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History of the Mariachi The Wedding of Musical Traditions Prior to the arrival of Cortes the music of Mexico, played with rattles, drums, reed and clay flutes, and conch-shell horns, was an integral part of religious celebrations. Quickly, however, as Christianity spread, in many areas these instruments gave way to instruments imported by the Spanish: violins, guitars and harps, brass horns, and woodwinds. The Indian and mestizo musicians not only learned to play European instruments, but also to build their own, sometimes giving them shapes and tunings of their own invention. Sitio principal Sitio mariachi Sitio mariachi 2 Desarrollo Music and dance were important elements of Spanish theatrical productions, enormously popular throughout the Spanish speaking world during the colonial period. The typical Spanish theatrical orchestra of the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries was comprised of violins (usually two), harp and guitars (or guitar variants). It was from this group that several of the most distinctive regional ensembles of Mexico developed, including the Mariachi. Mariachi - What Does It Mean? Musicologists and folklorists have argued for years over the origin of the word - Mariachi. The explanation that appears most frequently - especially on record jackets and in travel brochures - is that it is a variation of the French word mariage, meaning wedding or marriage, and comes from the time in the nineteenth century when Maximillian, a Frenchman, was Emperor of Mexico. According to this myth the Mariachi was named by the French after the celebration with which it was most commonly associated. But this explanation, always regarded as highly doubtful by linguists, was totally discredited recently when a use of the word was found that predated the time when the French arrived in Mexico. Currently, however, the best scholarly opinion is that the word mariachi has native roots. One theory is that it comes from the name of the wood used to make the platform on which the performers danced to the music of the village musicians. But whatever its true source - and the truth may never be discovered with absolute certainty - the word today has one meaning that is crystal clear: Mariachi means on of the most exciting and enchanting musical ensembles found anywhere in the world. The Unique Make-Up of the Mariachi Ensemble In the complete Mariachi group today there are as many as six to eight violins, two trumpets, and a guitar - all standard European instruments. Then there is a high-itched, round-backed guitar called the vihuela, which when strummed in the traditional manner gives the Mariachi its typical rhythmic vitality; a deep-voiced guitar called the guitarrs n which serves as the bass of the ensemble; and a Mexican folk harp, which usually doubles the base line, but also ornaments the melody. While these three instruments have European origins, in their present form they are strictly Mexican. The sound that these instruments combine to make is unique. Like the sarape, which often used widely contrasting colors side by side - green and orange, yellow and blue - the Mariachi used sharply contrasting sounds: the sweet sounds of the violins against the brilliance of the trumpets, and the deep sound of the guitarrs n against the crisp, high voice of the vihuela; and the frequent shifting between syncopation and on-beat rhythm. The resulting sound is the heart and soul of Mexico. The Beginning of the Mariachi We Know Today Although the origins of Mariachi music go back hundreds of years, in the form we know it the Mariachi began in the nineteenth century in the Mexican state of Jalisco - according to popular legend, in the town of Cocula. The Mariachi was the distinctive version of the Spanish theatrical orchestra of violins, harp and guitars which developed in and around Jalisco. In other areas such as Veracruz and the Huasteca region in the northeast, the ensemble evolved differently. By the end of the nineteenth century, in Cocula the vihuela, two violins, and the guitarrs n (which had replaced the harp) were the instruments of the Mariachi. The principal music played by these early Mariachis was the SON, the popular music of the day. A mixture of folk traditions from Spain, Mexico, and Africa, the son was found in many regions of the country. The son from Jalisco is called the son jalisciense. La Negra is the best-known example. Sones from other regions include the son jarocho or veracruzano, from the region around the Gulf port of Veracruz; and the son huasteco, from northeastern Mexico. The most