first

category includes chants for shamanic rites, the dulë  songs, and the sorbón dance songs.66

These musical styles have been studied the most because they are still being performed.

The musical characteristics are detailed below so that they may be compared with the

elements used by Gutiérrez in his viola concerto.

                                                                                                                         66. Ibid., 78.

55    

Traditional bribri music is strictly vocal, monophonic, hemitonic-pentatonic

(employing semitones) and syllabic.67 The rhythm is dictated by the natural rhythm of the

speech. In some of their healing chants, it is common to end the chant with a recitative-

like fragment. It is also common that some of the chants are entirely based on recitatives,

in which “melody has rather a prosodic function, and therefore meter is impossible to

determine accurately and there is minimal pitch change.” 68 Since the recitative style is

commonly used among the bribri, it is natural to expect a predilection for stepwise

melodic movement. “Melodic range rarely exceeds the fifth. Some chants are pentatonic,

but most of them are tritonic and tetratonic.”69 Melodies of chants fluctuate around a

central tone. The melodies sung by women are the richest in the bribri musical tradition.

They contain more tones than those sung by men and extend over a greater range,

exhibiting overall greater melodic variety. However, “some songs might lack those

characteristics and be more restricted, depending on the individual preference.” 70 The

bribri songs are also within the natural range of the voice. There is no use for falsetto or

of extended vocal registers.

Musical example 1 illustrates all the characteristics mentioned above. The range

of the voice is limited to a perfect fifth (from B to F#), indeterminate meter, rhythm

                                                                                                                         67. Bernal Flores and Laura Cervantes Gamboa, “Costa Rica,” In Grove Music Online. Oxford

Music. http://www.grovemusic.com (accessed November 13, 2010).

68. Cervantes, 92-93.

69. Ibid., 93.

70. Ibid.

56    

dictated by the speech, and the pauses between phrases are determined by the text and the

time required by the singer to take a breath.71

Musical Example 1. Transcription of Estilo Segundo (Siwa’ Kulé), “Second Style,” a Bribri chant from the Siwa’ tradition (excerpt).

The sorbón is a male dance song that is performed by a leading singer and a male

chorus at communal parties known as chichadas.72 The dance is performed by men and

women, and it symbolizes unity and fraternity among the members of the community. It

is sung in the Teribe language and is accompanied by drums played by a male member.

“The sorbón dance songs also have a responsorial structure but between a male leader

and a mixed chorus formed by the dancing people, who sing a refrain made of non-

sensical syllables. Some formal training is needed to learn the leading part, and sorbón

singers are very admired. Sorbón is a Spanish word but its etymology is unknown.”73

                                                                                                                         71. Although Acevedo’s compilation of Talamancan music does not include the transcription of

the text of the songs, Musical Example 2 includes a transcription offered by Acevedo in Breve Reseña de la Música de Talamanca, and it does include the text of the song.    

72. Chichadas are communal parties that are held to celebrate the good ending of shared labors.

73. Cervantes, 82.

57    

According to Constela sorbón dances are still being performed but he has witnessed

several dances that are accompanied by non-indigenous music.

Musical example 2 is a transcription offered by Acevedo in a publication about

bribri music and song.74 It is included in order to offer the reader a broader sense of the

characteristics above mentioned regarding bribri musical tradition and to illustrate the

phrase structure in the song.

                                                                                                                         74. Jorge Luis Acevedo, Breve Reseña de la Música en Talamanca (San José: Editorial de la

Universidad de Costa Rica, 1983).

58    

Musical Example 2. Sörröbö (armadillo).

 

59    

CHAPTER 5

VIOLA CONCERTO SOBRE UN CANTO BRIBRI

A. Commission of the Concerto

Commissioned by the Board of Directors of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional for

the 1983 season, Benjamín Gutiérrez composed his Viola Concerto Sobre un Canto

Bribri in 1982-83. As noted earlier, the work was written for, and dedicated to American

violist William Schuck, one of the few foreign musicians who remained in Costa Rica for

the duration of the economic crisis of 1980s. The premier of the viola concerto was a

great success, earning Gutiérrez the Ancora prize awarded by the Costa Rican newspaper

La Nación. Founded in 1973, the prize was awarded annually (then once every two years,

beginning in 1978) for excellence in the areas of the arts, literature, and history. Gutiérrez

was the recipient for 1983-1984.

In an interview with the composer in La Nación,75 Gutiérrez expressed his

insights regarding the source of inspiration for his viola concerto. He remarked that he

took interest in the recent (at the time) publication of Ye Stsöke, Yo Suelo Cantar (I Sing),

an audio recording and collection of songs from the Talamanca region of Costa Rica

compiled by Jorge Acevedo (b. 1943). It is important to note that the work by Acevedo

includes recordings from the Talamancan region, but does not provide the text of any of

the songs. The only additional information is the material presented on the cover of the

album which includes the titles of each song accompanied by a short description.

                                                                                                                         75. Ancora, La Nación, January 20, 1985.

60    

Gutiérrez commented that the concerto is not based solely on the songs contained

in Acevedo’s work, but is also a nationalistic piece: “it was not easy to embrace the

composition of a nationalistic piece at the end of the twentieth century. However, the

material’s originality justified the effort.”76 Gutiérrez shared his interest in the songs with

violist William Schuck, who was also attracted to the recordings, and even though he did

not have a bearing on Gutiérrez’s compositional decisions, he knew about Gutiérrez’s

intentions of using bribri material. After careful listening, Gutiérrez decided to embrace

the task of writing a concerto for viola based on a bribri song.77 Musical example 3 is

taken from the first page of the score of Gutiérrez’s work, which begins with a viola

cadenza.

                                                                                                                         76. Ibid. Translation by Author.

77. Ibid.

61    

Musical Example 3. Manuscript of the first page of the score.78

                                                                                                                         78. Benjamín Gutiérrez, “Concierto para Viola y Orquesta, Sobre un Canto Bribri,” score, 1983,

Archivo Histórico Musical, Universidad de Costa Rica.

62    

Later in another interview,79 Gutiérrez stated that the concerto was not actually

inspired by bribri music. He explained that the director of the music school at the

University of Costa Rica at the time was Jorge Acevedo, who, according to Gutiérrez,

identified himself with indigenous lineage. Acevedo may have been influenced by the

great flourishing of interest in the bribri culture in the early 1980s, and his interest could

be seen in changes around the music school. Probably most significant was that the walls

of the lobby, as well as one of the main rooms of the building on the first floor, were

painted with indigenous portraits and landscapes. All of the changes, in addition to his

publications concerning Talamancan culture, had an important impact at the music

school. It is because of the pressure of this surging interest in indigenous culture that

Gutiérrez asserted his motivation to call his concerto sobre un canto bribri was merely to

satisfy the interest of the people with particular interest in the bribri music.

Another element of the concerto that the composer discussed during the same

interview80 was the fact that, in composing a concerto for viola, a composer must

compete with Hindemith’s viola concerto. Although Gutiérrez did not state that he

molded his own concerto with Hindemith’s concerto in mind, there are many similarities

between the two pieces, which will be discussed later.

                                                                                                                         79. Benjamín Gutiérrez, Interview by Fernando Zuniga, San José, January 2010.

80. Ibid.

63    

B. Performances

Following the premiere of the concerto in 1983 by Schuck, the work was included

in the orchestra’s season of 1985, played again by Schuck this time under the direction of

the Mexican conductor Ildefonso Cedillo. The concerto was not played again in the

country until 2010 when it was revived by the Costa Rican violist Edmundo Ramírez,

under the direction of Stéphane Petitjean. The idea of resurrecting the work originated

from Ramírez, who at the time was working as a producer with the record label Naxos to

promote new releases of music by three Costa Rican composers: Benjamín Gutiérrez,

Carlos Castro, and Alejandro Cardona. One of the releases featuring music by Gutiérrez

will include the concerto for viola performed by Ramírez with Costa Rican National

Symphony Orchestra. However, at this moment, the recordings have not yet been

released.

