Javier Álvarez Fuentes (8 May 1956 – 23 May 2023) was a Mexican composer known for compositions that combined a variety of international musical styles and traditions, and that often utilized unusual instruments and new music technologies. Many of his works combine music technology with diverse instruments and influences from around the world.[1] He taught internationally, in the UK and Sweden, and back in Mexico later in his career.
The first electroacoustic music by Álvarez dates from his time as a student in London, such as Temazcal (1984). In this contemporary classic, Álvarez unexpectedly pitted a pair of maracas against a complex electroacoustic backdrop. Mannam (1992) takes its inspiration from an ancient Korean zither called a kayagum. Winner of a Prix Ars Electronica distinction, the piece blends and juxtaposes elements of Korean music with materials and performance techniques drawn from the Mexican folk harp. The work Offrande (2001) offers a mix of Caribbean steel pans and electronically processed rhythmic patterns.[4]
Several of Álvarez's works incorporate elements from Latin American dance genres, such as mambo. In Mambo a la Braque (1991), he created an electroacoustic collage of musical segments drawn from Cuban mambo composer Dámaso Pérez Prado's Caballo Negro.[4]
According to the listing at IRCAM, his works include:[12]
Solo and chamber works
Ki Bone Gaku (1984) – trombone and marimba 12'
Lluvia de Toritos (1984) – solo flute 9'
Chaconna (1991) – viola and harpsichord 5'
Ayara (1981) – bassoon and string quartet 22'
Caracteristicas (1982) – flute, oboe, cello, and piano 9'
Tientos (1985) – flute (piccolo), clarinet, violin, cello, and piano 11'
Quemar las Naves (1988-rev91) – soprano sax, trumpet, trombone, bass guitar, piano, drums, and hand percussion 15'
Metro Chabacano (1991) – string quartet 7'
Acordeón de Roto Corazón (1994) – saxophone quartet 7'
Metro Taxqueña (1994) – string quartet 8'
Serpiente y Escalera (1995) – cello and piano 10'
Metro Nativitas (1999) – string quartet 8'
Nocturno y Toque (1997) – 2 steel pans and 2 marimbas 13'
Modelo para Armar (2000) – saxophone ensemble, 2 baroque guitars, and 2 percussion. 15'
Estudio # 5 (2002) – tenor steel pan 7'
n mambo (2001) – piano 3'
Triple enclave (2004) – piano 7'
Trompatufarria al Pastor (2005) – French horn quartet 4'
Large chamber ensembles
Recintos (1981) – wind ensemble 24'
Metro Chabacano (1987) – string orchestra 7'
Mantis Walk in Metal Space (2003) – percussion soloist, instrumental ensemble (flute, 2 clarinets, 2 French horns, 2 trombones, tuba, piano, 2 violins, cello and double bass), real time electronics and electroacoustic sounds 20'
Metal de Corazones (2012) – instrumental ensemble (tpt, clarinet, bass clarniet, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion, and percussion quartet) 15'
Soloist and orchestra
Trireme (1983) – French horn and orchestra 18'
Música para piel y palangana (1993) – percussion and orchestra 23'
Geometría Foliada (2002) – string quartet and orchestra 19'
Jardines con Palmera (2012) – percussion and orchestra 12'
La Ceiba de Sol y Luna (2013) – bassoon and orchestra 18'
Orchestra
Gramática de Dos (1991) – 14'
Voice and instruments
Canciones de la Venta (1977) – soprano, violin, viola, and Mexican jarana or baroque guitar; text in Spanish by Jose Carlos Becerra 8'
Tres ranas contra reloj (1981) – soprano (col), violin, cello, and piano (vocalise) 17'
Fragmentos de Hueso (1984) – soprano, flute, soprano sax, bass clarinet, and viola; text in Nahuatl and English 9'
Animal Crackers (1990) – 2 sopranos and baritone, viola and piano; text in English by Jo Shapcott 9'
Días como Sombra (2010) – 2 sopranos, alto and baritone, and percussion quartet
Choir and ensemble / orchestra
Te espera esa Chispa (1982)
Calacas Imaginarias (1994)
Amor es mas Laberinto (1978)
Días como Sombra (2010) – SATB choir and percussion quartet
Opera
Mambo (1989–2001)
Electroacoustic
Temazcal (1984) – amplified maracas and electroacoustic sounds 8'
The Panama Files (1986) – electroacoustic sounds 4' (in collaboration with In Dearden)
Papalotl (1987) – piano and electroacoustic sounds 13'
Edge Dance (1987) – electroacoustic sounds 3' (in collaboration with In Dearden)
On going on (1987) – baritone saxophone and electroacoustic sounds 11'
Asi el acero (1988) – amplified tenor steelpan and electroacoustic sounds 9'
Acuerdos por Diferencia (1989) – harp and electroacoustic sounds 12'
Mambo à la Braque (1990) – electroacoustic sounds 3'
Shekere (2001) – shekere gourd, and live control system 10'
Mannam (1992) – kayagum (Korean zither) and electroacoustic sounds 14'
Mambo Vinko (1993) – trombone and electroacoustic sounds 15'
Pyramid (1996) – any number of instruments and electroacoustic sounds 5–8'
Calacas Imaginarias (1994)
Overture (1995) – electroacoustic sounds 1'
Offrande (2000) – tenor and baritone steel pans and electroacoustic sounds 18'
Recycle loops (2002) – for young percussion players and electroacoustic sounds
Cylinder clouds (2002) – installation for three flutes and electroacoustic sounds 24'
Le repas du Serpent & Retour à la Raison (2004) – cello, video, and electroacoustic sounds 9'
Negro Fuego y Cruzado (2008) – two bass clarinets, video, and electroacoustic sounds 11'
De tus manos brotan pájaros (2010) – bassoon and electroacoustic sounds 13'
Film and dance
Cronos (aka The Cronos Device, La Invención de Cronos) – Feature directed by Guillermo del Toro. Produced by Iguana Producciones and Ventana Films. Mexico and Los Angeles 1992. Prix de la critique, Cannes 1993.
The Empire of Form – Computer animation by Latham. Produced by the Royal College of Art, London 1987.
Appearance – Composed for Sue Maclennan and Dancers. London. Commissioned by the Arts Council of Great Britain and produced by Sue Maclennan and Dancers and Chisenhale Dance Space. London. 1988.
Recordings
The chamber music work with electroacoustics Temazcal was recorded in 2003 by Powerplant, a group dominated by percussionist Joby Burgess, together with other pieces including Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint.[13] The chamber music work Metro Chabacano was recorded in 2012 by guitarist Ahmed Dickinson Cárdenas and the Santiago Quartet, in a collection of Latin America music for the ensemble. Reviewer Yeoman from Gramophone described it as a "hypnotic one-movement moto perpetuum".[14]
Álvarez was married; he and his wife Daniela had a boy and a girl.[1]
Álvarez died in Mérida on 23 May 2023, at age 67.[1][10]Alejandra Frausto, the federal Secretary of Culture, credited him as a "musician and composer who never stopped creating, proposing and working for his community and for his beloved Mérida".[1]