Chords for Class Notes: Mexican Music -- Celebration, Rhythm, and History

_ _ _ _ _ _ [G#] _ _
[F#m] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [C] _
_ _ Each place [G] in the world has its own music,
[C] just as each culture claims its own [G] history,
traditions, [Am]
languages, and celebrations.
[G] _ _ [C] Today we're going to learn about the music
of the [G] Northeast and East regions of Mexico
through 2 composers.
One of those composers, Julio Morales, will [G] be our guide.
Hola, [C] Julio.
Hola, Alison.
Julio, [G] you were born in the city of [C] Tampico
in the Mexican state of [F#] Tamaulipas
on [G] the Gulf of Mexico.
[C] What is [Em] the music of Tampico and [G] that region like?
[C] Like the music and the people [G] all over Mexico,
the music of Tamaulipas mixes [E] native, Spanish,
and sometimes other cultures.
Its music and [F#m] dances blend European [F#] polka
with Mexican folk dances called [F#] the huapango or son huasteco.
[G]
The region has [C#] 3 main instruments,
[C] the jarana, [C#] violin, and [Am] huapanguera.
[E] The violin sets us [F#] apart.
_ In Tamaulipas, music reflects tradition.
We celebrate a lot.
Even when someone dies, to show our gratitude for life,
we remember him or her with a fandango or party.
That joyful feeling is felt in all the region's music too.
Julio, could you play us a bit of music from Tampico?
Sure, I'll play it on the jarana. _ _ _ _ _
_ [Fm] _ _ _ _ _ [A#m] _ _
[C] _ _ _ _ [Em] Moranita [Fm] del pencil de los jardines de amapa
Yo te [E] llevaré a Jalapa en bello [Fm] ferrocarril
Con sus dormientes [C] de plata _
Y [Em] sus rieles [Fm] de marfil _ _
[A#m] _ _ [C] _ _ _ _ _
That [G#] was great!
Now, what is your [Em] own music like, Julio,
and how does it relate to the area where you grew up?
I find inspiration all over Mexico,
but [A] most of all in my home state
[Gm] and the state where I live now, _ Veracruz.
I like composers who [A#m] combine Mexican folk songs
[Bm] and rhythms into classical music. _ _ _
[D] _ _ [G] _ _ [F#] _ _ _ _
_ _ [C#m] _ _ _ _ [F#] _ _
[C#m] _ _ _ _ [C#] _ I especially like jazz,
and pair it [D] with music for choir
or sometimes traditional [E] folk music.
Una [A] _ _ [B] morena me dijo que la [Em] llevara a café
Una [B] morena me dijo que la llevara [Em] a café
Para darme enganche en [B] el cielo que grabe ya
[Em] Para _ darme enganche [N] en el cielo que grabe ya
How is the music of Tamaulipas
alike or different from the music of Veracruz,
the state just to the south where you live now?
Veracruz is in the east region [B] in the Gulf of Mexico.
It's a state well known for its music. _
For centuries, all [Em] imports and immigrants to Mexico
came through Veracruz,
so its music reflects many cultures,
_ [D] not just native, but also Cuban, [G] Caribbean, African, [C] and Spanish.
_ [B] _ Tamaulipas and Veracruz share the same time signature
for many of its songs and dances.
In both states, there are many birds,
and [Em] boys and men learn to sing in the falsetto range,
very high, to imitate the bird songs.
There are also tropical forests.
[B] Strumming is thought of as the sound of the [Am] woods.
[N] One difference is that in [G] Veracruz, there are many instruments,
but in Tamaulipas, just three main ones,
used in many different ways.
_ [Cm] Who's a composer [Fm] from Veracruz that [G] you like?
There are many wonderful composers in Veracruz.
_ Perhaps the most famous is Agustín Lara,
but I would like to [G#] introduce you to another Mexican composer
who wasn't born in Veracruz, but chose to celebrate its music.
[Am] His name is Arturo Márquez.
In [E] Veracruz, a dance from Cuba called the danzón is very popular.
[F] It is based on [E] the habanera.
Márquez [Am] has composed a series of [Em] danzones.
_ Can you play some examples of some of them?
Sure.
[A] _ _ _ [B] _ _ _ _ _
_ [Am] _ _ _ _ [A] _ _ _
[Bm] _ [E] _ _ _ _ _ [A] _ _
_ _ [E] _ _ _ [A#] _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ [E] _ _ [Am] _ _ _
_ [F] _ _ _ _ [A] _ _ _
_ [A#] Julio, that was great.
Hey, [F#] before you go, are there any other Mexican instruments
besides the jarana that [D#] you want to tell us about?
Sure.
There is the quijada, _ _ _ _
_ the [D] marimba chapaneca, _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ and the arpa jarocha.
_ _ _ [G] _ _ [A] Thanks so much, Julio.
It's been wonderful to get to know more about Mexican music
and to meet you.
Thank you, Alison.
I hope anyone who sees this
will keep [E] exploring Mexican music
and be inspired to compose.
[A] _ _
Adios!
_ _ [D#] _ _ [A#] _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _