Ibarra (Groth), Federico
Ibarra (Groth), Federico
Ibarra (Groth), Federico, Mexican composer; b. Mexico City, July 25, 1946. He studied at the Univ. Nacional Autónoma in Mexico City in the 1960s and then attended courses of Pierre Henry in Paris (1971) and of Rodolfo Halffter in Spain (1975). Ibarra taught at the Univ. Nacional Autónoma (1971–77) and directed its compositions workshops (from 1985). He received the Silvestre Revueltas Prize in 1975 and 1976, the Mozart Medal of Mexico in 1991, and the Prize of the Universidad Nacional in 1993. The colorful dissonance of his music produces a situation analogous to “magic realism.”
Works
dramatic: Opera: Leoncio y Lena (1980-81; Mexico City, Sept. 1981); Orestes Parte (1981; first stage perf., Mexico City, July 5, 1987); Madre Juana (1986; Mexico City, Sept. 13, 1993); Alicia, after Lewis Carroll (1989-90; Mexico City, July 9, 1995); Despertar al sueño (Mexico City, Oct. 24, 1994). Ballet: Imágeries del Quinto Sol (1980; Mexico City, May 6, 1984). ORCH.: Tre preludios monocromáticos (1972; also for Piano, 4-Hands, 1964); Cinco misterios eléusicos (1979); Concerto for Amplified Piano and Orch. (1979–80); Cello Concerto (1988–89);2 syms.: No. 1 (1991) and No. 2, Las Antesalas del Sueño (1993); 3 Pieces (1991); Obertura para un Nuevo Milenio (1993); Obertura para un Cento fantástico (1993); Balada for Strings (1995); Violin Concerto(1995-97). CHAMBER: Invierno for String Quartet (1963); 2 string quartets (Del Trasmundo, 1975; Orfico, 1992); Cinco estudios premonitorios for Instrumental Ensemble and Piano (1976); Música para Teatro I for Flute, Oboe, Cello, and Piano (1982),II for Harpsichord (1986), and III for Cello and Piano (1987); Sextet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, and Piano Trio (1985); Sonata Breve for Solo Violin (1991); Cello Sonata (1992); El viaje imaginario for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1994); Juegos Nocturnos for Wind Quintet (1995). Piano: Tres preludios monocromáticos for Piano, 4-Hands (1964; also for Orch., 1972); 5 sonatas (1976; 1982; Madre Juana, 1988; 1990; 1995-96). VOCAL: 7 chamber cantatas (1967–73); El proceso de la metamorfosis for Narrator and Orch., after Bretόn and Kafka (1970); Rito del reencuentro for Narrator, Strings, and 2 Pianos (1974); Loa para ola ciudad que espera, cycle of 3 cantatas (1986–87); El pequeño principe for Soloists and Chamber Orch. (1988).
—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire