Let’s begin by watching the following video. Mariachi music probably sounds somewhat familiar to you in that you have heard it or music similar to it before. As you watch the video, consider some things:

• Where have you heard this type of music before?

• Do you associate it with a specific place/culture/people/setting?

• What purpose might this type of music serve?

• In this video specifically: what kind of instruments do you see/hear? How does the vocalizations of the singers sound different from what you might hear on the radio? What are the musicians wearing? How are they arranged physically? What about the music itself? What is striking you about the Rhythm/Melody/Harmony/Timbre/Dynamics/Texture/Form of the music that gives Mariachi its unique quality?

ORÍGENES DE MARIACHI | ORIGINS OF MARIACHI

• Jalisco, western Mexico

• First evidence of Mariachi on rural farms and in small villages of western Mexico in the early 19th century (1800’s)

• Indigenous and MESTIZO people adapted and altered Spanish and German instruments (originally imported for church use) into folk instruments. “MESTIZO” is the term used to refer to people of mixed race in Mexico - most commonly of indigenous and Spanish descent.

• Developed from single, wandering performers to small ensembles called SON (“together”) or specifically SON DE MARIACHI

  • These groups began as 3-4 musicians playing together on violins, instruments from the guitar family, and harps

  • They performed music for folk and festival purposes, accompanying song and dance

  • Slowly, the SON groups evolved into larger ensembles with more instruments, music, and diverse styles

¿PORQUÉ MARIACHI? | WHY MARIACHI?

¿QUÉ SIGNIFICA MARIACHI? | MARIACHI DEFINED

MARIACHI is pronounced mahr-ee-ACH-ee

You can use the word MARIACHI to refer to …

• the type/genre of music

• the ENSEMBLE (group of musicians) playing the type of music

• a single musician who performs Mariachi music

MARIACHI EN LA ESQUELA | MARIACHI IN SCHOOL

• Mariachi tradition is kept alive in the United States by public school ensembles

• Students of any ethnicity welcome to join, learn, and share

• Most prevalent in states with high Mexican populations (TX, AZ, NM, CA)

• Students can take Mariachi as an elective class in middle school, high school, and college just like orchestra, choir, and band

• Mariachi ensembles from each school compete in regional and national competitions

INSTRUMENTES DE MARIACHI

VIOLÍN (“vee-o-LEEN”)

• VIOLIN: a hollow wood instrument in the string family with 4 metal strings (G - D - A - E), played with a bow. The pitch range of the violin is high (it is the soprano of the string family) and its timbre is bright, piercing, and thick.

• Main melodic instrument in Mariachi

• Usually two or more players in the ensemble

• Often plays very fast/virtuostically with a clear tone and not much vibrato

  VIRTUOSO: a musician who shows great skill and technique on their instrument, usually through performance of fast and complicated music

• The Violin of Mariachi is identical to violins used to perform other styles of music like classical orchestra music and European and American folk music

VIHUELA (“vee-HWAY-lah”)

• VIHEULA: small, hollow, wood guitar-like string instrument with 5 or 6 metal strings (G – C – F – A – D – G) and a bowled back. It is played with the fingers or with fingerpicks similar to a banjo. The Viheula’s pitch range is high (an octave above the guitar) and its timbre is bright, shimmery, and metallic.

• Invented by the indigenous Coca people of Mexico

• Responsible for the rhythmic beat and harmony in Mariachi ensembles and it usually plays chords rather than the melody

• Performed in the RASQUEDO tradition of strumming which is based on the Spanish Flamenco style of strumming. This style involves using the fingernails to strum the instrument (downward with fingers and upward with thumb) rather than fingertips. This style results in a fast, complex, and highly accented strum technique when compared to many styles of guitar strumming around the world.

GUITARRA (“gee-TAHR-rah”)

GUITARRÓN (“gee-tahr-ROAN”)

• GUITARRÓN: Bass instrument of the Mariachi ensemble. A hollow wood string instrument with a large, bowl back and 6 strings (A – D – G – C – E – A); its timbre is booming, thick, and round.

• Acts like a string bass/tuba

• Plays only one note at a time and not chords like the Vihuela or Guitarra

• Usually plays BASSO CONTINUO, which is an improvised (made up on the spot) bass line where the Guitarrón player will choose notes out of the chords and the scales to connect chord to chord as the music progresses

• Responsible for harmony and tempo (speed) of the music

TROMPETA (“trohm-PAET-ah”)

• TROMPETA: a metallic brass instrument with three valves (identical to the classical trumpet); its timbre is thick, brassy, and bright.

• Last instrument to join the mariachi ensemble historically

• Usually plays counter-melody or supports violin on melody

• Playing technique very unique including short, clipped notes and dramatic vibrato

• Usually in duo/trio (2 or 3 trumpets)

• Trompeta is often a “show-off” instrument. The musician will often play with very loud volume, sustain a note for a very long time, or play very high notes as a way to show off their skill during a solo.

HARPA or ARPA (“AHR-pah”)

• HARPA: A wooden folk harp with nylon strings smaller than a classical harp (up to 36 strings); its timbre is warm, booming, and round; it is diatonically pitched (meaning it can only play one or two major/minor scales, it cannot play a CHROMATIC SCALE like all the black and white keys on a piano)

• Most important instrument of early Mariachi ensembles because it could play Basso Continuo with left hand and chords or melody with right hand

• Eventually replaced by Guitarrón for the Basso Continuo instrument as Mariachi ensembles got bigger and louder (since the Harpa is hard to hear over a large ensemble) and the Guitarrón can play CHROMATICALLY rather than just DIATONICALLY

• Today, standard Mariachi ensembles may or may not include the Harpa

EL CANTANTE (“el kahn-TAHN-teh”)

• EL CANTANTE: “the singer;” many mariachi have a dedicated singer responsible for singing the verses of the songs; mariachi singers often have rich, resonant, full timbres to their voices.

