Sobre las olas (Rosas)

Description

Juventino Rosas is one of the best known Mexican composers of salon music, even though he only lived to the age of 26. His best known work is Sobre las olas (“Over the Waves”). It was first published in Mexico in 1888. It remains popular as a classic waltz (as arranged here), and has also found its way into other styles and genres. In the United States, Sobre las olas is associated with county fairs and amusement parks because it was one of the musical numbers available for Wurlitzer’s popular line of fairground organs.

This intermediate arrangement includes mariachi-style harmonizations and a left hand accompaniment that shifts (like the waves) between lyrical, flowing counter-melodies and rhythmic bass-chord comping. Fingering suggestions are included for the most challenging passages.

Key: G Major

Mood: Free, calm

Pedagogy: parallel 6ths, finger crossing, accidentals, lh waltz patterns