famous example of the son jarocho is La Bamba . A typical son huasteco, also known as the huapango, is La Malagueq a. It is interesting to note that there are some sones, such as El Gusto, which are common in all three regions and clearly date back to a common ancestor. Mariachi and Dance It is important to remember the son-and other types of Mariachi music- is not just music to be played and sung. From the very start it was music to be danced. The traditional dance technique associated with both the son jalisciense and son jarocho is the zapateado, a distinctive type of footwork that originated in Spain. When dancing the zapateado the performers skillfully drive the heels of their boots or shoes into the dance-floor, pounding out swift, often syncopated rhythms which complement the different rhythm of the musical instruments. The zapateado can literally reduce even the most resistant dance floor to splinters because of the force with which it is danced. Each of the regional variations of the son has its traditional style of dance. The huapango or son huasteco, for instance, like the son jalisciense and son jarocho, was originally danced on wooden platforms, in some areas mounted on earthen jugs. To dance the huapango the couples line up in opposing columns. The upper part of the body is held perfectly erect as the feet perform rapid, intricate, shuffling maneuvers. Today it is sometimes performed with a glass of water on the head to show off the dancer's incredible muscular control. The lyrics of the sones frequently describe country life: in particular, the plants, animals and people of the region. These lyrics are highly suggestive, often using imagery of the courtship of farm animals to describe the relations of men and women. In the dance the movements of the performers often represent the farm-yard courtship described in the verses of the sones. Another kind of music related to the son and intimately connected with a particular dance is the jarabe. The jarabe, which has many regional variations, is really a medley of dance pieces, including sones, danzas, jotas, and polkas. No discussion of Mariachi dance would be complete without mentioning the famous Jarabe Tapatio - the Mexican Hat Dance. Associated with Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, it has become the national dance of Mexico. It is highly stylized, with prescribed movements and costumes. The male wears the classic outfit the Jalisco horsemen or charro, while the female the China, wears a hand-woven shawl and a bright sequined skirt. By the 1930's Mariachi musicians had begun wearing the same traje de charro, consisting of a waist-length jacket and tightly fitted wool pants which open slightly at the ankle to fit over a short riding boot. Both pants and jacket are often ornamented with embroidery, intricately cut leather designs, or silver buttons in a variety of shapes. Prior to the 1930's, photographs show early Mariachis dressed in calzones de manta, and huaraches, homespun white cotton pants and shirts and leather sandals, the clothes worn by most peasants in Jalisco. Coming of Age: Mariachi Vargas Although the roots of the Mariachi go back hundreds of years, there are no Bachs or Beethovens in its early history because Mariachi music was the music of country people. Until the 1930's Mariachi groups were local and semi-professional. They were almost entirely unknown outside their own region. This began to change about 60 years ago, when the Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan n, founded by Gaspar Vargas in 1898, went from Jalisco to Mexico City. They were invited to play at the inauguration in 1934 of populist President La zaro Ca rdenas, one of whose great interests was to foster the native culture of Mexico. Catching the Presidents enthusiasm, urban sophisticates took the folk arts to their hearts, and the Mariachi Vargas instantly became the toast of the town. The initial success was only the beginning. Silvestre Vargas, who had taken over from his father as leader of the Mariachi Vargas in 1928, soon hired a trained musician, Rubm n Fuentes, as musical director. Fuentes, still actively involved with the Mariachi Vargas more than fifty years later, is one of the towering figures in the development of the Mariachi. With the help of Silvestre Vargas, he standardized the arrangements of many of the traditional sones composed many exceptional new huapangos, and wrote arrangements for many of the legendary song writers and singers of his generation, including Pedro Infante, Miguel Aceves Mejma, Lola Beltran, and Josi Alfredo Jiminez. By the 1950's he insisted that all his musicians read music. These innovations changed the way Mariachi music moved from one group to another. Gone was the total reliance of the musicians on their ears to pick up new songs, and techniques. With this giant step toward professionalism coinciding with the development of recordings, radio and film, the Mariachi Vargas was able to become the ideal that all other groups would emulate. With the addition of two trumpets, a classical guitar and more violins, by the 1950's the Mariachi ensemble had become a complete, adaptable orchestra, with the ability to retain its traditional base while it was assimilating new musical ideas and styles. The importance of Mariachi Vargas cannot be overestimated. Its arrangements have become the definitive statements of what the Mariachi should be. The Mariachi at Special Occasions Mariachis often help celebrate the great moments in the lives of the Mexican people. With the serenata (serenade), the Mariachi participates in the rite of courtship. In a society where the young members of opposite sexes were kept apart, the serenata was a means of communication by which a young man could send a message of love to the woman of his heart. In many areas of Mexico, it is not unusual to be awakened by the sound of Las Maq anitas, the traditional song for saints days, or birthdays. The Mariachi is usually positioned strategically on the street beneath the window of the festejada, but the sound of its music echoes through the whole neighborhood. Mariachis are also commonly hired for baptisms, weddings, patriotic holidays, and even funerals. It is not unusual for the deceased to leave a list of favorite songs to be sung beside the grave at burial. Mariachi music has been incorporated into the Roman Catholic Church's most sacred ritual: the Mass. The Misa Panamericana is a Mariachi folk mass, sung in Spanish, that uses traditional instruments to create vivid new interpretations of the traditional elements of the service: Angelus, Kyrie eleison, Gloria, Alleluia, Offertory, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. The first Mariachi Mass was the concept of a Canadian priest, Father Juan Marco Leclerc, and has been celebrated in Cuernavaca since 1966. It originally took place in a small chapel, but news of it spread so rapidly, and the crowds grew so large, that the regular Sunday Mariachi Mass had be moved to the Cathedral of Cuernavaca. It is now frequently performed throughout Mexico, and In many areas in the United States where people of Mexican origin live. WHAT IS MARIACHI? By Camille Collins The only thing more Mexican than tequila is mariachi and it seems a shame to have one without the other. Mariachi goes beyond music, it is the sum of a cultural revolution expressed through a group of musicians, dressed in popular clothing (most recently charro suits) which encompasses the essence of Mexico and its people. It is something cultural, spiritual and traditional that is unique to this country, an experience not to be missed. The word mariachi refers to the musicians now commonly seen in restaurants or strolling the streets, dressed in silver studded charro outfits with wide brimmed hats playing a variety of instruments which include violins, guitars, basses, vihuelas (a 5 string guitar) and trumpets. Their songs speak about machismo, love, betrayal, death, politics, revolutionary heroes and even animals (one particularly famous song is "La Cucaracha"). The mariachi originated in the southern part of the state of Jalisco sometime in the 19th century. No one is sure where the name comes from although a variety of theories have been postulated and, depending on which best fits the postulators needs, are adhered to. The original theory held that mariachi was derived from the French word for wedding - mariage, because of the type of music played at these events. The only problem with this theory is that the music originates in a part of Mexico the French never visited and, even it they had, it began before their arrival in 1864. Another theory states that the word comes from the indigenous name of the Pilla or Cirimo tree, whose wood is used to make guitars. If this were true then the word mariachi would be applied to the instrument itself and not to those who play it. It has also been suggested that the name comes from a festival in honor of a virgin known as Maria H. (mah-ree-ah AH-chay) at which musicians played and that over time they were given this name. The truth is that no one knows where the name originated, but it is one which is associated with a great deal of prestige not only in Mexico, but around the world. The