Creolization in The Music of the Spanish Caribbean

Christine Gangelhoff's lecture videos on the Spanish-speaking Caribbean highlights numerous examples of creolization in the music of that region. 

One example Gangelhoff provides in the Spanish part 3 video is the bachata musical style that originated in the Dominican Republic. Bachata is a danceable musical genre derived from blending the rhythmic bolero with other Afro-Antillean genres such as son, cha-cha-chá, and merengue. Bachata's instrumentation evolved from classic bachata's nylon string Spanish guitar and maracas to modern bachata's electric steel-string and guira. The emergence of urban bachata styles by bands like Monchy y Alexandra and Aventura further changed bachata in the twenty-first century. The typical bachata group consists of seven instruments: requinto (lead guitar), segunda (rhythmic syncopation guitar), electric guitar, guitar, bass guitar, bongos and guira.

Below is a photo of Dominican, Jose Manuel Calderon, who recorded the first Bachata song, “Borracho de amor” in 1962.

Photo taken from https://www.theaudiodb.com/artist/136475

Here is a video of a song - "Por ti" by Dominican Eladio Romero Santos - which falls under the bachata musical genre. Santos' vocals express deep, visceral feelings of love, passion and nostalgia which is a common feature of bachata lyrics. You can also hear the unique sound of the guitar-based arpeggiated picking that Gangelhoff mentions. 

Video taken from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmZs__pDNe0

An additional example of creolization in the music of the Spanish Caribbean is Cuba's official musical genre, the danzón. According to theclassicjournal.uga.edu the danzón, which derived from the English Country Dance, spread across Europe before being introduced to Cuba through Spanish and French imperialism. Through its early stages, the danzón evolved a distinctive style that blended the traits of several nationalities such as African isorhythms and European melodic phrasing. 

Below is a photo of Cuban musician Miguel Faílde who is considered the author or originator of the dazón genre. 

Photo taken from https://folkcloud.com/song/593/miguel-fa%C3%ADlde/las-alturas-de-simpson

Here is a video of Faílde's first danzón piece “Las Alturas de Simpson,” which brought the genre to life. You can hear the characteristic slow tempo, mixture of cinquillo and tresillo rhythmic patterns and charanga instrumentation comprised of a string section (violins, a cello, and a double bass), a flute, timbales, and a güíro. The characteristics of “Las Alturas de Simpson” became distinctive for all danzón songs: a cinquillo rhythm in the melody and bass line, and a rondo structure (ABACA). 

Video taken from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKIc3nX3igE



References 

Hill, C. V. (2019). CHAPTER ONE ZAPATEADOS: TRACING THE DIASPORA OF AFRICAN DERIVED DRUM DANCE FORMS IN THE NEW WORLD. Transatlantic Malagueñas and Zapateados in Music, Song and Dance: Spaniards, Natives, Africans, Roma, 2.

MacManus, K., Tate, S., & Henry, M. (2019). Danzón De Cuba: Music and Dancing. The Classic Journal. 

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