• Often, the violinists, trumpeters, and guitarists will join in singing the choruses

• The singer is very charismatic and is the face of the mariachi

• Often uses very expressive vibrato and other vocal ornamentations to deliver a bigger emotional impact with the song

• The singer may show off with incredible vocal control, impressive sustain, and ornamented “gritos”

EL GRITO & EL LLANTO

Two different types of vocal effects used by the Mariachi Cantante are EL GRITO and EL LLANTO.

EL GRITO (“the call” or “the yell”) is a loud, enthusiastic vocal call that singers or others in the Mariachi ensemble will emit to energize the ensemble and the audience of the Mariachi. These are often the calls you imagine when you think of a Mariachi including “aye yai yai”s, rolled “rr”s, “Viva México” calls, bird whistles, or other shouts. The GRITO is highly personal and emotional and Mariachis carry a lot of pride in having a healthy, robust, and unique GRITO.

EL LLANTO (“the cry”) is the opposite of EL GRITO. It is a sad, mournful, highly-emotional (almost comical) cry sound in the middle of a sad song when the lyrics get especially sad. EL LLANTO helps to show the singer’s passion and emotion and connect with their audience.

LOS CANCIONES (“los kahn-see-OH-nays”)

• While there are instrumental songs that have no words, most CANCIONES (songs) have vocalists and lyrics

• Mariachi songs are Mexican folk songs

• The content of Mariachi Canciones include love, history, nature, patriotism, rural life (similar to country music in the United States)

• There are many songs that all mariachi sing (like folk songs), others are new and written by or for specific singers/ensembles

• Non-mariachi songs from any genre of music can be arranged into Mariachi Canciones

MUSICAL ELEMENTS OF MARIACHI …

RHYTHM: Usually in 4/4, 3/4, or 2/4 time signatures with simple or compound subdivisions (or both in the case of songs featuring POLYRHYTHM). Tempos vary from slow songs of love or grief, to high-energy dance songs (but never too fast, one couldn’t dance to them). The most complicated rhythms happen in the guitarra and vihuela with rasquedo strumming patterns but the voice, violin, and trumpet usually have simpler rhythms on the melody.

MELODY: Melodies are diatonic (all the notes coming from a set scale) in major or minor. The majority of the songs are in major but some songs are in minor if they are about something sad. The melodies are simple and folk-like and are sung by singers or easy enough to sing if played by an instrument.

HARMONY: Simple harmony with mostly basic chords in the guitar. Melodic instruments play all in unison or two- (maybe three-) part harmony in thirds or sixths.

TIMBRE: Overall, Mariachi ensembles are bright, thick, and resonant when all the instruments and voices are combined.

DYNAMICS: Dynamic contrast is evident in most songs with moments that are softer and louder. In general, Mariachi ensembles tend to be loud as the music is high energy and meant to be performed at festivals, dances, and happy events outdoors.

TEXTURE: Most Mariachi music is HOMOPHONIC (a melody accompanied by chordal background support) but sometimes there is some simple Polyphony in the form of violins and/or trumpets responding to vocalists with countermelodies.

FORM: Simple folk songs that are often strophic (AAAA etc.) or song form (ABAB, etc.); many include introductions and a CODA (a musical tag at the end of music, often different from the rest of the song that shows the piece is ending)

MARIACHI SUB-GENRES …

EL TRAJE (“el TRAH-hay”) | THE UNIFORM

• TRAJE: A uniform worn by all members of a mariachi

• Literally translates to “suit” in English

• Includes a SOMBRERO (hat) that is often taken off for performance, or taken off and held by the Cantante but worn by the rest of the ensemble

• Trajes can be simple or ornate (and very expensive!)

• The uniforms are based on the TRAJE DE CHORRO, which was the attire of the Mexican cowboys of the 19th century, inspired by Spanish clothing of the time period (similar to what a toreador might wear in Spain)

• In each Mariachi ensemble, all members wear Trajes with identical cut, color, and style. The men wear pants and the women usually wear long skirts

• The Cantante (singer) is often identified as the lead performer by wearing a complimentary but slightly different Traje than the rest of the ensemble. It might be in a different color or more ornate than the others.

FAMOUS MARIACHIS

• JOSÉ HERNÁNDEZ (Mexico)

• JUAN GABRIEL (Mexico)

• LOS TIGRES DEL NORTE (USA)

• MARIACHI SOL DE MÉXICO (Mexico)

• MARIACHI VARGAS DE TECALITLÁN (Mexico)

• VINCENTE FERNÁNDEZ (Mexico

WHERE TO HEAR MARIACHI IN THE USA

• Mariachi Radio Stations

• Pixar’s Coco

• Mexican Restaurants

• Mexican Festivals and Street Fairs

• Mexican Weddings, Quinceañeras, and other cultural and familial celebrations

• Colleges, Middle Schools, and High Schools (especially in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico - there are also several school Mariachi ensembles in the state of Washington)

• Yearly Mariachi Conferences in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and San Antonio

PODCAST
NPR alt.LATINO | MEXICAN MUSIC THEN AND NOW