origins of the mariachi itself (the group, culture, music, etc.) are not much easier to trace. The mariachi is the sum of a cultural evolution which has taken place over the last century or so in Mexico. Although the indigenous tribes of Mexico made music with flutes, drums and whistles, there is no clear link between the indigenous music and the mariachi. The instruments originally used by the mariachi were those introduced by the Spaniards - violins, guitars, vihuelas, harps, etc. These instruments were intended to be used during masses but the criollos (Mexicans of Spanish descent) began using them to make popular music as well, much to the chagrin of the priests, since they were used to accompany some of the more scandalous, satirical or anticlerical couplets of the times. Mariachi music thrived with the support of the people. The criollos of the 19th century did all they could to wipe out every last trace of the Spanish presence in Mexico and, by doing so, supported the mariachi music. Mariachis could be seen wearing traditional workmen's clothes - white pants and shirt and a straw hat, and traveling around looking for work. Most commonly they would find employment at any of the haciendas where they would earn more than the average laborer. With the revolution, many of the haciendas were forced to let the mariachis go. They would then wander from town to town singing songs of revolutionary heroes and enemies, carrying news from one place to another. Still not enjoying the same position they had before, the mariachis took to playing in public venues for a fee. One of the most popular of these was San Pedro Tlaquepaque in the state of Jalisco, a fashionable place for the residents of Guadalajara to spend their summers. Since they were playing for a fee they were forced to add new elements to their music and to expand their repertoire to include waltzes and polkas. By the early part of this century the mariachi began to regain its popularity. The most prized of the mariachis were still those from the state of Jalisco, particularly the areas of Cocula and Tecaltitlan. They represented Mexico to the people during the Independence day celebrations in Mexico City in 1933 as well as during Lazaro Cardenas' election campaign in 1936. With the advent of radio and television their popularity continued to grow. Recording contracts were signed and they were paired with famous singers like Jorge Negrete and Pedro Infante. Due to the popularity of jazz and Cuban music the trumpet was adopted, pushing the violins into second place and, in some cases, replacing the harp. Movies were made which represented Mexico as a place populated with truly macho men whose live revolved around the charro, tequila and, of course, the mariachi. Today, mariachi music is played around the world in places as far away as Japan and Europe. This integral part of Mexico's culture and history is celebrated each September in its birth place, Jalisco. El Mariachi, un Gran Pedazo del Corazsn Mexicano Por NORMA AQUINO-RATHER Los sentimientos mas profundos del alma, las penas y alegrmas de los mexicanos cobran fuerza y emocisn en las canciones de un mariachi. Las notas vibrantes de la trompeta o la magia de sus violines hablan lo mismo del amor a una bella mujer que de la desesperacisn por la tierra lejana. Mariachi Sol de Mixico La tradicisn del mariachi tuvo comienzos humildes, y sus ramces estan perdidas en el tiempo con poca o ninguna referencia escrita que permita dilucidarlo. Pequeqos conjuntos integrados por una guitarra, un violmn, vihuela y arpa animaban fiestas familiares y reuniones, bautizos y bodas, de donde proviene su nombre "mariachi", que el mito popular atribuye a una semejanza con la palabra francesa marriage. Esta teorma fue rebatida por algunos investigadores, quienes alegaban que el nombre tenma en realidad un origen indmgena, versisn que no pudo ser comprobada durante muchos aqos, hasta que en 1981 se encontrs en el archivo de una iglesia una carta escrita por el padre Cosme Santa Anna en 1848. La carta iba dirigida al arzobispo de su discesis y en ella denunciaba los escandalos ocasionados en su pueblo por los "mariachis". La fecha de esta carta es anterior a la invasisn francesa, lo cual desmiente la versisn popular de que la palabra sea de origen francis. La formacisn de los conjuntos tenma lugar ya en ipoca del imperio austro-hzngaro, y los instrumentos cambiaban en algunos grupos segzn la regisn. Por ejemplo en el Bajmo y en Jalisco tocaban los mariachis, mientras en otras areas estaban las bandas con instrumentos de percusisn. Asm vinieron las bandas de Sinaloa que incluman