{"id":1141,"date":"2007-02-02T17:29:33","date_gmt":"2007-02-02T13:29:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dominicana-online.org\/?p=1141"},"modified":"2018-08-01T03:14:39","modified_gmt":"2018-08-01T03:14:39","slug":"musica","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.dominicanaonline.org\/en\/cultura\/musica\/","title":{"rendered":"Music"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dominicans live\u00a0in such\u00a0contact with\u00a0music and dance that, without effort and without undergoing any kind of learning, they have become\u00a0musical\u00a0beings.\u00a0Either sitting or standing, they carry the\u00a0beat\u00a0of a\u00a0song\u00a0with their feet, and\u00a0unconsciously\u00a0move their bodies, keeping\u00a0the\u00a0tempo.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is not surprising that,\u00a0as a people,\u00a0Dominicans\u00a0have produced countless musical expressions, some of which are world-renowned, and others that scholars\u00a0studying\u00a0Dominican\u00a0folk\u00a0music have found\u00a0to be\u00a0known\u00a0only\u00a0in specific communities\u00a0in\u00a0the country. Moreover, some\u00a0expressions\u00a0are\u00a0linked to religious festivities and\u00a0are\u00a0disseminated\u00a0during\u00a0special presentations\u00a0by\u00a0folk groups.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In general,\u00a0this music has\u00a0simple rhythms\u00a0which are often repetitive.\u00a0They\u00a0appear\u00a0to mimic heartbeats,\u00a0and\u00a0seem to\u00a0have an automatic,\u00a0enthusiastic\u00a0and\u00a0resonating\u00a0effect that\u00a0permeates\u00a0the spirit and\u00a0makes the body\u00a0vibrate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Like all manifestations of\u00a0folk\u00a0culture, some of the\u00a0uniqueness\u00a0that characterizes\u00a0these melodies\u00a0and even their origins\u00a0\u2014\u00a0about\u00a0which academics tirelessly\u00a0argue\u00a0\u2014\u00a0always appears\u00a0to be\u00a0enveloped in a certain historical fog.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u00a0happens\u00a0is that nobody announces\u00a0their\u00a0appearance, because a musical genre of this\u00a0type\u00a0never\u00a0appears\u00a0fully articulated. Instead, it presents itself as\u00a0a kind of rhythmic\u00a0element\u00a0that\u00a0changes due to\u00a0constant fusions and influences of other\u00a0trending rhythms, in an identifiable\u00a0but endless\u00a0chain of metamorphosis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Dominican people\u00a0evolved from\u00a0a mixture of cultures, essentially the European of the\u00a0conquerors\u00a0and\u00a0the dominant powers in the\u00a0country\u2019s\u00a0formative stage,\u00a0and\u00a0later\u00a0the African of the slaves. The cultural manifestations that\u00a0make up\u00a0Dominican\u00a0traditions\u00a0\u2014\u00a0popular music among them\u00a0\u2014\u00a0represent the\u00a0combination\u00a0of those same\u00a0extracts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This\u00a0same phenomenon\u00a0takes\u00a0place\u00a0throughout the history of\u00a0uniquely Dominican musical expressions\u00a0which\u00a0have become universal;\u00a0expressions\u00a0in\u00a0which\u00a0rhythmic\u00a0combinations or interpretations with\u00a0a variety of\u00a0instruments are a\u00a0given.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These\u00a0emerged as popular creations in an eminently agrarian society.\u00a0Musicians\u00a0used them as vehicles to tell\u00a0stories, or to express what\u00a0delighted\u00a0or\u00a0saddened\u00a0them,\u00a0and\u00a0what they disliked or what pleased them. And\u00a0their\u00a0poetry\u00a0responded to those states of mind, which were\u00a0expressed\u00a0in\u00a0a raw\u00a0and unadorned\u00a0manner\u00a0that characterized the socio-cultural level of its\u00a0authors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This type of music\u2019s\u00a0appearance\u00a0in\u00a0urban party\u00a0lounges\u00a0resulted from\u00a0a long evolutionary process of\u00a0creating\u00a0legitimacy\u00a0and\u00a0counted on the support and contributions of\u00a0musicians and arrangers\u00a0in\u00a0incorporating\u00a0new instruments to their\u00a0performance. Above all, these actors\u00a0elevated\u00a0the level of\u00a0their\u00a0poetry\u00a0to make\u00a0it\u00a0more\u00a0“acceptable” to a more sophisticated environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We invite you to learn more about Dominican music and rhythms\u00a0through the\u00a0ALL THINGS DOMINICAN |\u00a0Lo\u00a0Dominicano publication,\u00a0which is\u00a0available\u00a0on\u00a0Amazon here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Did you know<\/b>?\u00a0<\/b>Sol Caribe, a\u00a0documentary,\u00a0was produced\u00a0in 2010. It\u00a0discusses\u00a0the main\u00a0features\u00a0of Dominican\u00a0folk\u00a0music, from\u00a0the point of view of\u00a0its\u00a0musicians. Watch the trailer here:\u00a0https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=08A8jHPTons<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

