Vendaval de Luvina

Bleakness, in powerful, tragic beauty.

(Solo piano with prerecorded digital audio).
Total duration 5:40 (2010)
Published by Activist Music (ASCAP).
Commissioned in 2010 by pianist Teresa McCollough.
One movement work. 5 pages, 8.5" x 11".

Premiered in November 2010 in Santa Clara, CA by Teresa McCollough, piano.

Audio excerpt demo recorded by Alex Shapiro.

Audio of the voice of Juan Rulfo reading from his short story, Luvina, gratefully used with permission of Fundacion Juan Rulfo.

Also available as:

Luvina

(Solo piano).
Total duration ca. 5 minutes (2007)
Published by Activist Music (ASCAP).
Commissioned in 2007 by pianist Ana Cervantes.
One movement work. 5 pages, 8.5" x 11".

Premiered in November 2007 in Mexico City, Mexico by Ana Cervantes, piano.

Recorded by Ana Cervantes, piano.

"Wherever you look in Luvina, it's a very sad place. You're going there, so you'll find out. I would say it's the place where sadness nests... the breeze that blows there moves it around but never takes it away." Such is the bleak world described in the late Mexican author Juan Rulfo's short story, "Luvina," about villagers living in a grim desert of dire poverty and hopelessness. Absorb the haunting lilt of Rulfo's own voice, reading passages from "Luvina" as the music transports us to a place where slow and insistent burdens are met with simple, unquestioning acceptance.

The doleful song of Juan Rulfo's ragged voice moved me so much, that shortly after I composed the original version of this piece for solo piano, Luvina, I chose to create an additional version of the piece that included excerpts of his reading, along with a pointed electronic soundscape that would bring Rulfo's grim descriptions further to life. The oppressive gusts of the endless wind are reflected in the title, Vendaval de Luvina.

Luvina is featured on pianist Ana Cervantes' CD, Solo Rumores (Quindecim Recordings 186), recorded in August 2007 as part of a two-CD collection of works Ms. Cervantes commissioned to reflect the writings of Juan Rulfo. For more information about this project, please click here

Alex Shapiro has produced a significant album of her solo piano works, including the acoustic version of this work, titled LUVINA, beautifully performed by New York pianist Adam Marks. The 2020 disc, ARCANA, has been released on Innova Recordings 041.