New Edition: Hispanic Folk Songs of New Mexico By John Donald Robb

SEPYTEMBER 1, 2008

The UNM Robb Trust worked with Luther Wilson, Director of the UNM Press, to re-publish Dean Robb’s out-of-print book on Hispanic folk music, Hispanic Folk Songs of New Mexico (1954, revised 2008) -which is now available through UNM Press or at Amazon.com. Updating and preparation for the revision was accomplished by Trust Members James Bratcher, UNM Professor Emeritus Marilyn Fletcher, Tomás Ruiz-Fábrega, Ph.D., and Robert Tillotson, Ph.D. First published in 1954, Hispanic Folk Songs of New Mexico has been revised to feature arrangements for voice and piano with the addition of chord symbols for guitar.

Robb's discussion falls into three major divisions: a general examination of the Hispanic folk song in New Mexico (types, origins, and literary and musical characteristics), of specific folk songs, and, finally, the songs presented in both Spanish and English.

Aimed at general folk music enthusiasts and educators for use in the classroom, yet avoiding being overly technical, Robb conveys basic principles and imparts his contagious enthusiasm for the flavor of New Mexico's folk songs.
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John Donald Robb (1892-1989), professor and dean emeritus of the College of Fine Arts at the University of New Mexico (1942-1957) and a composer of stage, classical, and electronic music, was responsible for the growth of fine arts at the University of New Mexico in the 1940s and 1950s. Negotiations continue for republishing the Dean’s authoritative book, Hispanic Folk Music of New Mexico and the Southwest: A Self Portrait of the People (1980), which has reached rare book collectible status. These compilations reinforce Dean Robb's reputation as a leading authority on Hispanic folk music and contribute to the authenticity and the beauty of his Hispanic "rooted" musical compositions. 

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