clarinetes, una tuba, una tambora y ocasionalmente los trombones o cuernos de las bandas de mzsica tramdos por primera vez por el ejircito francis. Si bien el mariachi se asociaba con Jalisco, la tradicisn se extiende a los estados vecinos de Michoacan, Colima, Nayarit y Zacatecas. En algunas ciudades importantes de la ipoca, se formaron grandes bandas, tanto en la ipoca porfiriana, como antes en la del imperio. Tocaban en las plazas principales de las ciudades de Morelia, Guanajuato y Zacatecas llevando, dos o tres veces por semana, serenatas que congregaban al pueblo, como las de la Plaza de Armas o las del parque El Agua Azul, en Guadalajara, que alcanzaron gran popularidad, pero todas las ciudades importantes tenman sus bandas. Entre los estilos de mariachi mas famosos, se incluyen los de Cocula, Tecatitlan y La Sierra del Tigre. La primera referencia que tenemos de un grupo de mariachi en las grandes ciudades de Mixico, data de 1905, con el Cuarteto Coculense dirigido por Justo Villa, quien grabs los primeros discos de mzsica de mariachi en 1906. En 1925, el Mariachi de Concho Andrade particips en la primera transmisisn radiofsnica en Mixico, y al aqo siguiente Cirilo Marmolejo hizo las primeras grabaciones de mariachi con el nuevo sistema elictrico. A principios de este siglo, era inusual ver conjuntos de mariachi con instrumentos de viento. La flauta, el clarinete, el saxofsn soprano, el trombsn, el cornetmn y la trompeta no se veman con frecuencia en los grupos tradicionalmente integrados por instrumentos de cuerda. Fue reciin en los aqos 30 que algunos mariachis, en la Ciudad de Mixico, incorporaron la trompeta, que en la dicada de 1940 siguis cobrando fuerza hasta llegar a ser imprescindible para el mariachi. El famoso Pedro Infante grabs en 1949 las primeras canciones con un mariachi con dos trompetas, innovacisn que logrs mucho ixito. El uso de la trompeta en el mariachi alcanzs completa aceptacisn en 1952, cuando el Mariachi Mixico, de Pepe Villa, grabs una serie de discos de gran ixito que efectus el cambio decisivo en la instrumentacisn de los grupos de mariachi, que para los aqos 60 en su mayorma incluman ya dos trompetas. Uno de los mariachis mas famosos de Mixico, y del mundo entero, es el Mariachi Vargas de Tecatitlan, fundado por Silvestre Vargas con amigos y miembros de su familia, a quienes enseqs a leer mzsica; todo un avance, porque antes de esto los mzsicos del mariachi lo eran de omdo o llamados lmricos. Vargas fue tambiin el primero que los uniforms con traje campirano, compuesto de un calzsn de manta y camisa del mismo material con un palicate al cuello. Cuando surgieron los grandes cantantes en este siglo, como Lucha Reyes, Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete y Lola Beltran, entre otros, el mariachi pass por un proceso de sofisticacisn que se reflejs en su indumentaria hecha ahora de paqo o algodsn, caractermsticas de la vestimenta del hacendado. Asm aparecieron los trajes actuales que recuerdan a los charros, pero llevan botonaduras y alamares, y los humildes huaraches se sustituyeron por elegantes botines. La mzsica de mariachi se proyects a nivel nacional e internacional, al ser interpretada por los grandes cantantesde radio en estaciones como la XEW, la XEB y la XEQ que le dieron amplia difusisn. En su evolucisn, tambiin los mzsicos del mariachi dejaron de ser los improvisados de antaqo, para convertirse ahora en verdaderos estudiosos que ejecutan mzsica clasica en trmos y orquestas con un profesionalismo impecable. Y no hay espectaculo, donde quiera que sea, que a los mexicanos atraiga mas que un mariachi entonando la cancisn: "Mixico lindo y querido/ si muero lejos de ti/ que digan que estoy dormido/ y que me traigan aqum". Y otras igualmente emotivas y vibrantes que a los mexicanos hace soqar la tierra que los vio nacer, y al extranjero lo acerca a Mixico aun sin conocerlo. HISTORIA DEL MARIACHI Por: Ramsn Talavera Franco De Cocula es el mariachi, de Tecalitlan los sones.... Esta es una de las estrofas mas conocidas del Son Cocula y decidimos usarla como inicio del presente artmculo para referirnos precisamente a algo que muchos de los amantes de la mzsica de mariachi desconocen: el lugar que le dio origen. Existen muchas teormas. Una de ellas, quiza la mas conocida, menciona que la palabra Mariachi proviene de la palabra francesa marriage, que significa boda o matrimonio y que con el tiempo se transforms en la palabra mariachi que hoy conocemos. La teorma que la sustenta, dice que durante la intervencisn francesa, los soldados franceses comenzaron a referirse como marriage (Matrimonio en francis) no znicamente