Popular<\/b>\u00a0Dominican\u00a0<\/b>rhythms<\/b>:\u00a0<\/b>Folk music<\/b><\/h2>\n

Among popular Dominican rhythms, merengue and bachata are the two\u00a0best\u00a0known\u00a0genres, due to the widespread\u00a0dissemination\u00a0they have achieved.\u00a0This is\u00a0a result of\u00a0two important phenomena: massive\u00a0migration and the\u00a0rise\u00a0of successful performers and musical groups.\u00a0Having to compete with musical manifestations that\u00a0dip in and out of\u00a0fashion,\u00a0both\u00a0have been the\u00a0focus\u00a0of instrumental and harmonic modifications.\u00a0Their\u00a0adaptation, clearly, has\u00a0ensured\u00a0their permanence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many other rhythms, which have not\u00a0had\u00a0such\u00a0creative\u00a0enthusiasts, have not gained international fame, though their expressions remain alive and faithful to\u00a0their\u00a0original\u00a0features. This is a result of\u00a0interpretations\u00a0from\u00a0many\u00a0existing folk groups;\u00a0an\u00a0example of the musical richness of\u00a0Dominican\u00a0popular\u00a0culture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are other less known\u00a0rhythms, linked to\u00a0the\u00a0practices or rites of popular\u00a0religions:\u00a0cultural manifestations that have remained unchanged over time, and which are practiced by small groups in some\u00a0villages. These\u00a0are\u00a0considered\u00a0equally\u00a0defining\u00a0elements\u00a0of the Dominican identity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Merengue<\/b><\/h2>\n