C. Analysis of the piece

Gutiérrez’s concerto for viola is structured in one movement. The concerto begins

with a cadenza in the solo viola freely composed, without bar structure. There is no meter

or tempo marking other than Lento, and the phrases are marked by commas and fermatas

over a rest. This first statement of the soloist presents all the motivic elements that will

shape the structure of the concerto, and also, presents the thematic material that the

composer will develop throughout the piece.

The cadenza presents five different themes that will appear through the rest of the

piece, either in their original form, or in variation. The first theme of the cadenza, seen in

64    

musical examples 4 through 6, will serve as a connective passage between the larger

sections of the piece. This first theme is presented in three different keys, although it

retains the same melodic structure in each transposition. The first theme is based upon a

single cell (musical example 4) that will be presented in modified versions throughout the

movement. Musical examples 4 through 6 show the structure of the first theme with the

different expansions of the cell and its extension.

Musical Example 4. First motive. Original cell.

Musical Example 5. Expansion of the first motive

Musical Example 6. Further expansion of the first motive

As seen in musical example 4, the initial 4-note motive of the cadenza is the

source for most of the material of the piece. It is recurrent and appears through the rest of

the piece either in its original form as a cadenza, or transformed in the orchestral parts or

the solo line. The piece is responsorial in nature, alternating solo cadenzas (eight in total)

and orchestral sections, in which the viola continues playing the solo part.

65    

After the initial presentation, each time the first motive is played, it is developed

and expanded.

Musical Example 7. Excerpt of the Viola Concerto. Beginning of the initial Cadenza.

During the cadenza, the five themes are structured in the following form

manner:81

Musical example 8 shows the initial cadenza, with each of the themes marked

with lower case letters.

                                                                                                                         

81. For the purpose of this analysis, the themes are going to be represented by a lower case letter (a through e), and the larger sections of the concerto are going to be represented by upper case latters.

66    

Musical Example 8. Initial cadenza.

67    

During the opening cadenza, themes c through d are connected, without

separation between them, which can be interpreted as d represents an extension of c. The

first statement of theme a is to be performed piano with the extension marked pianissimo

and staccato. Each of the sections (or themes) of the cadenza are longer in extension and

each builds in terms of dynamic and intensity. However, parts c and e again start quietly

with an increase in dynamic intensity at the end of the returning a section. The last

statement of a in the cadenza, marked ff, strepitoso, tutta forza, is dramatic, accented, and

in octaves.

The work begins with the solo viola and it also ends with the solo viola playing

over an A pedal in the orchestra. The entire piece can be seen from different perspectives:

it can be interpreted as a three short movements, but also it can be seen as an arch form

with introduction:

Cadenza – introduction – A – B – A’ – coda – cadenza.

However, the introduction and the coda do not share the same thematic structure.

The arch form is defined by the cadenzas at the beginning and the end, and also by the

introductory and concluding parts, as can be seen in example 2.

68    

Cadenza Introduction A B A Coda Cadenza Lento Opening to m. 1

Recitativo mm. 1 to 39

Poco meno mosso mm. 41 to 140

Lento mm. 153 to 198

Tempo giusto e marcato Pick up to mm. 200 to 229

Allegro molto agitato mm. 230 to 310

mm. 321 to the end

Transition: mm. 140 to 152 Cadenza: mm.145 to 147 and 152

Cadenza: mm. 171 to 172

Transition: mm. 312 to 320

Figure 2. Formal outline of the Concerto

The first section of the concerto, the introduction, starts in m. 1 with the entrance

of the orchestra after the viola candenza and continues until m. 40 where another cadenza

(shorter than the first) begins. The introduction is constructed with motivic elements of

sections a and c taken from the first cadenza. However, the cell of section a is

transformed from its original version. Musical example 9 shows the transformation of the

original cell which creates a new section.

Musical Example 9. Transformation of the original cell.

69    

Even though the material seems different from the opening line, it has the same

pitch content as the opening cell. It is important to note that the orchestra almost never

plays the original cell presented at the beginning of the cadenza, instead presenting the

transformed version shown in musical example 9. The only place where the orchestra

plays the first theme is in mm. 147 to 148 in the contrabassoon, celli, and bass lines. The

inclusion of the a motive in this particular section serves as a remembrance of previous

thematic material, but at the same time the viola is introducing new elements.

The introduction is also divided into two sections marked by the interaction

between the orchestra and the soloist. The beginning of the section is presented by an

orchestral interlude based on thematic elements constructed from the modification of the

original cell. The interlude is followed by a quasi cadenza by the violist with an

orchestral accompaniment in a recitative-like style in measure 21. Measure 25 introduces

theme c from the opening cadenza, and finally, measure 40 presents another small

cadenza that serves as a connection between the introduction and section A. Example 3

demonstrates the structure of the introduction.

70    

Recitativo

mm. 1 to 20

Quasi cadenza

mm. 21 to 39

Cadenza (transition)

m. 40, free style

Orchestral interlude Solo viola with orchestral

accompaniment in a

recitative-like style

Short cadenza

a transformed motive a and c motives from the

opening cadenza

a motive

 

Figure 3.Formal outline of the Introduction.

The quasi cadenza section introduces an accompaniment motive, first in the solo

part and then in the orchestra, and can be seen in musical example 10. This motive will

be highly exploited in the following sections of the piece.

71    

Musical Example 10. Accompaniment motive in 7/8

Section A starts in m. 41 and has a new tempo marking: Poco meno mosso e

marcato. This section contains newly arranged thematic material based on music from

the cadenza. It is a highly contrasting section for several reasons. First, the previous

section presented a responsorial texture in which the solo viola does not compete with the

orchestra, on the contrary, the orchestral tutti presents a dominant character without the

soloist. However, this new section is noticeably structured to allow a greater participation

from the orchestra, and although it is marked with softer dynamics than the soloist, the

dense orchestration tends to interfere with the solo line. Section A also presents a contrast

in that the solo part is written in the middle register of the instrument, limiting the sound

72    

production of the soloist, and the solo line is conceived as part of the whole texture rather

than above the orchestral texture.

Another notable aspect of this section is that there is a great use of perfect fourth

and perfect fifth intervals, something that Gutiérrez favors in previous compositions, such

as the Toccatina for violin and cello, in which “the slow section uses quartal sonorities

and parallel open fourths and fifths, sometimes in second relationships.”82

The A section is divided into three different parts. Sections one and two utilize the

same material and are separated by a solo cadenza in which the composer uses the

melodic elements of theme e from the original cadenza. Section three is an orchestral tutti

followed by a transition led by the soloist in which the composer juxtaposes elements

from the a theme and the A section, that will connect with the new B section. Example 4

illustrates the outline of the A section.

                                                                                                                         82. Sider, 269.

73    

Dissolving Transition

Poco meno mosso mm. 41 to 97

Cadenza

m. 97

Un poco piu mosso mm. 98 to 119

Maestoso

mm. 119 to 140

Cadenza mm. 145 to 146

Quasi recitativo. Cadenza mm. 147 to 152

Solo viola with orchestra

Solo viola

Solo viola with orchestra

Orchestral tutti. Solo viola with orchestra

Solo viola Solo viola with orchestra. Cadenza

Transformation of b

c theme Transformation of b

Development of the extension of a

a motive transposed

Figure 4. Outline of the A section.

