ETHNOMUS 108B Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Son Montuno, Music Of Cuba, Trova
13 Dec 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Lecture 13 05/24/2016
Cuban music
● Punto: música guajira
● Rumba
● Son
● Danzon
● Cancion cubana/ trova
Cuban son
Arsenio Rodriguez (1911-1970)
● Composer, musician, bandleader
○ Tres player (guitar six strings in 3 courses)
● Grew up immersed in Palo (Congo/Bantu) and Lucumi religion
○ Also secular rumba and son
■ Learned to play marimbula
● Primarily a tres player
○ Studied with Isaac Oviedo
● Known for writing sones with Afro-Cuban religious influence
○ Congo/Bantu-derived lyrics
○ References to Afro-Cuban religion, used Bantu words
● Recorded for RCA Victor in 1940 with his conjunto
○ Conjunto: type of Cuban son ensemble “Aresnio Rodriguez y su conjunto”
○ Instrumentation:
■ 2 vocalists (playing clave and maracas)
■ Tres and guitar
■ Bass
■ Bongo
■ 2 trumpets
■ Piano
■ Tumbadora: conga drum
● Visual and sonic representation of Africanness
● Arsenio’s son montuno
○ Vital for understanding mambo and salsa
○ Here montuno: call and response type of section
■ Includes instruments (especially trumpets)
■ Call and response between instruments and voice
○ Final section called a “diablo” (devil)
■ Shortened version of the montuno
■ Rapid call and response: intense trumpet sections
■ Origins of mambo
○ Ex: “Dame un cachito pa’ huele” (1946)
■ Listen for vocal changes
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
● Marked by switch from bongo to campana (cow bell)
■ Instrumental solos (piano solo)
■ Length of vocal response compared to clave
■ Montuno: call and response between singers and instruments
■ Bongo switched to cowbell during montuno section
■ Cajon: start off slow and have long melodies
● The call and response and melody gets shorter with faster tempo
● Same aesthetic in this song
● Clave cycles become shorter
■ Shortening call and response to make music more intense
● Arsenio Rodriguez performed in “social clubs” (in addition to radio)
○ Racially segregated clubs for whites and Afro Cubans
○ Ex: Social Club Buena Vista and others
■ Usually racially segregated
○ Arsenio preferred black, working-class clubs
■ Embraced Africanisms of/in the music
■ Literally sang the praise of Afro-Cuban neighborhoods/music
● Ex: “A Pogolotti” (an Afro-Cuban neighborhood)
○ Saw himself as African
■ Ex: “Yo Naci en África”
● African heritage pride
● Lived in NYC and LA starting in 1950s
Buena Vista Social Club
● Album in 1997
● Film in 1999
Danzon
● Within danzon:
○ Contradanza
○ Danza
○ Danzon
○ Danzonete
○ Cha-cha-cha
Danzon
● Once the “national dance” of Cuba
○ Height of popularity in late 1800s-early 1900s
○ Still common in Cuba and Mexico
Contradanza
● Origins: French contredanse (contra dance/ country dance)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Tres player (guitar six strings in 3 courses) Grew up immersed in palo (congo/bantu) and lucumi religion. Known for writing sones with afro-cuban religious influence. References to afro-cuban religion, used bantu words. Recorded for rca victor in 1940 with his conjunto. Conjunto: type of cuban son ensemble aresnio rodriguez y su conjunto . Here montuno: call and response type of section. Call and response between instruments and voice. Rapid call and response: intense trumpet sections. Ex: dame un cachito pa" huele (1946) Marked by switch from bongo to campana (cow bell) Length of vocal response compared to clave. Montuno: call and response between singers and instruments. Bongo switched to cowbell during montuno section. Cajon: start off slow and have long melodies. The call and response and melody gets shorter with faster tempo. Shortening call and response to make music more intense. Arsenio rodriguez performed in social clubs (in addition to radio) Racially segregated clubs for whites and afro cubans.
