Concert report on a Spanish percussion group La Banda Del Surdo from 2004.
Traditional Mexican music is a regional phenomenon and typical local instruments are characteristic for several ensembles and also important to distinguish the musical sound and the style. There are different groups from different areas.
The mariachi ensemble has its roots in Jalisco - a western state of Mexico - and is also centered in the neighbouring states like Colima, Nayarit, Michoacán and Guerrero.
The name "mariachi" refers to a Mexican musical group. The repertoire of a mariachi ensemble is known in Mexico as sones which are dances and strophic songs with refrains and a special underlying rhythm that is called "sesquialtera".
Virtuoso Mariachi: The topic of this academic book refers to the genre of Mexican mariachi including history, performance and current developments of this traditional music.
Jeff Nevin is a first-hand researcher in this field and this is his first scientific paper and the first major book considering technique and style in mariachi music, especially that of the
trumpet. He has an educational background both in music theory, composition and in performance as an arranger and classical and mariachi trumpet player as mentioned on the last page of his book.
Table of Contents
1. Concert report – La Banda del Surdo (Spain)
2. World musical tradition – Mexican mariachi...(+ bibliography)
3. Book review on a world musical tradition – Nevin, Jeff. 2002. Virtuoso Mariachi. Lanham: University Press of America
Objectives & Topics
The primary objective of this assignment portfolio is to analyze and reflect upon diverse musical traditions, specifically focusing on Spanish percussion performances and the development of Mexican Mariachi music, while incorporating a critical academic review of literature pertaining to the latter.
- Analysis of street performance dynamics and instrumentation in Spanish percussion ensembles.
- Exploration of the historical, social, and technical evolution of Mexican Mariachi music.
- Classification of Mariachi aesthetic styles including revisionist, constructionist, and perfectionist approaches.
- Critical review of Jeff Nevin’s scholarly work on the technical and stylistic nuances of Mariachi performance.
Excerpt from the Book
Jeff Nevin – VIRTUOSO MARIACHI
The topic of this academic book refers to the genre of Mexican mariachi including history, performance and current developments of this traditional music.
Jeff Nevin is a first-hand researcher in this field and this is his first scientific paper and the first major book considering technique and style in mariachi music, especially that of the trumpet. He has an educational background both in music theory, composition and in performance as an arranger and classical & mariachi trumpet player as mentioned on the last page of his book. He played concerts for 5,000 – 10,000 people.
Further Nevin was the musical director for the first performed musical called “Mariachi Quixote”. He is also the founder and Artistic Director of his own Mariachi Champaña Nevín ensemble which I already named in the bibliography above. Currently he is Professor of Music and Director of Mariachi Activities at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, CA. As he announced per E-mail, this is today the first school in the US to offer a college or university degree program in mariachi music. (16.05.2004)
Summary of Chapters
1. Concert report – La Banda del Surdo (Spain): This chapter documents the live experience of a Spanish percussion group, analyzing their instrumentation, performance style, and rhythmic influences.
2. World musical tradition – Mexican mariachi...(+ bibliography): This section provides an overview of Mexican cultural history and explores the origins, instrumentation, and evolution of the Mariachi ensemble.
3. Book review on a world musical tradition – Nevin, Jeff. 2002. Virtuoso Mariachi. Lanham: University Press of America: This review evaluates Jeff Nevin’s academic contribution, focusing on his categorization of Mariachi performance aesthetics and the integration of classical music theory into traditional folk genres.
Keywords
Mariachi, Percussion, World Music, Musicology, Ethnomusicology, Vihuela, Guitarrón, Jeff Nevin, Performance Practice, Instrumental Ensembles, Folk Music, Classical Music, Traje Charro, Sones, Cultural Identity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this assignment portfolio?
The work focuses on the documentation and analysis of diverse musical experiences, ranging from live percussion performances in Norway to the historical and technical study of Mexican Mariachi traditions.
Which specific musical genres are examined?
The portfolio examines Spanish street percussion, diverse Mexican regional music styles, and the professional evolution of the Mariachi ensemble.
What is the primary goal of the author's academic review?
The goal is to assess Jeff Nevin's book "Virtuoso Mariachi" and reflect on how the author bridges the gap between traditional folk performance and western classical academic rigor.
What methodology is used to analyze the music?
The methodology combines participant-observation (in the case of the concert report) and music-theoretical analysis, specifically evaluating instrumentation, rhythmic patterns, and performance aesthetics.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the instrumentation of La Banda del Surdo, the societal structure of Mexico in relation to music, the standardization of the Mariachi ensemble, and the tripartite aesthetic classification of modern Mariachi.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include Mariachi, Ethnomusicology, Vihuela, Guitarrón, Performance Practice, and Cultural Identity.
Why are the guitarrón and vihuela considered essential to Mariachi?
According to the text, these instruments are fundamental because they provide the necessary harmonic foundation and rhythmic characteristics that define the identity of the Mariachi sound.
What are the three aesthetic categories of Mariachi identified in the text?
The text identifies them as the "revisionist aesthetic" (creating new music from traditional roots), the "constructionist aesthetic" (blending genres to mimic early ensemble sounds), and the "perfectionist aesthetic" (focusing on superior technical execution and precision).
- Arbeit zitieren
- Kristin Peukert (Autor:in), 2004, Music in World Cultures. Mexican Mariachi, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/66814
