The Garland Handbook of Latin American Music


Book Description

First Published in 2000. The Garland Handbook of Latin American Music is comprised of essays from The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: Volume 2, South America, Mexico, Central America, and the Carribean, (1998). Revised and updated, the essays offer detailed, regional studies of the different musical cultures of Latin America and examine the ways in which music helps to define the identity of this particular area. Part One provides an in-depth introduction to the area of Latin America and describes the history, geography, demography, and cultural settings of the regions that comprise Latin America. It also explores the many ways to research Latin American music, including archaeology, iconography, mythology, history, ethnography, and practice. Part Two focuses on issues and processes, such as history, politics, geography, and immigration, which are responsible for the similarities and the differences of each region's uniqueness and individuality. Part Three focuses on the different regions, countries, and cultures of Caribbean Latin America, Middle Latin America, and South America with selected regional case studies. The second edition has been expanded to cover Haiti, Panama, several more Amerindian musical cultures, and Afro-Peru. Questions for Critical Thinking at the end of each major section guide focus attention on what musical and cultural issues arise when one studies the music of Latin America -- issues that might not occur in the study of other musics of the world. Two audio compact discs offer musical examples of some of the music of Latin America.




The Garland Handbook of Latin American Music


Book Description

The Garland Handbook of Latin American Music is comprised of essays from The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: Volume 2, South America, Mexico, Central America, and the Carribean, (1998). Revised and updated, the essays offer detailed, regional studies of the different musical cultures of Latin America and examine the ways in which music helps to define the identity of this particular area. Part One provides an in-depth introduction to the area of Latin America and describes the history, geography, demography, and cultural settings of the regions that comprise Latin America. It also explores the many ways to research Latin American music, including archaeology, iconography, mythology, history, ethnography, and practice. Part Two focuses on issues and processes, such as history, politics, geography, and immigration, which are responsible for the similarities and the differences of each region’s uniqueness and individuality. Part Three focuses on the different regions, countries, and cultures of Caribbean Latin America, Middle Latin America, and South America with selected regional case studies. The second edition has been expanded to cover Haiti, Panama, several more Amerindian musical cultures, and Afro-Peru. Questions for Critical Thinking at the end of each major section guide focus attention on what musical and cultural issues arise when one studies the music of Latin America -- issues that might not occur in the study of other musics of the world. Two audio compact discs offer musical examples of some of the music of Latin America.




The Indispensable Harp


Book Description

A musical instrument that has played a vital role in Latin American music cultures--the harp--is the subject of this new work, the first study of its kind to be published in English. John Schechter presents a history of the harp in Spain, traces its introduction into colonial Latin America, and describes its modern roles in the diverse cultural centers of Mexico, Paraguay-Argentina-chile, Venezuela, and Peru. He then turns his focus to his own field research in the Quichua culture of northern highland Ecuador, an area that has receive considerably less scholarly attention than many of its Latin American neighbors. The reader will meet a community of harp maistrus on the slopes of Mt. Cotacachi and become familiar with their culture, their particular instrument and its tuning, and their performance practices. Numerous photographs, musical transcriptions, and diagrams illustrate and enliven the text. The Indispensable Harp is unique for its integration of aspects of music and cultural history, organology, and performance practice, treating in considerable depth both broadly established music-ethnographical practices. It speaks to the conclusion that the vital role of the harp in Latin American music history has now been properly acknowledged and documented.




The Paraguayan Harp


Book Description

How did a music instrument transplated to South America by colonial Jesuit missionaries earn the official designation as Paraguay's cultural national symbol? This ethnomusicological and organological study of the Paraguayan diatonic harp in the twentieth century tells its story as an emblematic national musical instrument. First used liturgically by Jesuit missions in colonial times, the transplanted European diatonic harp was transformed and adopted into the folk music vocabulary of Paraguay and the Río de la Plata region. Following the commercial success of Paraguayan harpist Félix Pérez Cardozo in the 1930s in Argentina, the instrument's symbolic value as an icon of social, cultural, and national identity was articulated in local traditions such as popular folk music festivals. It received designation of arpa paraguaya (Paraguayan harp) and, in 2010, official recognition as simbolo de la cultura nacional (cultural national symbol). The author's fieldwork in Paraguay and continuous contact with composers, educators, festival organizers, harp performers, researchers, and festival organizers have provided unique insights into the development of the Paraguayan harp tradition as a cultural icon of the nation.




Music of Latin America and the Caribbean


Book Description

Music of Latin America and the Caribbean, Second Edition is a comprehensive textbook for undergraduate students, which covers all major facets of Latin American music, finding a balance between important themes and illustrative examples. This book is about enjoying the music itself and provides a lively, challenging discussion complemented by stimulating musical examples couched in an appropriate cultural and historical context—the music is a specific response to the era from which it emerges, evolving from common roots to a wide variety of musical traditions. Music of Latin America and the Caribbean aims to develop an understanding of Latin American civilization and its relation to other cultures. NEW to this edition A new chapter overviewing all seven Central American countries An expansion of the chapter on the English- and French-speaking Caribbean An added chapter on transnational genres An end-of-book glossary featuring bolded terms within the text A companion website with over 50 streamed or linked audio tracks keyed to Listening Examples found in the text, in addition to other student and instructors’ resources Bibliographic suggestions at the end of each chapter, highlighting resources for further reading, listening, and viewing Organized along thematic, historical, and geographical lines, Music of Latin America and the Caribbean implores students to appreciate the unique and varied contributions of other cultures while realizing the ways non-Western cultures have influenced Western musical heritage. With focused discussions on genres and styles, musical instruments, important rituals, and the composers and performers responsible for its evolution, the author employs a broad view of Latin American music: every country in Latin America and the Caribbean shares a common history, and thus, a similar musical tradition.




Exploring the Folk Harp


Book Description

Written in a supportive, easy-to-follow style, this big book covers just about everything of interest to harpers, beginning through advanced, and is recommended by players and teachers as an excellent tool to better understand your instrument. It combines a reference on such topics as types of harps, maintenance, harmony and chords, ear playing, arranging, singing, improvising, instructions on how to simplify and personalize the music to suit your playing level and much more with a full range of harp arrangements from Celtic to Classic, including a special emphasis on Renaissance music. The 46 titles include Ash Grove, Greensleeves, Danny Boy, Gymnopedie No.3, Cielito Lindo, Amazing Grace, and more, with complete lyrics




Music in Latin American Culture


Book Description

"Music in Latin American Culture: Regional Traditions provides an in-depth look at the diverse musical cultures of South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean in a format geared for the undergraduate. Each chapter, written by an expert in the field, focuses on a specific musical culture while offering students a solid foundation for further study. Authors present the community, its history, common dialect, traditions, and newer forms of musical expression. Music rituals, instrument manufacturing processes, and improvisational techniques all come alive through the authors' own observations of the cultures they have studied firsthand." --




Harp Music Bibliography


Book Description

Harp Music Bibliography: Chamber Music and Concertos lists over 5000 works in the harp repertoire. The index of composers' names and titles provides access to every piece listed, whether it is cited individually or as part of a collection. In addition, an instrumentation index provides access to specific performance forces needed for each work. A separate index lists works playable on non-pedal harp