Javier Alvarez (b. 1956) - Temazcal (1984)

“Temazcal stems from the Nahuatl (ancient Aztec) word literally meaning “water that burns.” The maraca material is drawn from traditional rhythmic patterns found in most Latin - American musics, namely those from the Caribbean region, southeastern Mexico, Cuba, Central America and the flatlands of Colombia and Venezuela. In these musics in general, the maracas are used in a purely accompanimental manner as a part of small instrumental ensembles. The only exception is, perhaps, that of the Venezuelan flatlands, where the role of the maracas surpasses that of mere cadence and accenet punctuation to become a soloistic instrument in its own right. It was from this instance that I imagined a piece where the player would have to master short patterns and combine them with great virtuosity to construct larger and complex rhythmic structures which could then be juxtaposed, superimposed and set against similar passages on tape, thus creating a dense polyrhythmic web. This would eventually disintegrate clearing the way for a traditional accompanimental style of playing in a sound world reminiscent of the maracas’ more usual environment.

The sound sources on tape include harp, a folk guitar and double bass pizzicatti for the tape’s attacks, the transformation of bamboo rods being struck together for the rhythmic passages and rattling sounds created with the maracas themselves for other gestures.

The piece is dedicated to Luis Julio Toro who first performed it at the East Mountain Artist Series in London in January 1984.” - Javier Alvarez

- - -

Javier Alvarez is equally active as a performer, composer, and researcher. Born in 1956, he studied clarinet and composition in his native country of Mexico. In 1980, he began to pursue further studies abroad, first in the United States, and then, on a British Council Scholarship, with John Lambert at the Royal College of Music in London, where he has lived since 1982.