The thematic material presented in this section comes from the material of the

opening cadenza, though not in its original form, and it also incorporates material from

the introduction. The most prominent portion of material comes from the b and d sections

of the cadenza.

Musical Example 11. Theme b section from the opening cadenza, followed by the transformations suffered in A.

Musical Example 12. Transformation of b.

74    

Musical Example 13. Further transformation of b.

It is also important to draw attention to the maestoso of the A section. In this part

the composer exploits the motive derived from the extension of a shown in musical

example 14. This motive is highly exploited in the orchestral interlude, but it is also used

in the viola part.

Musical Example 14. Motive derived from the extension of the a theme.

Another element that is important to mention in this section is the dissolving

transition that starts in m. 140. This transition is juxtaposed with the end of the solo

line—as the solo viola ends, the clarinet begins the transition, initiating the

transformation of the a cell motive. In m. 145 the solo viola reclaims the theme to begin

the cadenza with a statement of the entire a theme transposed. Musical example 15 shows

the transposition of the a material.

75    

Musical Example 15. Transposition of a in the dissolving transition.

In m. 147 the orchestra joins the solo viola in a quasi-recitativo section that

anticipates thematic material from the following section. As seen in musical example 16,

this new material is juxtaposed with material from the a theme of the opening cadenza

that serves to dissolve the previous section, but at the same time the composer anticipates

elements from the new section. The next example illustrates the juxtaposition of thematic

material.

76    

Musical Example 16. Quasi recitativo. Juxtaposition of thematic material.

The passage from mm. 147 until 152 is a tutti transition that anticipates elements

from the following section, such as the slow, quasi recitativo succession of perfect

fourths and fifths. Measure 152 is a small cadenza that connects with the next section

beginning in m. 153. This cadenza is very different from the previous ones in that it is

entirely pizzicato.

The B section begins in m. 153 and uses elements from theme d of the original

cadenza. This section sets a new mood in the larger scheme of the piece. There is a new

77    

tempo marking: Lento pensativo, and it is structured in two sections separated by a solo

cadenza. This time, however the cadenza is not based on material from the previous solo

sections. This entire section can also be seen as a second movement because of the

highly contrasting nature with the other sections.

The B section is characterized by intensely legato and lyric lines. The composer

uses the orchestra to set a different mood, reminiscent of impressionism. The strings are

muted, the dynamic marking is pianissimo, and the viola section plays harmonics. The

main line is given to the flute in its low register. The first theme of the cadenza (a) is also

incorporated in the solo viola line, but in a different character: more connected and

lyrical.

The cadenza of this middle section is longer than the cadenzas that serve as

transitions or connection passages. The material used in this cadenza comes from the

material in m. 147 in the solo viola, with prominent use of perfect fourths and fifths, as

seen in musical example 17.

78    

Musical Example 17. B section cadenza.

The general structure of section B is outlined in example 5.

Lento mm. 153 to 171

Cadenza m. 171

Lento mm. 172 to 199

Solo viola with orchestra Solo viola in free style Solo viola with orchestra

Use and development of motivic elements from a

Use and development from material from the dissolving section of A and the motivic element derived from a

Use and development of motivic elements from a

Figure 5. Outline of section B.

This central section, the B section, ends in m. 199, is followed by a great pause,

after which the viola sets the scene for a new section with a repeated figure on D♯ 5,83

shown in musical example 18. It is marked furioso, tutta forza and crescendo towards the

end of measure 200. The new tempo marking in m. 200 is Tempo giusto e marcato. This

                                                                                                                         83. For the present study, the “middle C” in the piano is numbered as C4.

79    

new section will be called again A, since it contains the same thematic material than the

previous A section, although in a rather shorter form.

Musical Example 18. Repeated figure in the viola.

The coda begins in m. 230, and it is an orchestral interlude. This section contains

material from previous sections, as well as newly composed material. The tempo

indication is Allegro molto agitato, and the dynamic is fortissimo for the majority of the

section. Percussion and brass are very prominent, and the strings serve as a driving force

with the eighth note staccato motive that appears in a large portion of the section (musical

example 19). This motive is present in mm. 232 through 235, from mm. 251 through 255,

from mm. 265 to 268, and also from mm. 297 to 300. Musical example 19 will illustrate

the repeated figure in the strings section.

Musical Example 19. Eighth notes motive in the strings, mm. 232-235.

80    

At the same time, the coda section is conceived as a final development.84 The

composer uses fragments from the thematic material of previous sections, such as the

transformed fragmented a motive and also thematic material brought from the A section.

Measure 284 marks a new segment in the coda, with a tempo change to meno mosso, and

features a fugato-like texture beginning with the viola and bassoon sections. This

segment lasts thirteen bars, until it is interrupted by the eighth note motive in the strings

in m. 297.

The beginning of the final cadenza, seen in musical example 20, presents the

original a motive, but in a different transposition, and employs material from the second

cadenza in the form of quartal writing for the instrument. The entire cadenza sets an

entirely different mood from the previous section, in which the orchestra had a prominent

role, and the composer exploited the dynamic range of orchestral sections such as brass

and percussion. The final statement of the cadenza is solo viola over an A pedal on the

harp and basses.

                                                                                                                         84. When playing the concerto with the piano reduction, the composer marked an optional cut in

the piano reduction part from measure 269 to 301.  

81    

Musical Example 20. Final cadenza.

Example 6 offers an overview of the thematic material present in each of the

sections of the piece.

82    

Section Thematic material Cadenza a, b, c, d, e Introduction a, c, A b, c B Derived from a and A A b, c Coda A, a, Cadenza A, B section cadenza

Figure 6. Thematic materials used in each section of the Concerto.

D. The bribri hoax

After a close examination of the concerto for viola, it is clear that the composer

used the thematic transformation in the conception of the piece. The opening cadenza

contains the thematic elements employed throughout the entire piece. Each of the themes

revealed in the cadenza are consecutively larger than the previous one. Even the first

theme (a) is presented first as a cell and then further expanded. This same characteristic is

present in the transcriptions of bribri music offered in chapter 4. The first example

containing a transcription offers a picture of the use of thematic transformation within the

song, as well as the other transcription. The songs are based on a quartal scale and each

phrase is separated by a pause. The pauses are established by the necessity of the singer

to breathe, or because it is required by the text. This can be illustrated in musical example

2 in Chapter 4.

One element that is important to mention is the range of bribri songs, since most

of them do not exceed the fifth interval. This might be because it would be easier for

untrained singers to sing within a narrow range. In the case of Gutiérrez’s concerto, the

first theme (a) is composed by the pitches B, C, D. The first expansion of theme a is B, C,

83    

D, E♭, F♯, G, and every time it is further expanded in length and in pitch content. In this

case the opening cell has a similar structure to a bribri song: it starts with a cell that is

expanded over the course of the song within the same pitch material, and the phrases are

separated by pauses. The same can be said about the opening cadenza if we view it as

pitch classes instead of pitches. Also, the variation of the theme throughout the course of

the song can be applied to the overall conception of the concerto.

Additionally, both bribri songs—particularly the sorbón—and Gutiérrez’s piece

are responsorial in nature. The sorbón is a responsorial song between a male singer and

chorus with drums accompaniment. The concerto is also conceived in a responsorial

fashion, alternating between the solo cadenzas, and the orchestral interludes interacting

with the tutti (solo viola and orchestra).

However, besides the conceptual comparisons that can be established between the

works, there is no proof that the composer actually intended to pay tribute to the bribri

culture with this piece. There are no clear statements of thematic material drawn from the

bribri songs presented in Acevedo’s work. The only hint at this idea is the similarities

between the opening theme of the cadenza and the structure of the bribri transcription

offered in musical example 1. While there are similarities, it will never be clear if the

composer intended to use bribri material. The only insight offered by the composer is the

contradiction between what he stated back in 1983 in which he claimed that the piece is

“nationalistic” in nature, and that is a tribute to the bribri culture, and his current position

in which he asserts that there is nothing bribri in the piece.

