El Toroby La Bande De "El Toreo"RCA Victor (LSP-2538)Publication date 1962

EL TORO / PASO DOBLES PERFORMED by LA BANDA de “EL TOREO” Under the direction of Mario Ruiz Armengol Audience reaction recorded live at the Mexican bull ring “El Toreo.” AZ£R Coordinator—Herman Diaz, Jr. . . a mystique, a passion .. . that transports and ennobles. La Corrida, the “running of the bulls” or the bullfight, is one of the great spectacles of the Spanish-speaking world. It has been poetically described as a ritual challenge of death. Each time the matador triumphs over the formidable bull, he is Man facing up to Death, the Great Extinguisher, and winning a victory over it for all men. In this defiance and triumph, there is something of immortality for all men. You may be sure that that least of aficionados! sitting up there in the glaring sun of the sol zone does not ponder the experience in such exalted terms. He is probably too intent on exercising his expertise in judging the fine points of the performance of the matadors, the picadors, the banderilleros—and the bulls. Let any > of these worthies turn in what our aficionado considers less than a creditable performance and he incurs the risk of . the fearsome whistling which is the Latin equivalent of the U.S. “'boo'” or Bronx cheer. But aside from. :, the thrills, the noise and the color, there isa mystique, a passion in the corrida that transports and ennobles BA the audience. Here in this album is an attempt to capture these emotions and sensations. Here is the excited anticipation of the crowd, the surging “Olé's,” the thrilling paso doblés . ( —traditional music that accompanies the acts and actions of the drama. $ If you have ever witnessed the corrida or, like countless millions the world 'over, have vicariously experienced its expression in.all the arts—literature, painting, the dance, music,“etc.—this album will brilliantly % re-create the spectacle for you. THE SPECTACLE FROM START TO FINISH “To the Bulls! To the Bulls!” cry the cabdrivers and bus drivers .. . and the people flow like an immense river to the plaza. The sun bathes the golden sand, the band launches into a gay bullfight paso doble, and the cuadrillas make the paseo greeted by a thundering ovation. The bugle sounds and the first bull comes into the ruedo. After the suerte de varas, the matador plays the bull with his cape in sublime lances. The banderilleros spear the bull with three magnificent pairs of banderillas, and the final tercio begins. The matador advances slowly, muleta and estoque in hand— and the faena begins. Enthusiasm mounts. Each pase is chorused with a stentorian “¡olé!” A vibrant paso doble accompanies the great show of courage and art, and finally comes—““la hora de la verdad.” The matador has cuadrado the bull. There is a deep silence. These are the seconds of most intense emotion, The craftsman se perfila to enter for the kill. He then attracts the bull's attention with the muleta. The bull leaps forth like a gust of wind. The maestro stands firm against the savage attack. The estoque sinks up to the hilt between the shoulder blades of the beast... and he falls as if mortally wounded by a bolt of lightning. Irre- pressible jubilation explodes. The people applaud, they yell till they're hoarse; they turn to all kinds of noisy demonstrations to show their highest approval. The band breaks out with a lively paso doble—a glorious culmination for a splendid lidia, which is awarded the two ears and the tail. And thus for a total of six bulls. And thus the next Sunday . . . and the next... and the next. It is the national fiesta—gold, silk, blood and sun! It is the fiesta of courage, which makes the heart overflow with enthusiasm and admiration! Aficionados ... . friends . .. don't miss this corrida! To the Bulls! To the Bulls! GLOSSARY Aficionados—bullfight fans (in this case); sometimes, amateurs. Banderillero—bulifighter who thrusts small darts adorned with colored paper, called banderillas, into the withers of the bull. Cuadrar—positioning bull for the kill. Cuadrilla—the matadors “team": pica- dores (goad the bull), banderilleros (place the darts), mozo de estoques (sword bearer). Corrida—bullfight. Estoque—sword. Faena—the work done with the muleta. “La Hora de la Verdad"—“"The Moment of Truth” (the moment of killing the bull. Lance—pass with the cape. Lidia—bullfight, Matador—he who kills the bull. Muleta—cloth used to lure the bull. 1Olél—a cheer. Pase—pass made with the muleta, Paseo—the march of the cuadrillas into the bull ring. Perfilarse—one of the stances used in kill- ing the bull. Ruedo—the bull ring. Suerte or Tercio—each of the three parts into which each bullfight is divided. Suerte de varas—portion of the bullfight in which mounted picadors thrust their goads —picas—into the bulls. **¡A los toros! ¡A los toros!”, gritan cocheros y choferes + + « y los vehículos se llenan y el pueblo todo afluye como inmenso río a la plaza. El sol inunda la dorada arena. La banda ataca un alegre paso doble torero . . . y las cuadrillas hacen el paseo acogidas por estruendosa ovación. Suenan los clarines, y salta al ruedo el primer toro. Tras la suerte de varas, el matador lo torea de capa con lances sublimes. Los banderilleros le clavan tres magníficos pares de banderillas .. . y viene el último tercio. El matador se adelanta despacio, muleta y estoque en mano ... y comienza la faena. El entusiasmo va subiendo. Cada pase es coreado con un estentóreo ¡olé!. Un vibrante paso doble acompaña al derroche de valor y arte, y al fin llega .... “la hora de la verdad.” El matador ha cuadrado al toro. Se hace un profundo silencio. Son los segundos de más intensa emoción. El diestro se perfila para entrar a matar. Cita entonces al toro con la muleta. Se arranca éste como una exhalación. Aguanta el maestro a pie firme la salvaje acometida. Se hunde el estoque hasta el puño en todo lo alto del morrillo de la fiera... y ésta cae como herida de muerte por un rayo. El júbilo estalla incontenible. La gente aplaude, grita hasta enronquecer ... recurre a toda manifestación ruidosa para demostrar su exaltada aprobación .. . y la banda rompe a tocar un brioso paso doble—gloriosa culminación para tan espléndida lidia, que se premia con las dos orejas y el rabo. Y así... seis toros. Y así al otro domingo . .. y al otro ...yalotro... ¡Es la fiesta nacional—oro, seda, sangre y sol .. .! ¡Es la fiesta del valor, que hace que se desborden de entusiasmo y admiración los corazones! Aficionados ... amigos .. . ¡no se pierdan esta corrida! ¡A los toros! ¡A los toros! Emitio De Torre