Posted by KRICO on October 25, 2000 at 07:10:14:
Well, ya can't go to MX without becoming enveloped in MX music...It's everywhere! Here's some old material ( but still valid...) that I found on the internet, an encapsulation of the styles and history of Mexican music...(author unknown). _______________________________________________ Mexican music has its roots in the Indian flute, huehuetl (drum) and conch shell. The Spaniards brought their musicians with them as the Indian music proved inadequate for bullfights. Bullfighting and bullfight music originates in Pharanoic Egypt and was introduced into Spain by the Moors. Mexico's first bullfight took place in Mexico City in 1526 (to honor Cortes upon his return from a Honduran expedition) and the first bullfight music was heard in the new world. French music impinged itself on the Mexican scene during the French intervention (when Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlota reigned supreme) from 1862-1967...and the Mexican mariachi was born. All mariachi say that Jalisco was the birthplace from whence the name is derived. The word itself seems to be a variation of the French word mariage for which music was provided...mostly waltzes, polkas, and the instruments were the harp, violin, and guitar. The French mariage (marriage) evolved into "mariachi", as this type of mexican musician is commonly known to this day, and they play all kinds of music. The most popular combination of instruments is two violins, a harp, guitarrón (bass guitar), and guitarra de golpe, a five-string instrument that is tuned differently from the others. Musicians say that it is not easy to be a mariachi. Only those who have the proper heritage find it a good life...not everyone can do it - MARIACHI MUSIC MUST COME FROM THE HEART.
The young women was called Adelita. She was brave and beautiful and in love with The Sergeant. And so she followed him wherever he and his unit were encamped. And what did everyone hear the Sergeant singing? What did he say? "If Adelita were to leave with another man, I would follow her over land and sea...over the sea by warship, over land in a military train. And if Pancho Villa's favorite horse had a tune named from him..."El Siete Leguas" (The Seven Leagues). And another tune as well..."La Cucaracha" (The Cockroach). It was well known in the United States and it was the Like the minstrel of Europe, the Mexican juglar (minstrel) used to go from town to town repeating news and gossip. "øQué ha ocurrido?" (What has happened?) And his musical replies, now folk ballads, also came to be known as corridos. Another corrido is about Joaquin Murrieta, native of Sonora who live in the Gold Rush era in California and became known as a cutthroat bandido. Sometimes these "occurrences" are very unhappy ones: the corrido is written in remembrance, or in protest of what the people consider grave government errors. Some heart-wrenching themes are the Student Uprising
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