Mendez - Chiapanecas
Chiapanecas is an arrangement of a Mexican folksong. It contains mostly stepwise motion and arpeggios at a brisk tempo. The coda has an optional 8va and accelerando that expands the range to a D above the staff.
Range: C below the staff to Bb above the staff (opt. D)
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A complete collection of over 35 solos made popular by Rafael Mendez is available here.
Mendez - Jota
Jota is a showpiece requiring clear multiple tonguing of a variety of scale segments and arpeggios at a very fast tempo. The middle of the solo has a cadenza before launching into a section of constant triple tonguing and the return of the opening theme.
Range: C below the staff to C above the staff
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A complete collection of over 35 solos made popular by Rafael Mendez is available here.
Mendez - Jota No. 2
Like Jota, Jota No. 2 is in a brisk 3/8 with many technical sixteenth note runs. It contains very fast larger intervals up to a 6th. It also has a contrasting lyrical section and a cadenza in the middle before resuming the sixteenth note figures.
Range: D at the bottom of the staff to Bb above the staff
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A complete collection of over 35 solos made popular by Rafael Mendez is available here.
Mendez - Samba Española
Samba Española opens with a bold cadenza that calls for the use of rubato. It then launches into the samba, which is in cut time and contains many syncopated rhythms. Each section is faster than the previous, requiring double tonuging by the end. Most of the solo stays around the top of the staff.
Range: E at the bottom of the staff to C above the staff
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A complete collection of over 35 solos made popular by Rafael Mendez is available here.
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*No professional recording available at time of publication.