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Nationalistic Issues

Inherent to the nature of Latin American music, there always have been a nationalistic current rooted on the basis of folklore on each country. Depending the region, in most cases, folklore, is a mixture of American Indian traditions and Spanish traditions. On the Caribbean and Brazil, black or African or Negro traditions might be added. This nationalistic way of composing is due in part to migration of European and North American composers to Hispanic countries of the continent. Being more specific, since the days of colonies, music education has always been a continuous emulation of those methods proven to be successful in the northern hemisphere. This is due in part by the traveling of a selected group of Creole musicians to renown music schools and centers around the world providing a"western-nation" of Latin music. With colonization, came missionaries and with them not only religious activities but also cultural activities which always included music. About this time, they established a set of music priorities, which had to be used by the music educator to characterize a musical expression on the colonies. In order of importance they are, vernacular, semi-vernacular, popular, dance music and folklore. The last one was only used as source of inspiration, for the others. Many pieces were done by using this set of priorities. As good as they could be, they today remain in the archives of the conservatories where they were composed, and only a few have made its way to the history of universal music.

Most composers have made use of instruments of traditional orchestra, and most musicians have always performed on this type of instruments. Nevertheless the guitar brought to this continent by the Spaniards, is by far the most popular instrument. One can easily find variations to this instrument in every region of the continent. And a great deal of compositions for this family of instruments exists in every category, but most composers still favored those of the orchestra. There have been other composers who have used native instruments or Indian instruments which include, pan flutes of many kinds, stone and clay flutes, whistles and sea shells, as well as huge family of drums inherited by the age of the Spanish black slavery on the Americas. But the general practice of vernacular music has pointed towards the use of emulating techniques to adapt sounds of these native instruments to the sounds of strings, kettle drums, wood-winds, and brass. The product of these practice are symphonies based on local dances which clone custom instruments with classic harmonies, rhythms and orchestrations.


next up previous
Next: Contrasts Up: The Choice of Electro-acoustic Previous: History
Juan Reyes
2000-12-08