Aguinaldo
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Aguinaldo is a folk genre of Christmas music in several Latin American countries, based on an archaic form of Spanish Christmas carols. Aguinaldo music is often performed by what is called parrandas—a casual group of people, often family or friends, who merrily go from house to house taking along their singing.
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[edit] Puerto Rican aguinaldo
In Puerto Rico, the aguinaldo is a musical gift offered during the Christmas season and is a tradition inherited from the island's Spanish colonizers. As a musical gift, aguinaldos are mostly played by "parranderos" or "trullas" during the Christmas holidays. This is a practice that is slowly being lost.
Originally, aguinaldos were "villancicos" with strong religious connotations but soon evolved to "coplas" (quartets) and "decimas" (ten-verses compositions) about all kinds of everyday topics. Aguinaldos were played with typical instruments such as the bordonúa, a tiple, a cuatro, a carracho or güiro, and maracas. With bordonua players becoming more difficult to find, the guitar became a staple accompanying the cuatro. Today, panderos (also known as "pleneras"), brass instruments and whatever makes noise, are used.
As a genre, the aguinaldo is played mostly on the radio on key Christmas holidays in Puerto Rico; the day before Christmas and in Christmas, on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and the day before Three Kings Day and on Three King's Day (January 6th). Aguinaldos are also played at Christmas church celebrations.
[edit] Venezuelan aguinaldo
In Venezuela, the word aguinaldo means a gift and also refers to a genre of Christmas music. Aguinaldo music is performed throughout the country, not only to commemorate Jesus but for the joy of Christmas. In different regions, it is accompanied by different musical instruments.
Aguinaldo is the most widespread Christmas musical genre. In many Venezuelan towns, musicians sing in front of the cross and the pesebre (nativity scene). Aguinaldo music figures into the celebration of the Pastores de San Joaquín, and is common in the Paradura del niño celebrated in the states of Táchira and Trujillo.
Aguinaldos often have recognizable melodies of old carols, but set them to different rhythms and use novel instruments. It is for that reason that people talk about the evolution of aguinaldo through síncopas (syncopation). Aguinaldos use the typical Christmas ensemble (parranda navideña): the violin, clarinet, bandolín, and even accordion-like instruments. These instruments dominate the prelude and interlude and may duplicate the melody of the song. But the richest aguinaldo music also includes charrasca, chineco, the triangle, drums of one and two patches, panderos, furruco, the cuatro, the cinco, sometimes the guitar, and tiple.
Aguinaldos generally have six verses. Some verses are composed beforehand, while others are improvised according to the circumstances.
[edit] Philippine aguinaldo
In the Philippines, the word "aguinaldo" also means gift usually in the form of cash or coins collected by children in small groups that go from house to house singing Christmas carols. Makeshift instruments include tambourines made with tansans (aluminum bottle caps) strung on a piece of wire. With the traditional chant of "Namamasko po!", these carolers wait expectantly for the homeowners to reward them with aguinaldo.
[edit] Trinidadian aguinaldo
Aguinaldo or Serenal is a music genre used in Parang (Parranda) a type of Christmas music that came to Trinidad and Tobago from Venezuela. Parranderos announce their arrival in song and seek to gain entry to the houses of family and friends to relate the story of the birth of Christ, and to share in the joy of the message of Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all men.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Atlas de Tradiciones de Venezuela, Fundación Bigott, 1998.