84    

Since he decided to name the piece sobre un canto bribri, it is fair to assume that

the piece pays an homage to the bribri musical culture in some way, and that the

researcher or performer will try to make the connections between the works in order to

understand it on a deeper level, because after all, this is a natural assumption given the

title of the work.

E. The concerto in the context of the repertoire for viola

Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the amount of repertoire for viola

solo has flourished considerably. The viola has certainly acquired a new standard in terms

of technical and musical challenges. Composers of the eighteenth century were generous

in the production of viola repertoire, and figures like Alessandro Rolla and Nicolò

Paganini marked new standards in the technical developments of the instrument.

However, the nineteenth century did not continue this trend in solo repertoire for viola,

though it was very rich in chamber music composition.

Part of the shift in the amount of solo viola repertoire over the last century was

due to the blossoming of modern viola virtuosos that devoted their careers not only to

increase public recognition of the instrument, but also to inspire contemporary composers

to write new works for it. The three most prominent violists of the early twentieth century

were Lionel Tertis, William Primrose, and Paul Hindemith. Thanks to these figures, we

acquired three of the most important concertos in the repertoire for viola: the concertos

for viola by William Walton, Béla Bartók, and Paul Hindemith. These concertos form the

most representative works in the standard repertoire for the instrument. However, of the

85    

three virtuosi, Tertis was the first to pave the way in the development of the viola

capabilities:

Somewhere about 1893-94 I became interested in the viola (at that time little played and rarely heard as a solo instrument). Entranced with its tone qualities, I resolved to try and become a propagandist for its right to be heard much more frequently as a solo instrument…  At the time I came across the neglected viola no serious efforts were being made to champion its cause as a solo instrument; and owing to my having the field practically to myself, my lack of early specialized training, with the consequent deficiency in my technical equipment, was not deeply felt; and so, being fortunately possessed of natural musical ability, I was enabled to pursue my idea of spreading recognition for the Cinderella of the string family.85 Primrose recognized Terti’s pioneering efforts to bring the viola to a new standard

of performance and recognition: “we are an instrument without tradition. And if that bald

statement brings to you a sense of shock, a moment of reflection may dissipate it. After

all, our history of any importance does not precede the advent of Lionel Tertis, and that

does not go back more than some eighty-odd years.”86 Hindemith, on the other hand,

being a composer and an active viola player, was one of the most prominent contributors

to the growth of the viola repertoire.

It is also important to note that virtuoso performers did not end with these three

musicians. Many works for viola were written for a particular player, such as the case of

Yuri Bashmet to whom 51 pieces were dedicated. “In addition to two concertos,

Schnittke dedicated Monologue to him; and works premiered by him include concertos

                                                                                                                         85. Lionel Tertis, “Training for Virtuosity” The Musical Times 84, no. 1206 (1943): 236.

86. David Dalton, Playing the Viola, Conversations with William Primrose (New York, Oxford University Press, 1988), 1.    

86    

by Edison Denisov and Allan Pettersson, Vom Winde beweint by Giya Kancheli and

pieces by Andrey Tchaikovsky, Aleksandr Raskatov and Andrey Golovin.”87

It was standard in the twentieth-century that concertos were written to the order of

outstanding performers other than their composers: Piatigorsky in the case of Walton’s

Cello Concerto, for example, and Rostropovich in that of Prokofiev’s Sinfonia

Concertante. This circumstance often resulted in works remarkable above all for

difficulty and bravura.88

The representative concerti of viola repertoire, Walton, Hindemith, and Bartók,

however, are not the only viola concerti. Nancy Usher89 provides an analysis between

two viola concerti written by composers Jonathan Lloyd and Jacob Druckman. Jacob

Druckman wrote his viola concerto in I978 on a commission from the New York

Philharmonic to compose a work for its principal violist, Sol Greitzer, and Jonathan

Lloyd composed his concerto during 1979-1980 for the principal violist of the London

Sinfonietta, Roger Chase.

For the purpose of analysis and comparison of the Gutiérrez concerto, and to

place it in context of the development of the viola concerto, it is important to pay close

attention to some of the compositional elements in the works of Druckman and Lloyd.                                                                                                                          

87. Tully Potter. “Bashmet, Yuri.” In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy1.library.arizona.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/42213 (accessed February 29, 2012).

88.  Arthur Hutchings, et al. “Concerto.” In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy1.library.arizona.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/40737 (accessed February 29, 2012).  

89. Nancy Uscher, “Two Contemporary Viola Concerti: A Comparative Study” Tempo, no. 147 (1983): 23-29.

87    

According to Uscher’s analysis, Druckman’s concerto is composed in one uninterrupted

movement structure with seven separate sections: Viola solo-tutti-viola solo-tutti-viola

solo-tutti-viola solo.90 However, the sections indicated as solo viola are not exclusively

solo or cadenza-like passages, but include orchestral accompaniment in a lighter sound

production from the orchestra. Uscher provides the following structure of the form:91

Section I: Bar I-Solo viola Section 2: 2 bars before 6-Tutti Section 3: I bar before 8-Solo viola Section 4: I bar after 20-Tutti Section 5: 2 bars before 23-Solo viola Section 6: 33-Tutti Section 7: 35-Solo viola Speaking about his viola concerto, Druckman compares his work to Straus’s Till

Eulenspeigel's Merry Pranks:

Strauss quickly presents the two pieces of material in the introduction, then does a flip-flop back and forth, looking backwards and forwards at the same time. Strauss himself talked about it as a rondo—he keeps coming back to the theme. In many ways the viola concerto is related to it—the closest traditional form is rondo, although it's not just a rondo.92 On the other hand, Lloyd’s concerto is organized in a traditional three-movement

structure, however, this concerto has been considered more a work for orchestra rather

than a true viola concerto, because the instrument’s exposure is limited throughout the

work. “Others commented on the unsoloistic writing for the viola, characterized most

                                                                                                                         90. Ibid., 24.  

91. Ibid.    

92. Ibid.

88    

obviously by the low range chosen for the solo instrument, juxtaposed against a heavy

orchestral complement. Bayan Northcott in the Sunday Telegraph heard “a ‘frequent

overwhelming of Roger Chase's gentle viola part by the ensemble’, and wondered if

‘discreet amplification’ of the solo might not be the remedy.”93

Another piece that is important to mention is the concerto for viola by Krzysztof

Penderecki (b. 1933). This piece was composed the same year as Gutiérrez’s concerto,

commissioned for Simón Bolívar’s bicentenary in 1983. It was premiered in Maracaibo,

Venezuela, on July 24, 1983 by Jose Vasquez, with Eduardo Rahn conducting.94 “The

concerto consists of one large and lucid movement…the viola begins alone, surfacing

from nothingness, playing, haunting falling minor second…through the concerto

Penderecki omits bar lines for cadenza sections, allowing for free interpretation and to

isolate the sounds from structure.”95 It is interesting to notice the similarities between the

conceptual ideas between Penderecki’s and Gutiérrez’s works, particularly the use of

small cadenza sections as a connecting device for the entire work. Also, the beginning

and the ends of both works have the same dramatic element: they both begin from

nothing with the solo instrument unaccompanied, and end in the same manner.

Another work for solo viola that is important to mention is Hindemith’s Der

Schwanendreher, which is very different in structure and nature. It is of significant

                                                                                                                         93. Ibid., 26.

94. Wolfram Schwinger, Krzysztof Penderecki: His Life and Work: Encounters, Biography and Musical Commentary (London: Schott, 1989), 108.

