Contrapunto: revista de cultura y crítica musical
- Place of Publication: Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Language: Spanish
- Date of Publication: 1945-1946
- Type: Citation Only
Contrapunto [RIPM code CRC] was published in Mexico City in 1945-1946 and directed by Manuel Medina. The issues preserved in RIPM correspond to volume 2, numbers 2–4; the remaining issues should be added by January 2027. The publication brings together historical writing, criticism, pedagogy, and documentation of current musical life, addressing a readership connected to performance, teaching, and listening practices in Mexico’s capital.
Each issue opens with an editorial article and continues with biographical articles on composers from earlier periods, including figures such as J. S. Bach and Claudio Monteverdi, alongside essays on prominent contemporary European composers. Pedagogical texts appear throughout the journal, and a section of musical scores by Mexican composers occupies a central place in the layout. Reviews cover ballet, opera, and symphonic concerts, followed by record reviews and brief announcements of upcoming cultural events in Palacio de Bellas Artes.
Among the more substantial contributions are interviews with Mexican pianist Angélica Morales and conductor Vladimir Shavitch by Maurice Le Vahr, which focus on performance and professional experience. Also of particular interest is Manuel M. Ponce’s article “Los Cantos del Trabajo,” in which he discusses the origins of song in rhythmic labor, drawing on Karl Bücher’s theories and examples from Asian and African musical practices. Ponce traces the historical development of musical expression through early instruments from China and India and concludes with observations on Greek rhythm and melody.
This RIPM index was produced from a copy of the journal held by the Centro Nacional de Investigación, Documentación e Información Musical “Carlos Chávez” (Cenidim) in Mexico City. Once the remaining issues are secured, these will be added to RIPM.