Do not miss this wonderful video:\u00a0\u00a1Qu\u00e9\u00a0Viva el Merengue!<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>No researcher has been able to find\u00a0merengue\u2019s\u00a0“birth certificate,”\u00a0but those who have traced the history of\u00a0its\u00a0evolution as a folk\u00a0rhythm and dance\u00a0agree\u00a0in recognizing that it is the musical symbol of the\u00a0Dominican people\u2019s\u00a0own\u00a0identity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Journalist Luis Eduardo Lora (Huchi)\u00a0confers to\u00a0merengue\u00a0a “decisive influence” on\u00a0Dominicans\u2019\u00a0cheerful\u00a0temperament.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The people use merengue\u2019s\u00a0poetry\u00a0to talk about social or political reality, or to\u00a0discuss\u00a0historical or daily events\u00a0in their\u00a0lives. Yaqui\u00a0N\u00fa\u00f1ez, a\u00a0well-known\u00a0Dominican TV presenter, said it well: “From the beginning… from the first inhabitants… music has been\u00a0a\u00a0means\u00a0not only to tell, but to sing the history of this\u00a0country.\u00a0Here, at the door to the New World,\u00a0there has always been\u00a0a singing dancing\u00a0and a dancing singing.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Did you know?<\/b>\u00a0<\/b>On\u00a0November 30, 2016, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared\u00a0Dominican\u00a0merengue\u00a0as an\u00a0Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Intergovernmental Committee, at its annual meeting in Addis Ababa,\u00a0made\u00a0this\u00a0decision,\u00a0considering that Dominican merengue “plays an active role in\u00a0a\u00a0diversity\u00a0of\u00a0areas\u00a0in\u00a0people\u2019s\u00a0daily life: education, social and friendly\u00a0gatherings, festive events,\u00a0as well as\u00a0political campaigns.”\u00a0UNESCO\u00a0highlighted\u00a0that this element of\u00a0intangible cultural heritage “is transmitted,\u00a0primarily,\u00a0through participation,\u00a0and its practice attracts people from very different social\u00a0strata,”\u00a0thus\u00a0contributing to “fostering\u00a0respect and coexistence among communities.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Merengue is the most universal Dominican popular music. It began to be noticed as\u00a0a\u00a0distinctive\u00a0form\u00a0in the mid-19th<\/span>\u00a0century, welcomed by an\u00a0impulsive\u00a0youth that broke with the solemn molds of the\u00a0trending\u00a0European rhythms\u00a0of\u00a0that time,\u00a0above all\u00a0in the Cibao region,\u00a0located\u00a0in the center of the country. Twenty-five years later\u00a0it\u00a0started\u00a0to be welcomed in some clubs in urban areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Merengue\u00a0has\u00a0experienced the most changes\u00a0of any\u00a0musical expression.\u00a0Because of this,\u00a0researchers\u00a0studying\u00a0its\u00a0rhythmic\u00a0distinctiveness\u00a0have identified numerous varieties in\u00a0its\u00a0interpretation,\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0instruments\u00a0that are\u00a0used\u00a0to\u00a0its tempo.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the beginning,\u00a0it was\u00a0played\u00a0with a set of guitars,\u00a0the\u00a0g\u00fcira,\u00a0the\u00a0tambora\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0marimba. However, in the last third of the 19th<\/span>\u00a0century, the diatonic accordion, of Germanic\u00a0origin, replaced the guitars.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Subsequently, the marimba,\u00a0which\u00a0imitated the sound\u00a0of a double bass, was replaced by\u00a0an\u00a0electric bass guitar. Then the saxophone was incorporated, and some\u00a0music bands\u00a0used\u00a0the piano. The\u00a0g\u00fcira,\u00a0made of metal, is an authentic Dominican instrument. It is a scraper, which bears some resemblance to\u00a0the\u00a0traditional\u00a0g\u00fciros\u00a0made of dried gourds. It is\u00a0played by\u00a0holding it vertically,\u00a0one hand\u00a0grasping\u00a0its handle and the other scratching\u00a0the\u00a0grooves\u00a0in\u00a0its surface with a hook that ends in the form of\u00a0a\u00a0comb\u00a0with\u00a0metallic prongs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Merengue\u00a0is\u00a0made of\u00a0three parts or sections. It begins with the so-called “paseo\u00a0(stroll)”, an instrumental introduction that sounds like a kind of slow\u00a0march.\u00a0It is followed by the “body\u00a0of the merengue,” which is the\u00a0singing and dancing\u00a0section. And it concludes with the “jaleo,”\u00a0which is\u00a0characterized by vocal\u00a0refrains. After the “jaleo,” the\u00a0singers\u00a0repeat the\u00a0chorus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The rhythm that characterizes\u00a0merengue\u00a0is\u00a0made\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0tambora, whose sound comes from the use of both hands. It is a\u00a0two-headed drum,\u00a0cylindrical\u00a0in shape and\u00a0made of a hollowed-out tree trunk.\u00a0Its uniqueness comes from having\u00a0the leather of a male goat on one side, and\u00a0the hide of a\u00a0female\u00a0goat\u00a0on the opposite side,\u00a0both\u00a0tied with\u00a0cabuya\u00a0ropes.\u00a0The leather on the right side is played with a drumstick, and the\u00a0leather\u00a0on the left with the palm of the hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Merengue\u00a0is danced in pairs, which move\u00a0their\u00a0legs and hips while they\u00a0remain locked in embrace,\u00a0and\u00a0move\u00a0around the room, sometimes taking steps and making\u00a0shapes\u00a0that mimic the movements of other rhythms that have influenced the changes\u00a0experienced by\u00a0the\u00a0merengue, such as jazz,\u00a0the\u00a0twist,\u00a0and\u00a0rock\u00a0and\u00a0roll.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some researchers identify four variants of Merengue: 1. Merengue\u00a0Liniero, originated in the so-called Northwest Line; 2.\u00a0Merengue\u00a0Quebrado (Broken\u00a0Merengue); 3.\u00a0Merengue de Pregunta y Respuesta (Question\u00a0and\u00a0Answer\u00a0Merengue); and 4.\u00a0Merengue Pambiche.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Folk researcher\u00a0Fradique\u00a0Lizardo establishes\u00a0a list\u00a0of eight variants: 1. Merengue\u00a0Cibae\u00f1o, the so-called “emblematic” or “perico\u00a0ripiao”; 2. Merengue\u00a0Liniero; 3. Merengue\u00a0Juangomero, from the North-eastern\u00a0town\u00a0of Juan G\u00f3mez; 4. Merengue\u00a0Pambiche; 5. Merengue\u00a0Redondo, which is exclusive to the province of Saman\u00e1; 6.\u00a0Merengue de\u00a0Atabales, from the Southeastern\u00a0region; 7.\u00a0Merengue\u00a0Ocoe\u00f1o, from the Southern city of San Jos\u00e9 de Ocoa; and 8.\u00a0Merengue\u00a0de\u00a0Balsi\u00e9, which is played in the Southwestern region.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Two other\u00a0recent\u00a0variants are Merengue Maco, or “a lo Maco,”\u00a0whose distinctive characteristic is a rhythmic change on how\u00a0the\u00a0tambora\u00a0is played;\u00a0and,\u00a0the Merengue\u00a0de Calle,\u00a0which introduces\u00a0the\u00a0timbal\u00a0as part of the orchestra\u00a0and\u00a0presents an increased tempo.<\/p>\n