95. Ericka Amelia Reiter, “Krzysztof Penderecki’s Cadenza for Viola Solo as a Derivative of the Concerto for Viola and Orchestra: A Numerical Analysis and a Performers Guide” (DMA diss., The University of Arizona, 1997), 22.

89    

importance to make reference to Hindemith’s work in order to discuss Gutiérrez musical

traits in his work for viola, and will be discussed in more detail in the next section. It is

important to examine other works for viola in order to have a better understanding of

Gutiérrez’s concerto. Although very different in nature, they proposed different

perspectives in the development of the repertoire for viola.

F. Comparison of Gutiérrez and Hindemith works

There is no evidence about the intentions of Guetiérrez to model his viola

concerto on the one by Hindemith, however, because of his remark about the importance

of Hindemith’s concerto in the development of the repertoire for viola, there are some

elements that can be the basis of a comparison of the two works.

Paul Hindemith (1895-1963), a German composer and viola player himself, has

been one of the most prominent composers for viola. His concerto for viola Der

Schwanendreher was composed in 1935 and it is based on old German folk tunes. In the

concerto, “Hindemith uses the tunes in a variety of manners and techniques; a similarity

among all is that they are used as thematic material. None are heard in a passing,

referencing manner as much as an integral part of the formal fabric of the pieces.

Therefore, at some point they tend to be direct quotations with little paraphrasing, but

Hindemith develops them extensively.”96 Hindemith took the tunes from Franz Magnus

Bohme’s Altdeutsches Liederbuc, a collection of over 660 folk tunes that dates back to

                                                                                                                         96. Soo Mi Lee, “Musical Borrowing in Four Twentieth-Century Works for Viola by Hindemith,

Bloch, Bacewicz, and Shostakovich” (DMA diss., University of Cincinnati 2010), 16-17.

90    

the medieval period. Likewise, Gutiérrez was also inspired by regional Costa Rican songs

in his own concerto, though despite resemblances to some bribri songs present in

Acevedo’s compilation, there are no direct quotations from any of them.

Another compositional element present in both Hindemith and Gutiérrez’s

concerti in the treatment of borrowed material. According to Burkholder,97 a composer

has a vast number of possibilities in order to use borrowed material. In her dissertation,98

Lee summarizes the different techniques used by Hindemith in each of the movements of

the concerto. In the first movement he uses a cantus firmus technique. The second

movement utilizes “a technique that Burkholder would describe as patch-work, because

Hindemith goes back and forth between the phrases of two themes.”99 This same

movement also uses another cantus firmus, in addition to a fugato and chorale sections

into which he inserted the borrowed material. The third movement is composed of a

theme and variations: “The theme is presented at the beginning of the movement in the

woodwinds, and then heard in twelve subsequent variations, which generally increase in

difficulty and complexity towards the end.”100

In Gutiérrez’s work, there are no clear statements of the borrowed material (if

any), but according to Burkholder, there are other ways to insert material from other

composers or tunes in a composition that do not have to be explicit. Burkholder might

                                                                                                                         97. J. Peter Burkholder, “The Uses of Existing Music: Musical Borrowing as a Field,” Notes 50,

no. 3 (1994): 851-870.

98. Lee.

99. Ibid., 19.

100. Ibid., 22.

91    

describe Gutiérrez’s technique as “modeling a work on an existing one, assuming its

structure, incorporating a small portion of its melodic material, or depending upon it as a

model in some other way…modeling on the level of melody, which most often

involves incorporating some structural aspects of the source as well as melodic shape

and details.”101 Following this line of analysis, it can be argued that Gutiérrez’s concerto

models the sorbón music of the bribri, since the opening of the cadenza resembles the

melodic shape of the bribri song showed in musical example 1. The characteristics found

in that first statement of the melody are: a melody composed of small fragments, each of

the fragments being somewhat longer than the previous one. The beginning of each

fragment starts with the same motive, which is built upon every time it appears in the first

phrase of the cadenza. The first motive is of great importance in the development of the

piece, and it is the only passage in the concerto that resembles structural characteristics

from the bribri song. Moreover, this first theme is the cell that will appear in the entire

piece, and it will serve as a connective passage either in its original form or modified.

Another feature of Gutiérrez’s concerto is that it is conceived in a responsorial

nature in which the viola soloist alternates its solo cadenzas with the orchestral tutti. The

solo passages allow the soloist to play freely without having to compete with the

orchestra. The beginning of Gutiérrez’s concerto starts with a solo cadenza, in which all

the thematic material of the concerto is presented. Similarly, Hindemith’s Der

Schwanendreher also begins with a solo cadenza. Additionally, the first movement of

                                                                                                                         101. J. Peter Burkholder, “Quotation and Emulation: Charles Ives's Uses of His Models,” The

Musical Quarterly 71, no. 1 (1985): 2-3.

92    

Hindemith’s work contains another cadenza at the end of the work that has the same

thematic material as the opening cadenza (though in a shorter form), as does Gutiérrez’s

work.

The first movement of Hindemith’s concerto probably bears the most significant

similarities between the two works. Apart from the similarities of structural aspects of the

piece, there are also significant points of comparison between the techniques employed in

both works that will be discussed later in the analysis regarding the technical features

used in Gutiérrez’s concerto.

 

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CHAPTER 6

GUTIÉRREZ’S CONCERTO: TECHNICAL DEMANDS FOR THE PERFORMER

Gutiérrez’s writing can be categorized as traditional for the solo viola. His

writing, unlike that of other composers such as Schintke, does not engage extended

techniques such as left-hand pizzicati, microtones, double stop glissandi, free glissandi

and improvisatory rhythms in order to produce different effects.

The intention of the researcher is to offer insight to performers in terms of

fingerings, and advice for performing some of the troublesome passages of the piece, and

also to provide a guide to the teachers, in order to categorize this piece in the appropriate

performance level.

A. Right arm technique.

The main portion of this concerto requires traditional technique for the right arm.

Traditional techniques means the placement of the bow on the string: “in playing the

violin [or string instruments] with ‘normal’, full and resonant tone, the violinist places the

bow between the bridge and the fingerboard, regulating the pressure and speed upon the

string to attain the desired tone quality.”102 The movement also includes detaché, legato,

portato, staccato, string crossing, and color changes, of which the elements of string

crossing require a more in-depth examination.

                                                                                                                         102. Kenneth Lee Sarch, “The Twentieth Century Violin Technique, a Treatise on Contemporary

Violin Technique” (DMA diss., Boston University, 1982), 6-7.

94    

1. String crossing

This technical element, particular for string players, is probably one of the most

difficult to overcome, particularly for the beginning player. Since it is one of the most

common problems for the player, there are several etudes in the technique literature of

each instrument that deals with this issue, though the majority of the time, the

particularities of each case in the repertoire can be unique. Since string crossing is so

common among string players, it is natural to assume that it will be encountered in every

piece of the repertory. The familiarity of the composer with the nature of the instrument

can be a determining factor in the level of difficulty of passages with string crossing

problems. An example of string crossing problems are passages of long legato lines that

are meant to be connected, but are awkward to play because of the nature of the line and

on which strings it is written that requires to jump around the fingerboard. In the case of

Gutiérrez’s work, string crossing is a rather common problem throughout the piece. From

the very beginning, the opening line of the cadenza is awkward to play because of the

leaps from string to string, making it more difficult for the player to connect the notes,

and since the opening line is repeated many times throughout the work, the problem of

string crossing occurs often.

