Rafael Méndez

Early life

Méndez was born in Jiquilpan, Michoacán, Mexico to a musical family. As a child, he performed for the cornetist for guerilla leader Pancho Villa, becoming a favorite musician of his and required to remain with Villa's camp.

Before music

Méndez emigrated the US, first settling in Gary, Indiana, at age 20 and worked in steel mills. He moved to Flint, Michigan and worked at a Buick automotive plant as he established his musical career.

In music

From 1950 to 1975, Méndez was a full-time soloist. At his peak he performed about 125 concerts per year. He was also very active as a recording artist. By 1940, he was in Hollywood, leading the brass section M-G-M's studio orchestra. He contributed to the films Flying Down to Rio and Hondo, among others.

Méndez was legendary for his tone, range, technique and unparalleled double tonguing. His playing was characterized by a brilliant tone, wide vibrato and clean, rapid articulation. His repertoire was a mixture of classical, popular, jazz, and Mexican folk music. He contributed many arrangements and original compositions to the trumpet repertoire. His Scherzo in D minor is often heard in recitals, and has been recorded by David Hickman.

He is regarded as popularizing "La Virgen de la Macarena", commonly known as "the bullfighter's song", to US audiences. Perhaps his most significant if not famous single recording, "Moto Perpetuo", was written in the eighteenth century by Niccolò Paganini for violin and features Mendez double-tonguing continuously for over 4 minutes while circular breathing to give the illusion that he is not taking a natural breath while playing.

Personal life

Rafael Méndez married Amor Rodriguez after meeting her in Detroit. They had twin sons, Dr. Rafael G. Méndez, Jr. and Dr. Robert Méndez, and five grandchildren.

Rafael Méndez suffered from serious asthma-related problems by the late 1950s which caused increasing difficulty performing at his level of performance. After an injury at a baseball game in Mexico in 1967 caused additional deterioration, he retired from performing in 1975, but continued to compose and arrange.

He died at his home in Encino, California on September 15, 1981.

Honors, awards and legacy

Arizona State University's music building houses the 1,400 sq ft (130 m²) Rafael Méndez Library which was dedicated and opened on June 11, 1993. The library holds 300 manuscripts and almost 700 compositions and arrangements by Méndez, as well as hundreds of images, articles and recordings. It also has an online counterpart.

In 2006, the Los Angeles Opera paid tribute to Rafael Mendez by performing a work based on his life. A reviewer in The Los Angeles Times believed that Mendez "has been called the greatest trumpet player of all time."

Discography