Danzón
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Danzón was once called the official dance of Cuba. Like the habanera, the danzón evolved from the Contradanza, originally of English origin, brought to Cuba by French colonists fleeing the Haitian revolt of the late 1700s.
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[edit] History
The style developed in the second half of the 19th century, and has been an important root for Cuban music up to the present day. The precursors of danzón are the contradanza, and the habanera, which are creolized Cuban dance forms. The danzón was developed, according to one's point of view, either by Manuel Saumell[1] or by Miguel Failde in Matanzas.
Early danzón was played by groups called orquestas típicas which were derived from military bands. They had brass, a clarinet, and small tympani. In the beginning of the 20th century, the lighter and somewhat more elegant sound of the charanga emerged. A small orchestra of 2 violins, a cello, flute, timbales, güiro, and doublebass. In 1898 a piano was included for the first time, and much later, in the 1950s, many charangas added conga drums.
The form of danzón created by Miguel Faílde Pérez in 1879 (Alturas del Simson), begins with an introduction (four bars) and paseo (four bars), which are repeated and followed by a 16-bar melody. The introduction and paseo again repeat before a second melody is played. The dancers do not dance during these sections: they choose partners, stroll onto the dance floor, and begin to dance at precisely the same moment: the fourth beat of bar four of the paseo, which has a distinctive percussion pattern that's hard to miss. When the introduction is repeated the dancers stop, chat, flirt, greet their friends, and start again, right on time as the paseo finishes.
[edit] Influence of the son
Some thirty years later, José Urfé added a montuno (a swinging section consisting of a repeated musical phrase) taken from the son to his El Bombín de Barretto. This tactic, of introducing aspects of the son into the danzón, was to recur a number of times in the future. Antonio María Romeu incorporated a piano solo into the estribillo in 1926, in his arrangement of Tres Lindas Cubanas. Because of the popularity of the son in the 1920s and 1930s, Aniceto Diaz in Rompiendo la rutina in 1929, added a vocal part, thereby creating a new genre called the danzonete.
Later development led to more synchopation, which eventually led to the danzón-chá, cha-cha-chá and mambo. In the 1940s, 50s and 60s the danzón and its derivatives were highly popular in Cuba, with several truly fine charangas playing most days of the week. Orquesta Aragón kept up an exceptionally high standard for many years, but the danzón itself gradually dropped out, and is now a relic dance.
Danzón has never ceased to influence Cuban musicians, and it is reflected in many popular Cuban music genres, in Cuban latin jazz, salsa, songo and timba, the latter building upon the charanga orchestration. Groups like Los Van Van and Orquesta Revé are in fact charangas. Their make-up and orchestration (by Juan Formell) has been so greatly altered that it is difficult to identify traces of danzón, indeed, their present styles owe more to the son than to the danzón. Early recordings of Los Van Van show a traditional charanga beginning to explore the musical possibilities.
[edit] Danzón in Mexico
Danzón was also very popular in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, Mexico because of the strong Cuban influence in the region. Later on danzón developed in Mexico City, specially in the famous "Salón México"; in fact, it survived as a dance longer there than in Cuba.
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[edit] Style & Structure
Danzón is both elegant and virtuoso music (and dance). A danzón, in its original form, does not feature any improvisations, unlike most other popular Cuban genres. A danzón has the following typical structure (which stems from European rondo):
- An introduction or paseo (A), usually 16 measures.
- The theme or principal melody (B), featuring the flute, thus often referred to as parte de (la) flauta ("flute part").
- A repeat of the introduction.
- The trio (C), featuring the strings, thus also called parte del violín ("violin part").
- Ending. This could either be a cliché ending (there are a few standard danzón endings), another repeat of the introduction, or a combination of both.
The classic form is thus ABAC or ABACA. A danzón-chá or danzón-mambo typically add another part (D), an open vamp in which soloists can improvise, creating an ABACD or, more common, ABACAD.
[edit] Mambo section
In danzón, the mambo or mambo section is the final section of an arrangement. It was first devised by Orestes López, who added synchopated motifs taken from the son, together with improvised flute variations.[2] He called this type of danzón ritmo nuevo (new rhythm). Orestes' danzón Mambo was the start of a trend continued by Arcaño y sus Maravillas.[3][4]
[edit] References
- ^ Carpentier, Alejo 2001 [1945]. Music in Cuba. Minniapolis MN. p191
- ^ Orovio, Helio 2004. Cuban music from A to Z.
- ^ Jim Payne, Tito Puente, p56
- ^ Max Salazar, "Orestes Lopez and the mambo", Latin Beat Magazine, September 2002
Rebeca Mauleón The Salsa guidebook for piano and ensemble (1993). Petaluma CA: Sher Music. ISBN 0-9614701-9-4