To play this first theme successfully and avoid gaps in between the notes, it is

necessary to play the first cell in third position, begin the following statement in third

position, reach the E♭ with an extension from the first finger and play the G and F♯ on the

third string. The following statement should be approached in the same manner and

remain on the third string for the rest of the passage. However, the most problematic spot

95    

in this section is the leaps between the notes C-D-E♭-G-marked in the following

example-because the leaps from string to string could make it sound with gaps in between

each of the notes. Musical example 21 shows the notes that represent a string crossing

problem.

Musical Example 21. Passage with problematic string crossing.

This same phrase structure appears later in the piece but in different keys. For

those passages, the fingering suggested in the previous example do not apply. However,

the issue regarding string crossing and leaps between the notes is consistent in all of the

statements of the same theme. The transposition of theme a are showed in musical

examples 22 and 23.

Musical Example 22. First transposition of a.

Musical Example 23. Second transposition of a.

96    

In the second transposition, the leaps between the notes are not as difficult to

connect as in the previous cases.

Two additional elements of string crossing that occur in the concerto can be more

easily resolved than the previous issue. The first of these takes place in theme c in the

opening cadenza (showed in musical example 24) and all of its variations. This theme,

and all the variant forms throughout the piece must be played smoothly without breaking

the melodic line.

Musical Example 24. Theme c. String crossing

Theme c will be smoother if the player achieves a better connection between the

notes by using the right arm and the right wrist. The arm should be closer and reach

towards either the highest or the lowest note, leaving the wrist flexible enough to connect

the strings as smoothly as possible. The same principle is advised any time this same

pattern appears in the piece.

Another example of awkward string crossing is from measure 62 to 64 shown in

the musical example 25.

Musical Example 25. String crossing in measures 62 to 64.

97    

To avoid gaps in between the E♭ and the E♮ on the C string there are two possible

solutions: the first one is to play the entire passage in first position leading the string

crossing entirely with the right arm in order to avoid undesired sounds or gaps in between

the strings. Another option is to play the passage switching positions, jumping back and

forth from fourth, to second, to first, to fourth, to second, and so on. However, the tempo

of this section is relatively fast (quarter note = 100) so shifting between so many

positions can lead to intonation inaccuracy.

Apart from these passages, the only additional instances that required jumping

back and forth from different positions and can lead to string crossing issues are some

double stops passages, which will be addressed under the double stops section of this

chapter.

2. Color changes

The use and exploitation of color changes in the string family has been

extensively applied since the early Baroque era, but it was during the period of high

romanticism that composers exploited this expressive medium not only for string

instruments but also for the orchestra. An example is Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie

Fantastique (1830). Color changes are not simply dynamic changes that reflect the

difference between loudness and softness, but also imply a change of mood, intensity, or

even dramatic contrast.

The earlier analysis of Gutiérrez’s work showed that the piece is structured in an

arch form, beginning and ending with solo viola cadenzas (even though the last cadenza

98    

is placed over an A pedal, it can be considered solo cadenza). Similarly, the structure of

color and dynamic is also in the same arch form, beginning with a very soft dynamic and

ending with the solo viola disappearing. The overall shape of the dynamic structure of the

piece is the following:

< > During the course of the piece, the more dramatic moments in term of color

changes are placed in the solo cadenzas and in the central section of the piece. The

central section has a completely different mood when compared to both the previous and

following sections. This is very important because, since the cadenzas only feature the

viola alone, there are great opportunities to explore all the color possibilities of the

instrument, especially in the middle register. The sections where the viola interacts with

the orchestra (besides the middle section of the piece) do not offer a great opportunity to

explore different color changes, because the nature of the instrument makes it necessary

to brighten the sound as much as possible in order to stand out from the orchestral

texture.

In Gutiérrez’s work, the opening theme that serves as a recurrent material in the

form of connecting device is presented most of the time in a quiet dynamic. Within this

theme, the extension presented in half notes with legato and staccato markings over them,

is the softest part, and it can be used to create a dramatic effect. This effect can be

emphasized because the previous quarter notes before the rest are marked f, and can be

99    

created by a change of color, achieved by placing the bow over the fingerboard and

playing with a relatively fast bow speed. Since the notes in the phrase are marked by

dashes and dots, each note must be detached but without actually stopping the bow.

When ending each note, the bow moves slightly slower but without completely stopping

to avoid breaking the line. To achieve greater contrast, the half notes can be played

without vibrato in order to create a drier, airy, and calmer mood for the motive, but the

quarter notes before the rest should be played with vibrato in order to make a bigger

contrast.

The next time theme a appears, it is in a completely different context. Although it

is still part of the opening cadenza, it is used previous the orchestral entrance. In this new

situation, the theme is marked fortissimo, strepitoso, with tutta forza. In contrast with the

earlier appearance, the theme that was almost a remembrance of what had happened is

now the cue for a dramatic entrance. The same half note motive that was once airy and

detached appears now in octaves with accents over each note. Also the last two notes of

the motive are to be played on open strings in the form of grace notes resulting in a

richer, chordal sound. This time, the motive should be placed as closely as possible to the

bridge, with flat hair, and continuous vibrato in order to connect the notes as much as

possible.

The third time this motive appears it combines both previous cases. It is the end of

a cadenza passage in m. 142, in which the composer presents the figure as in the first

time in the cadenza, followed immediately by the second version: forte, deciso,

crescendo, as a cue for the next tutti section.

100    

The last time the a motive appears is in the final cadenza, presented as a

combination of the two previous statements. It is marked pianissimo, with legato and

staccato over the notes, but with a crescendo within the same dynamic that serves as

connection to the last portion of the cadenza. For this section it is advised to apply the

same techniques used in the initial appearance of the theme, in order to achieve a soft

dynamic with a dark color, but the crescendo should have more weight from the right arm

and more bow speed. It is better not to apply an excessive amount of vibrato because the

next section starts with open fifths, and it will be better to keep the same flat, open color

when connecting the passage.

Another section that requires special attention regarding color changes is the

central section of the concerto, which requires high contrast because of the use of the

orchestra, tempo changes, and additional information in the score asking for various

mood contrasts. Some of the markings in this section are: molto espressivo, vehemente,

con semplicitá, pensativo, parlando soavemente, triste. These markings, in addition to

the continuous use of softer dynamic changes show that the composer was trying to

convey a more intimate atmosphere for the section.

As noted in chapter 5, the instrumentation used by Gutiérrez in this central section

resembles the aesthetic use of color by French composers during the impressionist period.

This includes the use of muted strings, harmonics in the string section, glissandi (used

only in this section), the use of flutes in the lower register, softer dynamics in the

orchestra, pizzicato (in the strings and solo viola), scales in the harp, and the spare use of

brass and percussion instruments (except for the horns).

101    

The middle section also offers great opportunities for the soloist to experiment

with color by exploiting the variety of contrasts that can be achieved by changing the

contact point of the bow. This is a great aid for string players, and it should be used

consciously as a tool. It is possible to create different tone colors by changing the contact

point because of the harmonics produced by the instrument in the different sections of the

string. If the bow is placed closer to the bridge, the instrument produces more harmonics

and creates a brighter, more nasal sound. On the contrary, if the bow is placed closer to

the fingerboard, it will produce fewer harmonics and that will result in a softer, warmer,

and rounded tone. Everything in between will also produce differences in the tone quality

of the instrument, which is something of which the player should be aware.

Another element that it is important in accomplishing different tone colors is the

use of the bow speed, especially in places like the middle section of the concerto. The use

of faster speed bow with lighter weight from the right arm produces an airy, more flat

sound. If more weight is applied, the sound becomes rounded and louder.

