Composer of the Month: Manuel Ponce
Manuel Ponce was a highly respected composer, pianist, and teacher who was passionate about the musical identity of Mexico. Born in Mexico in 1882, he began learning piano at the age of 6 and by the age of 11 studied at the National Conservatory of Music (Conservatorio Nacional de Música) in Mexico City.
Ponce continued his study of piano and classical composition in Germany and Italy as a young man, but he missed the color and vibrance of Mexican folk music back home. Feeling that the music of his homeland was just as beautiful and important as classical music, he set out to blend the two: the color and spirit of Mexican folk music with the elegance and structure of classical music.
As a skilled and professional pianist, many of his compositions are for piano. And, though he was not a guitarist, his close friendship with legendary Spanish guitarist, Andrés Segovia, inspired him to compose some of the 20th century’s most beautiful works for the guitar.
In addition to composing, Ponce was passionate about sharing music and the heritage of Mexican music with the next generation. Returning to the National Conservatory of Music as a professor, Ponce encouraged students to explore their heritage and use folk melodies in their own music, just as he had done in his own compositions.
Manuel Ponce’s music is a reminder that your own culture and creativity can make the world a more beautiful place.
Check out recordings of these three pieces by Ponce below!
Ponce’s Greatest Hits
“Balada Mexicana” (Mexican Ballad)
Ponce composed “Balada Mexicana” in 1915, and it quickly became one of his best-known piano pieces. In this piece, Ponce weaves traditional Mexican folk melodies with the rich, romantic piano style of the European composers he admired. This piece helped establish him as the leading figure in creating a Mexican national identity in classical music.
Vocal performance of “Estrellita”
Violin performance of “Estrellita”
“Estrellita”
Written by Manuel Ponce in 1912, this sweet and gentle melody quickly became his most famous piece, known the world over. He first wrote it for voice and piano, but it’s since been arranged for guitar, violin, and even full orchestras. The lyrics tell the story of someone looking up at a little star and dreaming of love:
Estrellita del oriente,
yo te quiero preguntar:
si sabes tú donde está
el amor de mis amores.
Estrellita del oriente,
tú sabes por dónde va,
dile que nunca le he dejado de adorar.
Little star of the east,
I want to ask you this:
do you know where to find
the love of all my loves?
Little star of the east,
you know which path they take,
tell them I have never stopped loving them.
“Sonatina Meridional” (Southern Sonatina)
Manuel Ponce’s Sonatina Meridional, written in 1939, is one of his most famous pieces for classical guitar. Although Ponce was not a guitarist, he wrote this piece for his friend, the legendary guitarist Andrés Segovia. Inspired by the region’s colors and sounds, Ponce wanted listeners to feel like they were dancing in the sunshine of southern Spain.
Each of the piece’s three movements has a different mood. The first sounds bright and cheerful, the second is slow and thoughtful, and the last is full of energy and excitement. What images does the music bring to mind for you?
Ponce mixes Spanish folk rhythms with classical structure, showing off his talent for blending cultures. It’s a challenging and exciting piece for guitarists to play!
