Between the Lines: María Grever’s “Tipitin”

About the Arrangement

Written by Mexico's first well-known female composer, María Grever, this vals Mexicano (Mexican waltz), arranged by Raul Dominguez, makes a charming a cappella work for outstanding choirs . The textured setting offers well-conceived choral parts throughout, sometimes using lower voices to provide a dance-like underscore for the lilting melody. A full translation and pronunciation notes aid in the understanding and mastery of an entirely Spanish text, which recounts a story of new love. Feature an agile soprano on the jaunty descant near the end.

Go Between the Lines

The imitative sound of plucked guitar strings can be heard in the phrase, “Tipitin,” which is a Mexican waltz by María Grever about singing to the one you love. This unaccompanied arrangement for SATB and SSAA choruses is the perfect upbeat addition to the choral libraries of advanced high school and collegiate choruses.

María Joaquina de la Portilla Torres is the first well-known composer from the United Mexican States (UMS). She was born to a Spanish father and Mexican mother in 1885 in Guanajuato. After moving to Seville, she had the opportunity to study with Claude Debussy. When she returned to the UMS, she continued studying music and, in 1907, she married Leo A. Grever, an oil executive from the USA. They moved to New York City in 1916, after she gained citizenship. In María’s biography by Lee Rodríguez, María says this about her departure: “I had to leave my country, and now in New York I am interested in Jazz and Modern Rhythms, but above all, in Mexican Music, which I long to present to the American people. I am afraid they don't know much about it. It is music worth spreading; there is such a cultural richness in Mexican Music (its Hispanic and indigenous origins and how they mix) where melody and rhythm merge. It is my wish and yearning to present the native rhythms and tunes (of México) from a real perspective, but with the necessary flexibility to appeal to the universal audience." She lived in New York City until her death 1951 and her remains rest in México City.

This opportunity to know María’s music has new life with “Tipitin.” When she first composed this tune in 1938, her publisher originally rejected it because it did not match her compositional output. When Raymond Leveen added English lyrics and Big Band leader Horace Heidt debuted his version in the USA, it became a number one hit for six weeks. In 1957, the Andrews Sisters released a cover of that version but added a beat (changing it from 3/4 to 4/4 meter) thereby negating the Mexican waltz. This arrangement restores the original Spanish with the original Mexican waltz. María was also a gifted singer, and this arrangement adds a soprano solo in the return of the final refrain. Musicians can think about this as María reaching us through the ages to sing her music once more alongside the choir. With this arrangement, we honor the memory of a strong female Mexican composer who swept us away with hits like “Cuando vuelva a tu lado” (“What a Difference a Day Makes”) at a time when men dominated the field of composition.