“Merengue is always happy;\u00a0I\u00a0believe that\u00a0it has influenced the cheerful temperament of\u00a0Dominicans\u00a0in a decisive way.”\u00a0Huchi\u00a0Lora, Dominican journalist,\u00a0in the Sol Caribe\u00a0documentary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Did you know?\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0Luis Alberti has the\u00a0unquestionable\u00a0merit of being the\u00a0principal\u00a0Dominican composer\u00a0to\u00a0launch\u00a0Dominican merengue\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0international\u00a0stage. ‘Compadre Pedro Juan’ is one of his most famous creations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

B<\/b>achata<\/b><\/h2>\n

Bachata\u00a0is a more recent musical genre that\u00a0emerged\u00a0in the\u00a01960s in the rural\u00a0area of the\u00a0Cibao\u00a0region. It developed\u00a0with clear influences of the old Latin American romantic music\u00a0played\u00a0by trios and quartets with guitars, accompanied by maracas, bongos, the\u00a0g\u00fcira, and claves, especially of the so-called Cuban rhythmic bolero.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>“Bachata,”\u00a0for Dominicans,\u00a0means party;\u00a0a\u00a0festive social gathering, and\u00a0this is the reason why\u00a0the music\u00a0played during\u00a0those occasions ended up\u00a0taking\u00a0the name that was given to the parties. It was performed\u00a0by\u00a0music\u00a0groups\u00a0playing\u00a0guitars, maracas and\u00a0the\u00a0marimba.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Its\u00a0early\u00a0enthusiasts\u00a0played\u00a0the romantic\u00a0verses\u00a0of\u00a0its\u00a0songs with a tearful\u00a0voice\u00a0full of emotion.\u00a0This,\u00a0together with\u00a0common\u00a0themes\u00a0\u2014\u00a0love,\u00a0heartbreak, suffering,\u00a0and\u00a0disappointment\u00a0\u2014\u00a0led to\u00a0its\u00a0characterization as\u00a0the\u00a0“music\u00a0of bitterness.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Its\u00a0unique development,\u00a0essentially urban, included a mixture with the\u00a0Cuban\u00a0Son and\u00a0guaracha, which accelerated\u00a0its pace of development. In addition,\u00a0its\u00a0poetry\u00a0changed\u00a0from romantic\u00a0themes\u00a0to social\u00a0issues. With\u00a0this\u00a0transformation,\u00a0Bachata\u00a0became dancing\u00a0music, gaining\u00a0greater acceptance and dissemination.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In modern times,\u00a0the\u00a0electric guitar\u00a0and\u00a0bass, bongos,\u00a0and saxophones have been introduced in\u00a0its\u00a0performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bachata\u00a0is played in a four-by-four beat. It\u00a0is danced\u00a0in pairs,\u00a0and\u00a0starts\u00a0with\u00a0a series of simple steps that produce a movement from front to back or from side to side. The\u00a0first\u00a0three steps\u00a0correspond to the first three\u00a0musical beats, and\u00a0they\u00a0are followed by\u00a0a touch of\u00a0the\u00a0foot during\u00a0the fourth\u00a0beat. The woman begins the steps with\u00a0her\u00a0right foot, and the man with\u00a0his\u00a0left. Sometimes the couples dance\u00a0tightly\u00a0together, and other\u00a0times, they make\u00a0shapes\u00a0with twists and\u00a0turns and with\u00a0movements of the hips.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Did you know?\u00a0<\/b>Juan Luis Guerra\u00a0made\u00a0bachata\u00a0popular\u00a0in the\u00a0Dominican Republic\u00a0during\u00a0the\u00a01990s\u00a0and gave\u00a0it\u00a0a new\u00a0style, similar to the bolero. In 2002,\u00a0the song “Obsesi\u00f3n,” interpreted by the\u00a0bachata\u00a0group\u00a0Aventura, marked the beginning of a new way of singing this tropical genre, mixing\u00a0it with\u00a0pop\u00a0music\u00a0and other genres.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/b>Tumba<\/b><\/h2>\n

It is\u00a0surprising\u00a0to know that, although\u00a0virtually\u00a0unknown today,\u00a0until the middle of the\u00a019th<\/span>\u00a0century,\u00a0the\u00a0contra dance\u00a0known as\u00a0La Tumba<\/i>\u00a0was considered\u00a0the national Dominican dance.\u00a0Little by little\u00a0it was\u00a0replaced by Merengue, whose reign of more than a century and a half lasts until present\u00a0day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A\u00a0description of the dance,\u00a0which appeared\u00a0in the publication “Une\u00a0visite\u00a0chez\u00a0Soulouque,” by French citizen Paul\u00a0Dhormoys,\u00a0who visited the Dominican Republic at that\u00a0time, is\u00a0as follows:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n