In addition to the change of bow speed and contact point, another technical

element to be considered (especially in the middle section of the piece) is the use of

vibrato. The markings in the middle section suggest that the intention of the composer is

to shape a soft, warm, and almost steady tone quality built around a sadder mood. Also,

the use of open strings and perfect fifths in the cadenza of this section suggest the

necessity of adopting a flatter sound in comparison to the richer sound required in the

other sections (with the exception of the opening and final cadenza). That is why the use

of a slower, wider vibrato should be avoided. There are also sections that require

102    

avoidance of vibrato, such as the cadenza of the central section, passages in open strings,

and the section prior the cadenza (mm. 161 to 170) which is essentially a dialog between

the solo viola and the solo flute.

Overall, variations and color changes are tools that have to be used consciously

among viola players, especially since the instrument can otherwise sound dark and nasal.

The challenge of the player, especially in cases like Gutiérrez’s concerto which is written

around the middle register, is to develop a brighter tone without sacrificing the

expressiveness of the sound.

B. Range

For many years the viola was considered the instrument of the middle, mainly

because the richness of the tone quality that is best articulated in the middle register.

During the nineteenth century, composers started to explore in greater detail the sound

qualities of the instrument, particularly in the middle and low registers. The character of

the viola was exploited predominantly in chamber music, but was made use of in

orchestral repertoire as well. Sadly, because of the lack of solo repertoire at the time, the

technical challenges in terms of broadening of the register did not begin to flourish until

the following century. Nevertheless, even though the nineteenth century lacked in solo

repertoire, it offered a great contribution to the growth of methods and etudes for viola.

The twentieth century brought with it many changes and contributions to the

overall skills of the performance not only for the string family, but to all families of

instruments. “[In the twentieth century] we are seeking to train more better violin and

103    

viola players; on the other, music is tending to move away from traditional techniques

and instruments in search of more variety, closer control, or even abandonment of

control.”103 For violists, the twentieth was not only a century for technical changes, but

also a century that helped the instrument blossom.

Many contributions to the repertoire for solo viola appeared during the twentieth

century. The concertos by three composers that can be considered the most significant are

those by William Walton, Béla Bartók, and Paul Hindemith. Clearly, these concertos are

not the only works or masterpieces for the solo viola, and contributions by Bloch,

Schnittke, Penderecki, and Milhaud, among many others, are also significant in the

standard repertoire of the instrument.

One of the characteristics of the viola that may have appealed to many composers

is the warm tone of the instrument. However, its timbre, which can be considered a virtue

in some ways can be also a burden for the instrumentalist. It is well known that the

acoustic properties of the viola create a great disadvantage compared to those of the

violin and the violoncello.

To replicate the acoustical results of the violin (whose length is standardized at an average of 35.5 cm), the viola would require a body half as long as the violin’s (approximately 53 cm). Full-sized violas can range in size from 38 to more than 48 cm. However, while the smallest viola can rarely produce a truly powerful and resonant C-string sound, the largest are virtually impossible for most players to handle.104

                                                                                                                         103. Sheila M. Nelson, The Violin and Viola: History, Structure, and Technique (Mineola, New

York: Dover, 2003), 185.

104. David D. Boyden and Ann M. Woodward, “Viola.” In New Grove Music Online. http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.ezproxy1.library.arizona.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/29438 (accessed January 18, 2012).

104    

Composers must deal with this particular issue by carefully selecting the

instrumentation, and although composers like Bloch have had used a considerably large

ensemble in their works for viola, the instrumentation must be treated very cautiously in

order to give sufficient prominence to the soloist.

While other viola concertos such as those of Walton and Schnittke exploited the

register of the instrument, Hindemith and Gutiérrez chose to remain in the middle

register, focusing on the color rather than the extension of register,

Hindemith’s Der Schwanendreher focuses on the tonal possibilities of the viola, and is designed in its entirety to showcase the maximum characteristics of the viola. Therefore, Der Schwanendreher sits in the viola’s most resonant range. Although the highest note of the concerto is d#3, the writing for the high range generally stays below c3. Hindemith fully exploited the C string’s power and brought out the rich tonal possibilities of the viola’s two lowest strings C and G.105

In the case of Gutiérrez’s concerto, the highest note is an E♭6 on the cadenza of

the B section. Overall, Gutiérrez’s concerto is built around the middle register of the

instrument. In the solo cadenzas this does not represent a major issue, since the soloist is

playing without the orchestra, but, in the sections in which the soloist is playing against

the large ensemble, this can represent a major problem.

                                                                                                                         105. Jean T. Chang, “The Role of Alfred Schnittke’s Viola Concerto in the Development of the

Twentieth Century Viola Concerto” (DMA diss., The University of Arizona, 2007), 56.

105    

The orchestration of the concerto is the following:

Flute I – III Piccolo Oboe I – II English horn Clarinet I – II Bass clarinet Bassoon I – II Contra bassoon Horns I – IV Trumpet I – III Trombone I – II Tuba Timpani Percussion Harp Strings

In order for the soloist to stand out from the orchestral texture, it is necessary to

play in the lower half of the bow with a solid bow stroke. It is also imperative to stay

close to the bridge, placing the bow with the flat hair on the strings and with enough

weight from the right arm to insure better contact with the string, resulting in a robust

sound. It is also necessary to use more arm weight, increase the speed bow and use a

bigger vibrato in order to produce a greater sound. The most problematic section of the

piece in terms of register is the A section. The orchestration in this section is not

extremely dense, with the string section marked pianissimo and the sixteenth note motive

in the violins marked to be played at the tip of the bow. The eight note motive present in

the lower strings and lower woodwinds is also light and soft, but the viola is scored in its

middle register, thus making it more difficult for it to separate itself from the texture of

the orchestra. For this reason, the orchestra should play as lightly as possible, and the solo

106    

viola should take advantage of the bright sounds produced when playing closer to the

bridge. Also, since in this section the viola is scored mostly in double stop writing, the

player should always bring out the highest note of the double stopping passages,

especially the ones placed on the A string. Nevertheless, the composer’s choices of

orchestration still reflect a careful examination of the viola’s timbre because he left the

use of full brass and percussion to the sections of orchestral interludes.

C. Left hand technique

1. Double stops

Another technical element in Gutiérrez’s concerto that deserves a closer look is

the extended use of double stops. Double stopping refers to the placing of two fingers on

two strings to produce two sounds at the same time. Multiple stopping refers to the

placing of more than two fingers on more than two strings to produce chords. In string

technique, the use of double stops or multiple stops is considerably common. This

technique started early in history with composition for the viol, and it was fully explored

during the Baroque period. However, multiple stop writing is very common in the

repertoire of all of the instruments of the violin family, and can be considered a virtuosic

element of the technique. Some early examples can be encountered in compositions of

the Baroque period such as those of Bach or Biber solo violin compositions.

The most common intervals in double stops are the thirds, fourths, sixths, and

octaves. However, with the development of different techniques during the twentieth

107    

century, plus the expansion and emancipation of tonality, string players have become

accustomed to playing minor and major seconds and sevenths as well. Fifths are less

common in double stop writing but relatively more so within chordal writing. “Because

these four double stops [thirds, sixths, octaves, and tenths] form the foundation of

traditional double stopping, violinist today [or any string player for that matter] are for

the most part unprepared for the double stops and chords in contemporary music.

Unisons, seconds, fourths, tritons, sevenths, and ninths seem foreign to violinist, and the

intonation of these intervals remains a serious problem in modern performances.”106

In order to play a string instrument, the player must master the position of the left

hand in order to play accurately in every part of the fingerboard. This mastering consists

of playing with the pads of the fingers, keeping them over the fingerboard in a rounded

position. The mechanism of the left hand is similar to the one as the hammers of the

piano: the fingers must rely on the speed and weight of the fingers in a hammer-like way,

in order to play in tune and in tempo. Mastering the left hand technique consists in using

the same part of the finger no matter what string or position on the fingerboard its being

used. This will assure that the intonation is as accurate as possible in the innumerable

possibilities that the music of any kind demands from the player.

