Summer 2013 - The American Viola Society

Musical Sources
The Trio was published by Ediciones Mexicanas de Música (score and parts). 4 There are also three
manuscript scores that will be referred to as MS1, MS2, and MS3. 5 MS1 and MS2 were written by
Ponce in pencil and ink, respectively. MS3 is a handmade copy of MS2 signed by Pineda and
includes parts. MS1 is the earlier draft (ex. 1) and MS2 a cleaner version (exs. 2–11). MS1–MS3
contain two cello parts: one easy and the other more elaborated. 6 The latter is used in the printed
edition.
An Unusual Case
The piece was born under very particular circumstances. The sixty-year-old composer wrote it for a
six-year-old boy and his parents, a family of amateur musicians. The dedication in the sources
varies. The printed edition reads: “For Cécile, Carlos, and Carlitos Prieto.” In MS1: “For Cécile,
Carlos, and Carlitos Prieto (a six-year-old cellist).” And in MS2: “For Cécile, Carlos, and Carlitos
Prieto (a six-year-old cellist) who someday will surely be able to play the non-facilitated cello part.
Cordially, Manuel M. Ponce, Mexico, 4 November 1943.” 7 Indeed, Carlos Prieto Jacqué is not only
among Mexico’s most distinguished musicians but also a successful author and engineer. 8
The Prieto Family 9
Carlos Prieto Fernández de la Llana was a lawyer, and Cécile Jacqué was a homemaker. Although
Cécile’s parents were from France, both she and Carlos were born in Spain, married there, and later
became Mexican citizens. They were high-level amateur performers, each playing the violin and the
viola; Carlos specialized in the former and Cécile in the latter. She studied in the Schola Cantorum
of Paris.
The Prietos were close friends and admirers of Ponce. They loved both the Sonate en duo pour
violon et alto (1938) 10 as well as the string trio that the artist dedicated to them and frequently
performed these pieces in family gatherings. Both compositions have a Spanish flair, most likely in
honor of the dedicatees.
They were a very musical family; Cécile’s father played the viola and her brother the cello.
Together with Carlos and Cécile, they formed a string quartet. Later on, Carlos Jr. became the
cellist of the group. His younger brother, Juan Luis, who played violin, joined the ensemble and
Cécile occupied the position of violist. The quartet continued with Carlos Jr.’s son, Carlos Miguel, 11
and nephew, Juan Luis, both violinists. Another distinguished member of the family was Carlos
Sr.’s sister, María Teresa Prieto, 12 a composer who at some point took lessons from Ponce.
A Note of History
In MS1 (ex. 1) one can notice that Ponce created the piece with the easy cello part first and later
appended the more elaborated one. In some cases he adds an extra staff (systems 1–3). In other
instances, the advanced part is written over the simple one (systems 4–5).
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