Manuel Ponce Cuéllar's 139th Birthday

Today’s Doodle celebrates the 139th birthday of Mexican musical pioneer, Manuel Ponce Cuéllar, and was illustrated by Mexico City-based guest artist César Canseco.  Ponce was the earliest Mexican classical music composer to gain international recognition and a maestro on the guitar. Although European music heavily influenced his work, he added a Mexican touch to his compositions.

Ponce was born in Fresnillo on this day in 1882. He discovered his talent at an early age and started performing piano when he was just 6 years old. At age 9, he wrote his first composition, “La Marcha del Sarampion” (March of the Measles), while sick with the disease.

When he was 21, Ponce joined the Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Mexico City but left after realizing his skills were too advanced. He traveled to Europe a year later to study composition and piano. While in Germany, his fellow students encouraged him to incorporate Mexican folk elements into his music—which birthed his original style.

In 1912, he returned to Mexico City to teach at the Conservatorio Nacional and composed his most famous work, “Estrellita.” He studied music in Paris at the École Normale de Musique in 1925 and wrote several compositions for the guitar, inspiring other Mexican composers to follow suit. These two feats put him on the map as one of Mexico’s most esteemed composers and classical guitar players.

He wrote more than 300 compositions but was more than a composer and musician. Ponce was also a teacher, lecturer, music critic and conductor. He also penned over 200 essays as the founder and editor of 3 music journals: Revista Musical de México, Gaceta Musical and Cultura Musical. His styles ranged from baroque to impressionist, classical to romantic–all with a distinct Mexican folk touch.

Ponce was awarded the Premio Nacional de Artes y Ciencias (the National Prize of Arts and Sciences) in 1947. When he passed away the following year, he was buried in the Rotonda de las Personas Ilustres (Roundhouse of the Illustrious Men) of the Panteón de Dolores, a site that honors those who made a significant contribution to Mexican society.

Q&A with guest artist César Canseco

Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Mexico City-based guest artist César Canseco. Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:

Q. What were your first thoughts when you were approached about working on this Doodle?

A: I was very excited to think that it was my turn to create a Doodle. A Doodle is one of the things I wanted to cross off my list in my career as an illustrator and this project is a milestone that helps me stay motivated in the search for my graphic language as an artist.
 

Q. Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle?

A: The main inspiration for my work is constantly drawn in Mexico's artistic manifestations and its European influence, particularly painting and sculpture from the 19th century. And more specifically, I’m very inspired by a group of sculptors who decided to leave behind the traditional academy of art to propose a new Mexican graphic identity.

Of course, listening to some of  Ponce’s compositions during my research period certainly puts me in the right mood to tackle this project.

Q. Did you learn anything surprising or noteworthy while doing research for this Doodle?

A: I was impressed and very proud to know that Manuel Ponce is one of the most remembered and referenced Mexican musicians. And that his search and proposal have defined in such a way the course of music in Mexico. And it blew my mind to know which other artists he associated with during the course of his career, many of whom I also admire for their work.

Q. Can you tell us about your process?

A: My process began by researching the life and production of Manuel Ponce. I watched a couple of documentaries about his career and asked some details with musician friends.

After assimilating the information I collected, the next thing I did was a moodboard with references that I can use to draw my first sketches. These references gave me bases such as: composition, lettering, color, and posing.

After a first review with the Google team, we were able to give the Doodle a more specific direction, and from there I was able to continue defining the illustration in terms of color and volume until I reached the final piece.

Q. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

A: I like to feel identified and close to the subjects I work on. In this case, a bigger part of my inspiration to create this Doodle was the fact that just as Ponce did, among a large number of contemporary artists, I also want to talk about Mexican folklore in my work, and I always try to reflect and exalt Mexico in each project.