Perfect fifths are probably the most difficult interval for string players to achieve

clear and perfect intonation. Fifths are difficult to tune, because of the awkward position

of the left hand. Fifths require a different kind of approach from the player. In order to

play fifths, there are several elements regarding the nature of the instrument that need to

                                                                                                                         106. Sarch, 89.

108    

be taken into consideration. Not only does the finger have to be placed awkwardly flat in

order to stop to strings at the same time, but the place on the fingerboard is not the same

for both of the strings, meaning that on one of the strings, the placement of the note could

be slightly flatter or sharper. This means that the finger will need to move slightly

adjacently in the direction of the note that needs to be adjusted. If adjusting the tuning of

the fifths represents a continuum problem, it is important to check that the bridge is in a

perfectly aligned position so the strings will all have an equal length.

On aspect of Gutiérrez’s concerto is the considerably use of perfect fourths and

fifths and the shifts between them. There are some passages that contain double stops and

also passages with successions of fourths and fifths. This can be seen in musical example

27.

Musical Example 26. Double stops, mm. 103 to 111.

The cadenza of the middle section of the concerto also has an extended passage of

consecutive fifths. This passage can be seen in musical example 27.

109    

Musical Example 27. Double stops in fourths and fifths, cadenza in m. 171.

The success of playing passages of consecutives fifths lies in the ability of the

performer to stop two strings at the same time with the same finger. Some of the

difficulties in doing so are the distance between the strings. If the gap in between the two

strings is too wide it will be harder to play fifths accurately. Also, the thickness of the

string is also important to take into consideration, as it is harder to play fifths in the lower

strings due to their diameter. In such cases is better to flatten the finger in order to stop

both strings.

Although writing double stops for strings is very common, they represent a big

challenge to the performer. Hindemith’s music for viola presents a very different

situation, since being a violist himself, he knew perfectly well the nature of the

instrument and the ways to make double stops and chordal writing for viola relatively

easy to play.“Chordal writing was explored extensively by Hindemith in his viola

concerto Der Schwanendreher… he was able to effectively write double stops and triple

stops for the solo viola…thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, sevenths and octaves can all be

found in Der Schwanendreher, and are more easily executed than those in Walton and

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Bartók’s concerti.”107 The familiarity of the composer with the nature of the instrument in

this case is also a determining factor in the level of difficulty of double stops and multiple

stops passages.

2. Chromatic language

Twentieth century harmony has developed a great deal since the beginning of the

century. The emancipation of tonality opened a door for increased experimentation by

composers in search of new languages and sonorities. This represented a transformation

for performers and also audiences because it required them to become familiar with

shifting musical aesthetics. The use of highly chromatic passages was one of the abilities

that performers had to develop in their technical training.

From the viewpoint of the string-player, several twentieth century trends prove disturbing. The exploration of new key-systems and the abandonment of key altogether have made the bowed strings, with their natural tonal systems reinforced by harmonics and left-hand positions spanning an octave, seem partly outdated, and the exploration of new sounds, electronics, machines, and computers as part of music makes string sound sometimes appear staunchly traditional if not actually old fashioned.108

It is clear that the tradition of tonal composition based on the major and minor

modes has provided the string player with a vast amount of repertoire, and it is still a

great foundation for string teaching. Most of the techniques and repertoire used to start

beginning students lies within the diatonic or traditional modes, which results in players

developing unfamiliarity with chromatic fingering patterns. However, in the twentieth                                                                                                                          

107. Chang, 61.

108. Nelson, 184.

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century, the use of diatonic language (and subsequently fingerings patterns) is sometimes

considered old-fashioned, which forces the player to develop a greater facility to

overcome issues with chromatic language, and it follows that the use of chromatic

fingerings is a technical skill that string players should cultivate more naturally. This can

be achieved by the early insertion to the student’s development the use of chromatic

scales, etudes or melodies.

In the particular case of Gutiérrez’s concerto for viola, chromatic language in the

solo viola part is used especially during the cadenza-like moments of the piece. Themes

c, d, and e are the most chromatic sections of the cadenza, and so are the transformations

of these themes. The following example shows the use of chromatic language in the

piece.

Musical Example 28. Use of chromatic language.

The information gathered from the technical analysis of the piece shows that the

piece contains a significant number of technical elements that can be of great value for

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the violist: it can serve the student as a preparatory piece for more complex works, but it

is also a piece for the professional violist in search of new challenges. It provides the

player with lyrical and virtuoso passages within a chromatic musical language.

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CONCLUSIONS

The twentieth century has offered a significant contribution to the development

and enlargement of repertoire for solo viola. Most of this contribution gave birth to

luminaries that devoted their careers to the consolidation and popularization of the viola:

Tertis, Hindemith and Primrose were the leading performers on the new path. However,

as the century evolved, other violists appeared such as Yuri Bashmet, who with their

talent and commitment for the instrument also contributed to the expansion of the

repertoire. Other composers have contributed to the solo viola repertoire by writing

works for accomplished players, such as Gutiérrez’s concerto.

The concerto for viola by Costa Rican composer Benjamín Gutiérrez is a piece

that defines Costa Rican music tradition from various perspectives. On the one hand, it

draws upon the historical foundations that consolidated and established the nation’s

symphonic tradition. It also represents the development and achievement of one of the

nation’s most important composer, confirming the consolidation of his compositional

framework. Although the viola concerto is Gutiérrez’s least performed piece, it pays

homage not only to the bribri music tradition, but also marks a defining moment in Costa

Rican musical history.

Regardless of whether the composer intended to literarily quote bribri music, it is

clear that he pays tribute to their culture in his viola concerto. The name of the piece will

direct the listener or the performer to the culture of the bribri, and it will always

predispose players to find elements of the bribri music, even if the quest proves elusive.

As this author has shown, Gutiérrez used not quotes but the technique of conceptual

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modeling to pay homage to the bribri and other compositions, in particular Hindemith’s

renowned viola concerto.

The analysis of the technique required to perform the concerto shows that the

piece is intended for the advanced player, and not for a beginner student. However, I

consider that due to the highly demanding technique elements present in the piece, it will

be a great addition to the teacher’s knowledge repertoire, in order to prepare the student

for more complex and large works. Nevertheless, the analysis of the piece also shows that

it will be of great value for the professional performer and that it can be a part of any

violist’s repertoire.

The structural elements that are the basis for the form of the concerto do not

represent isolated features in the spectrum of the solo repertoire for viola. On the

contrary, Gutiérrez’s concerto coheres with recognized universal compositional

standards, embellished with his own musical ideas drawn from his personal experience

and background. This author therefore considers it a duty and a privilege to expand the

repertoire for the viola by providing information and access to Gutiérrez’s concerto.

Indeed, it can be argued that all serious players should promote excellent work by lesser

known composers who have also contributed to the development of the repertoire for

viola.

Researching the transformations that the Costa Rican National Symphony

suffered during the decade of 1970s and the direct connections between similar

institutions in the Latin American region for this study revealed that there is still research

to do on this topic that extend well beyond the scope of this document. The findings

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presented here prove that further research in the field of symphony orchestras and their

role in society is crucial. It is the aim of the author that further study regarding the history

and development of the symphony orchestra in Costa Rica, as related to the analysis and

study of the genesis of Gutiérrez’s Viola Concerto Sobre un Canto Bribri, may be

expanded to open a door for additional research.

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APPENDIX A

PERMISSION BY THE COMPOSER

117    

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