[edit] instruments?
Merengue, as far as I am sure does not include acordion; i haven't heard a song with acordion in it, although it might be posible that the early traditinal merengue uses it. As for myself i play Piano and have listened merengue, which has diversity in the so called "tumbados" which are rhythmically designed patterns, using the differeent chord inversions. Due to their complexity people usually play them two-handed. They require a lot of practice and skill. Some of the songs of Sergio vargas are a primarily demounstrative example of merengue with piano. I might either not be sure of the acordion being applied but either I haven't heard any merengue songs with acordion or either this is not accurate. If Sergio Vargas is not enough... try the well-known groups Ricarena, or Los Ilegales. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.205.9.255 (talk • contribs) 00:04, 19 November 2006 (UTC).
It is also important to note that most merengue songs have similar parts when being compared to just any song. The singer first performs, then usually is followed by the chorus; after this happens, the saxophones go into a repetition of melodic phrases of about two to four times (depending of their length), then trumpets and the rest of brass join in and blend along with the saxophones' performance (might be refferred to as the bridge of song). Gisselle's songs are a good example of such musical merengue style, so it is also left to the musician to compose this part of the song. piano styles are also varied as each section is being introduced. 70.121.127.108 06:51, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
- A user answered re: accordion in the next section. I'd also add another accordion-playing bandleader was/is a rather tall lady named Fefita la Grande. SamEV (talk) 20:56, 27 October 2008 (UTC)
- P.S. Turns out she has an article here. I wikified her name, thus. SamEV (talk) 20:58, 27 October 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Clarification
Merengue prominently features the accordion; it is almost impossible to argue otherwise. If you really need verification, listen to "El Diente de Oro", "La Chiflera", "Los Limones", "Mi Caballito", "La Culebra", "Tu No Me Amas", "El Mono Parao": all of these are both modern and old merengue songs! You simply cannot ignore it. It is there. I will admit in modern merengue, it is hard to detect, but usually if you listen hard enough, you will be able to find it. Also, Ñico Lora is not the father of merengue: the style began at the very least at the 1840s. It is, however, true, that Rafael Trujillo used it to further his career.. It is a fact that tamboras were not simply created by Ñico Lora. For hundreds of years, tambora-like drums were readily available among both slaves in the New World and their relatives in the African homeland. Also, I have heard but have not been able to verify:
- The Dominican tumba dance was the popular music of the upper classes at the time of merengue's creation. Merengue was considered an impure, overly-sensual dance only practiced by the lower-class population. However, the tumba lost popularity because it was too complex to dance, and so the people of the Dominican republic, upper classes and lower, took on the merengue instead.
- German explorers traded their accordions for Domincan tobacco: thus making Dominicans feature the accordion in their music.
- Evidence argues that the Haitian meringue predates the Dominican merengue.
As I have stated, I have only heard these statements: I have not been able to fully verify. You must still allow that this article is a mess and needs some drastic clean-up measures.BashmentBoy 01:27, 13 May 2007 (UTC)BashmentBoy
[edit] Historical record
What is the source for "It first appears in the historical record in the 1840s, when moralists tried to ban the music because of its suggestive lyrics and the sensual movements of merengue dancers? " 71.221.204.20 (talk) 00:40, 31 May 2011 (UTC)
- One possible source is the book by Perez and Solano which is listed in the references. It is downloadable, but only available in Spanish.
Virgrod (talk) 23:23, 11 June 2011 (UTC)
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