Cantemos al Alba:
Origins of Songs, Sounds, and Liturgical
Drama of Hispanic New Mexico
Tomás Lozano
Edited and translated into English by Rima Montoya
Foreword by Anthony Cárdenas
Cantemos al Alba is the first book to trace the origins of Hispanic New Mexico's
liturgical drama, early songs, and sounds to ancient European traditions. Tomás
Lozano weaves a historical unifying thread of events originating in medieval
Spain, passing through Mexico and into New Mexico. In the process, Lozano uncovers
folklore never treated before. Lozano reveals a portion of United States history
that to this day goes largely unrecognized. He demonstrates how the first music
schools of what today is the U.S. actually began along the Rio Grande Valley
of New Mexico.
In his seventeen chapters Lozano presents over one hundred
songs with original music notations, compares full dramatic exemplars, and brings
forward recordings of perhaps forgotten sounds.
Cantemos al Alba is an innovative study and bank of information
that provides testimony for Lozano's anthological work.
Available online, at major bookstores, and directly from Tomás.
Contact Tomás at:
tlozanoramos@yahoo.com
Tomás Lozano, originally from Spain, is a folklorist
and a professional musician. Rima Montoya is a freelance writer. Antonio Cárdenas
is a medievalist and professor of Spanish language and literature at the University
of New Mexico.
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From a recent review in La
Herencia Magazine:
Cantemos al Alba approaches a topic that has long been
a central question for New Mexico Hispanos but which has not been fully
researched until now: What is the link between the liturgical drama,
early songs and sounds of folk New Mexico culture and their ancient
roots in Mexico and Spain? Lozano’s work tracks the evolution
of these art forms from medieval Spain to Mexico and eventually to the
early settlements in New Mexico.
The publication is beautifully produced and contains more than a hundred
songs, with original music notation as well as a comparison of full
dramatic exemplars. It is presented in bilingual English/Spanish text
throughout. The book also contains two CDs that provide recorded samples
of the songs, music and dramas referred to in the text. Overall, it
is a wonderfully thorough and well-developed introduction to the material.
Lay readers will find the book informative and aesthetically pleasing;
scholars will benefit from the comprehensive research and the uncovering
of folklore never before presented in print.
Interestingly, Lozano reveals that the first music schools to be established
in what is now the United States came into existence along the Río
Grande Valley of New Mexico. There is a great deal more to discover
and take cultural pride in within the covers of this substantial volume.
New Mexico Hispanos with an interest in delving into the genesis of
their culture will find much to be enchanted with in this work.
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Tomás lectures and performs throughout the United States and
Spain. His lectures and performances are truely unique; a combination
of musical performance, dramatic interpretation, and informative lecture.
His passion for his subject is very visible on stage.
Recent lectures and performances include:
Featuring the music of Tomás Lozano,
University of New Mexico in collaboration with the Instituto Cervantes
& the Centro Español de Recursos
19-21 April 2006
ROMANCES CANTADOS:
with Tomás Lozano, Recitador de Romances
University of New Mexico, Quixotic Celebration
18-22 April 2005
CD booklet:
Tomás wrote the introduction of the repertoire and
its origins for this CD:
CANCIONES
ESPAÑOLAS en el Sudoeste de los Estados Unidos
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