SENSE OF RHYTHM AND TIMING WITH LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC
Dr. Alejandro Cremaschi [email protected] University of Colorado – Boulder Goals
• Discuss approaches to teaching and thinking rhythm • Demonstrate Latin American pieces What pieces?
• Latin American pieces inspired by folk • Different rhythmic energies • From elegant salon dances • To “wild” dissonant toccata-style pieces • Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, Argentina • Available in the US What can you learn?
• Embodied rhythm. Strong sense of pulse • Different rhythmic energies • Direction • Syncopation • Irregular rhythmic groupings • Layering of rhythms • Effective management of stamina • Flexibility Thinking rhythm
• First thing we teach: steady pulse and counting rhythm • Counting and clapping • Unit • Metric • Kodaly’s “ti-ti-ta-ta” 1 2 3 1 and 2 3 1 2 3 ta ta ta 1 1 1 1 and 1 1 1 2 3 ti ti ta ta ta - ah - ah Rhythmic words
• Use of rhythmic words to help internalization • Walk q • Whole-note-hold-it! w • Half-note h • Mountain ee • Colorado xxxx • Buffalo xxe • Blueberry e xx • Rabbit e. x • Pineapple (triplets) eee Teaching rhythm
• Sightreading and Rhythm Every Day. Helen Marlais & Kevin Olson. FJH • Dictation from early on • x x x xx x x x • 1 2 3 | 1 2 3 | 1 2 3|| Rhythmic performance
• Clap and count (using “and”, etc.) • Marching & stomping the beat • Conducting the beat (“rhythmic solfege”) • Scatting with direction Direction
• Rhythm + dynamic shape + accents = IT’S ALIVE!!!! • “Building blocks” at the micro level micro level have direction • Large scale direction Organic rhythm
• The grid • Organic rhythm • Breathes • Has direction • Has shape
Direction
• Pedro de Alcantara. Integrated Practice: Coordination, Rhythm and Sound. Oxford University Press. • Building blocks result of three types of energy: • Preparation (p) • STRESS (S) • Release (r) Different combinations
• Iambic p S (to BE or NOT to BE) • Trochaic S r (NE-ver, NE-ver, NE-ver ) • Dactylus S r r (WA-shing-ton) • Amphibrach p S r (ba-NA-na) • Anapest p p S (go to HERE) Grouping rhythm Grouping rhythm Danza Criolla. Ginastera
From Twelve American Preludes. Danza Criolla. Ginastera
From Twelve American Preludes.
Latin American music
• Dance and songs • Origins • Spanish/Portuguese • African • Indigenous Latin American music
• Habanera rhythm as origin of many 2/4 dances • Tango, milonga, candombe, danza, danzon, cha-cha-cha, mambo, guaracha, maxixe, reggaeton, cumbia • Samba, choro • Strong African elements • Polka • Waltz Habanera Habanera 2 Salsa • Show tango and milong Latin American music
• 6/8 dances with hemiolas • Chacarera, zamba, son jarocho, malambo, huapango, cueca • Multiple layers of rhythm • Layers with different accent and groupings placements Chacarera TEMPO FLEXIBILITY Rubato / tempo flexibility
• Marvin Blickenstaff’s “body copycat” • Living metronome exercise on a C scale (Alcantara) Rubato / tempo flexibility
• Oral tradition • Can be explained: • “Pull back” the tempo: 1. “Edges” of a phrase (beginning / end) 2. Special harmonic moment (e.g. mode change) 3. Melodic jump 4. Climax and arrival (broadening) • “Push forward” tempo 1. To build excitement (e.g. sequences), often leading to climax 2. When “singer” is “quiet” (transitions) Tempo flexibility
• Use intuition • Avoid being predictable • Experiment: there are often several ways Alberto Ginastera 1916-1983
Danza de la Moza Donosa from Danzas Argentinas (Argentinean Dances)
#6
Manuel M. Ponce 1886-1948
Intermezzo No. 2
#3
Carlos Guastavino’s music
• Sonatina • “Mis Amigos” – suite for young pianists • Cantilenas Argentinas • Tres Sonatinas • La Siesta
• ELKIN MUSIC: ElkinMusic.com (click on “complete catalogue”) GRACE AND DIRECTION Salon dances Salon dances
• Buoyant but elegant energy • Syncopation • Clear direction • Tempo stability Salon dances
• Often subtle African influence • Habanera, tango, choro, maxixe, samba, etc • Syncopation • Slightly accented often against the “grid” Salon dances
• Contemporary pedagogical pieces • Catherine Rollin. Dancing on the Keys series • Gillock • Vandall • Alexander • Wynn-Anne Rossi • Eugenie Rocherolle Salon dances
• Latin American quasi-classical composers • Nazareth (Brazil) • Cervantes, Lecuona (Cuba) • Morel Campos (Puerto Rico) • Piazzolla (Argentina) • Latin American “classical” composers • Villa-Lobos, Lorenzo-Fernandez, Ginastera, etc My editions for SuperScore
• SuperScore: Free app for iPad (sheet music and recording for a few $$$)
• Cremaschi’s editions of: • Tangos by Nazareth • Traditional Argentine tangos (Cumparsita, El Choclo) • More salon pieces soon! Wynn-Anne Rossi
From Musica Latina Volume 1 #16
Wynn-Anne Rossi
From Musica Latina Volume 1 #16 Heitor Villa-Lobos
Sacy, from Petizada
#13 Ernesto Lecuona 1895-1963
“La comparsa,” from Afro-Cuban Dances #18
Ernesto Nazaret 1863-1934
Odeon, from Tangos and Brazilian Dances #15
Ernesto Nazareth
Brejeiro, form Tangos and Brazilian Dances #15 Astor Piazzolla
Verano Porteño
#19 IRREGULAR METERS Irregular meters
• Definitely not from dance! • Often inspired by “imagined music” of ancient indigenous people of the Americas • New music in the 1940s • Sometimes neoclassic Alberto Ginastera
In the First Pentatonic Mode, from Twelve American Preludes #24
Juan José Moncayo
No. 1 of Tres Piezas #25
Alberto Ginastera
Coda, from Suite de Danzas Criollas (Suite of Creole Dances) #26
CROSS-RHYTHMS Cross-rhythms
• Some habanera-influenced dances • Triplets • Several examples in the dance anthologies Luis J González
Habanera (from Fiestas and Dances) #28 Alberto Ginastera
Milonga #27 GROUPINGS AND RHYTHMIC LAYERING Latin America at its essence Grouping and layering
• 3 + 3 + 2 • Layering of different groupings • Origin: African percussion ensembles Oscar Lorenzo- Fernandez
Dancing Yaya, no. 1 from Yaya the Doll #31
Heitor Villa-Lobos
Caboclinha, from Prole do Bebe (Baby’s family) no. 1 #32
TOCCATA-STYLE WRITING Audience rouser Toccata-style
• Exciting writing • Uses energetic folk dance rhythms • Teach: • Stamina • Climax building • Efficient use of energy • Direction and forward-motion Toccata-style
• For momentum and direction • Don’t overplay forte dynamics • Whenever possible, understate notes between beats and bring out beat • Find release points • Better on the dry side, less pedal Heitor Villa-Lobos
Punch, from Baby’s family (Prole do bebe) #39 Alberto Ginastera
Homage to Garcia Morillo, from Twelve American Preludes #37
Oscar Lorenzo- Fernandez
Dance (Caterete), from Second Brazilian Dance. #40
Ginastera
Malambo #41 THANK YOU!