Son montuno
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Son montuno | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | Son |
| Cultural origins | Late 19th century Cuba |
| Typical instruments | Guitar or tres, marímbula or double bass, trumpet, bongo, claves, maracas, cowbell, congas |
| Mainstream popularity | Cuba and elsewhere in the Americas |
| Fusion genres | |
| Guajira-son; Bolero-son; Guaracha-son; Salsa music |
|
| Other topics | |
| Music of Cuba Anticipated bass - Clave |
|
The son montuno is a style of the Cuban son, but exactly what it means is not an easy question to answer. The son itself is the most important genre of Cuban popular music.[1] In addition, it is perhaps the most flexible of all forms of Latin-American music. Its great strength is its fusion between European and African musical traditions.
The son arose in Oriente, merging the Spanish guitar and lyrical traditions with African percussion and rhythms. We now know that its history as a distinct form is relatively recent. There is no evidence that it goes back further than the end of the nineteenth century. It moved from Oriente to Havana in about 1909, carried by members of the Permanente (the Army), who were sent out of their areas of origin as a matter of policy. The first recordings were in 1918.[2]
There are many types of son,[3] of which the son montuno is one. The term has been used in several ways. Probably the 'montuno' originally referred to its origin in the mountainous regions of eastern Cuba; eventually it was used more to describe the final up-tempo section of a son, with its semi-improvisation, repetitive vocal refrain and brash instrumental climax.[4] The term was being used in the 1920s, when son sextetos set up in Havana and competed strongly with the older danzones.
[edit] Later developments
Arsenio Rodríguez contributed to its later development. He added instrumental solos; he also added guaguancó influence, increased the importance of the trumpets and tres, and added instruments such as the congas and piano. Benny Moré (popularly known as El Bárbaro del Ritmo), which further evolved the genre, adding guaracha, bolero and mambo influences, helping make him extraordinarily popular and is now cited as perhaps the greatest sonero.
[edit] References
- ^ Díaz Ayala, Cristóbal 1994. Cuba canta y baila: discografía de la música cubana 1898–1925. Fundación Musicalia, San Juan P.R. p317
- ^ Díaz Ayala, Cristóbal 1994. Cuba canta y baila: discografía de la música cubana 1898–1925. Fundación Musicalia, San Juan P.R. p316 et seq: El son.
- ^ quoted in Orovio, Helio 2004. Cuban music from A to Z. p204
- ^ Orovio, Helio 2004. Cuban music from A to Z. p141
