Hildebrandt Legend

Commissioned by and dedicated to the Hildebrandt Intermediate School Concert Band, Spring, Texas Ann Cotten, Conductor; Tod A. Lawlis, Director of Bands

Mexican Folk Song Suite is a collection of three of the most well-known folk songs from south of the border, including: Cielito Lindo (Beautiful Sky), Las Mañanitas (Morning Serenade), and Chiapanecas (Ladies from the southern state of Chiapas). Both students and audience alike will enjoy these familiar tunes put into an original setting.

Suggestions for rehearsal/performance - - -

1. Cielito Lindo - This movement should be performed moderately fast, and be light and separated throughout. Make sure that the clarinets are not covered up the first time at A. Some time will need to be spent on the precision of the eighth note passages one measure before A and one measure before B. Teaching the students to subdivide in their heads before they reach these measures will help.
2. Las Mañanitas - A smooth legato tongue should be used throughout this movement. Great care must be taken with young groups to not let them chop off the ends of the phrases. Having the first clarinets keep their right hand fingers down on the longer throat tone G, A and Bb’s will help improve tone and intonation. At the director’s discretion, the opening horn solo may be rewritten for either bass clarinet or bassoon, sounding an octave lower.
3. Chiapanecas - This movement should present few technical problems. It will be important, however, to balance the brass entrance and the woodwind response. Make sure that the brass players do not play at a dynamic level above which they can play with controlled sounds.