Winter 2021: Pupil Saver: A Glimpse into Colorful Mexican Romanticism
INTERMEZZO NO. 1 IN E MINOR BY MANUEL M. PONCE
Manuel M. Ponce (1882–1948) is undoubtedly one of the most prominent composers in Latin American history. Among his piano pieces, one of the most beloved is his Intermezzo No. 1 in E Minor. This intermezzo has similarities to Brahms's Intermezzo in E Minor, Op. 119, No. 2. Both works are in ternary form, their main thematic material is developed from a single motif based primarily on thirds and sixths in sixteenth-note patterns, and both of their middle sections visit the parallel key of E major.
2. SHAPING (at the micro and macro levels): Throughout the intermezzo, the student will encounter a series of two-note gestures within larger contextual phrases. These layers must be shaped properly to avoid a mechanical sounding sixteenth-note pattern.
piece. The melody is often the upper note of the thirds. The left hand will also have opportunities to shine beginning in measure 16, where the secondary theme originates. This will demand that students be more careful with their balance and overall shaping, not only of the new theme in the left hand, but also of the dialogue it creates with the main theme in the right hand.
4. CADENZA-LIKE PASSAGEWORK: This B section showcases a bit of Spanish flare and fingerwork, reminiscent of Lisztian flourishes.
Intermezzo No. 1 in E Minor by Manuel M. Ponce offers a refreshing repertoire addition for late-intermediate to early advanced students. It could be performed during a studio recital, festival, competition, or even as an encore. This is a crowd pleaser! This piece is not currently in print by a publisher, but the sheet music is available for free online from the Petrucci Music Library (www.imslp.org). Many of Ponce's other works for piano, including Intermezzo No. 2, are published by Peermusic. The manuscript of this piece and the majority of Manuel M. Ponce's works are found in the Manuel M. Ponce Archive, located at the Fondo Reservado of the Cuicamatini Library, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City.
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