Educational Media Reviews Online

“Cuban composer” and “revolutionary composer” are phrases Aurelio de la Varga considers applicable to himself. Although Cuban-born and raised (with some study with Ernst Toch in the US), most of his creative work was done in the 40-years he spent teaching at California State University, Northridge. He considers himself a Cuban exile who appreciated the ‘frame of freedom’ he found himself in while working there. Featuring colleagues, past and present students, and family members speaking approvingly of his work and his character, the presentation of “reenactments” of moments from his childhood and youth reaches too cutely for verisimilitude. Fragments from fourteen of his compositions (spanning 61 years!) represent the various styles (tonal and atonal, electronic, graphic scores) and genres (orchestral, chamber music, vocal, piano) his works represent. Extras include a presentation of the composer’s thoughts on music and two complete performances from a 2014 concert in Venezuela, Canciones Transparentes, for soprano, clarinet, cello, and piano (texts by Cuban poet José Martí) from 1995 and the short orchestral work Intrata (1972). The question of what makes Cuban ‘classical’ music Cuban is addressed in the program but the answer is best given in his musings on music in the 19-minute extra, where he explains how the culture of his youth was basic to his artistic imagination. De la Varga has received numerous awards and honors that are listed on the 4-page CV included with the DVD, many of which are pictured in the end credits of the program. While the film is an admiring introduction to a much-admired composer, it is a love-fest. Some tantalizing references to various 'controversies' involving him are mentioned, yet they are never investigated. The ‘menu’ is best navigated on a computer; it may not work at all on older DVD players. Actor Andy García narrates.