a las bodas que ellos presenciaban en tierras mexicanas, sino a la mzsica que se tocaba en dichos eventos, pero si esta teorma fuera cierta, querrma decir que ellos fueron quienes bautizaron a este tipo de grupo musical, dando por hecho que antes de su llegada no existma ninguna palabra que los identificara. Lo cual es poco cremble. Otra de las teormas seqalan que en Jalisco y Michoacan hay un arbol de madera blanca y porosa el cual es usado para la fabricacisn de guitarras. Segzn algunos investigadores, este arbol se llama mariachi, sin embargo, hay mucha gente oriunda de estas regiones que desmienten que exista un arbol con dicho nombre. Pero hay otra teorma que al parecer, es la mas acertada o cuando menos la que muchos mariachis mexicanos aceptan. Esta es la que afirma que la palabra Mariachi se origins en Cocula, Jalisco. Coculan es un cerro al sur de Cocula donde se asents la tribu coca en el siglo XVI. Ellos eran descendiente de los chimalhuacanos y a su vez de los nahoas. De ellos, se afirma que tenman tanto habilidades para la mzsica como para imitar los sonidos que les parecman agradables. Y son a ellos, a esta tribu, a los que Mixico les debe hoy que existan los ya famosos Mariachis. ?Csmo nacis El Mariachi? Para comprender su nacimiento, tenemos que remontarnos a la conquista espaqola y recordar el gusto melsdico de los Cocas. Cuando llegaron los frailes espaqoles a Cocula, se dieron cuenta de la facilidad de los lugareqos para reproducir sonidos y mzsica a travis de instrumentos que ellos mismos construman y decidieron utilizar la mzsica, como instrumento evangelizador. El Fraile Miguel de Bolonia, logrs transformar antiguas melodmas dedicadas a sus ancestrales deidades aztecas, en alabanzas a la Madre de Jeszs y a San Miguel Arcangel y subrays la idea de que la mzsica era el lenguaje que Dios habma decidis utilizar para comunicarse con ellos. Asm, al correr el tiempo y ser totalmente conquistados por los espaqoles, los mzsicos Cocas transformaron no sslo sus propios ritmos autsctonos, sino que adoptaron instrumentos espaqoles como el violmn y la guitarra. En ranchermas cercanas a Cocula nacieron los viejos violines del cerro y haciendo gala de su facilidad de crear instrumentos nuevos, el indmgena Justo Rodrmguez Nixen invents la vihuela con una concha de armadillo y luego el guitarrsn con cuerdas de tripas de animales, instrumentos ya actualizados sin los cuales el mariachi que hoy escuchamos carecerma de su sonido caractermstico. Durante su proceso evangelizador, los indmgenas de Cocula empezaron a adorar a la Virgen que llamaban Maria del Rmo, cuya imagen fue descubierta mientras unos campesinos araban la tierra. Este hallazgo fue el acicate que desperts la devocisn de los coculeneses y en su nombre crearon una canto de alabanza, del que, segzn los investigadores, nacis la palabra Mariachi. En uno de los parrafos de la alabanza que crearon para esta Virgen, se lee Maria ce son que segzn los estudiosos significa la Cancisn de Marma. Al pronunciar Maria Ce... parecma que decman Maria Shi o Marma She que al pronunciarse rapido suena como Mariachi. Asm, segzn este estudio, la palabra Mariachi proviene en realidad un canto religioso, y no de la palabra francesa mariage como otros investigadores afirman. Al pasar el tiempo y hasta principios del siglo XX, la mzsica de mariachi era menospreciada por la aristocracia y habma permanecido en su medio rural, pero en 1905 las cosas cambiaron al considerarse al mariachi como un grupo pintoresco, digno de presentarse en foros citadinos. Asm, cuenta la leyenda, un grupo de mariachis fue llevado a cantar en un onomastico del presidente Porfirio Dmaz. Las narraciones describen a este grupo vestido a la usanza de los hombres de campo y los instrumentos que llevaban en aquel entonces resumman aquellos con los que empezaron: violines, vihuelas y guitarrones. Dos aqos despuis, en 1907 nuevamente Porfirio Dmaz utilizs la mzsica de mariachi para amenizar una fiesta ofrecida en honor del secretario de estado norteamericano Eliu Root. Se dice que este grupo vino ex profeso desde Guadalajara e interprets sones y jarabes mientras dos charros acompaqados por dos tapatmas bailaron al compas de las arpas y de los violines. !Y algo importante! Se dice que ista fue la primera vez que un mariachi se vistis del atuendo ya caractermstico de charro. Hoy en dma, los mariachis interpretan sus melodmas no sslo en Mixico, sino en muchas ciudades de Estados Unidos y han logrado acaparar el gusto del pzblico mas exigente. Si no, que lo diga el senador Edward Kennedy, quien cants a lado de ellos en la reciente convencisn del partido demscrata.