Mariachi Music in America

Description

Mariachi Music in America is one of several case-study volumes that can be used along with Thinking Musically, the core book in the Global Music Series. Thinking Musically incorporates music from many diverse cultures and establishes the framework for exploring the practice of music around the world. It sets the stage for an array of case-study volumes, each of which focuses on a single area of the world. Each case study uses the contemporary musical situation as a point of departure, covering historical information and traditions as they relate to the present. Visit www.oup.com/us/globalmusic for a list of case studies in the Global Music Series. The website also includes instructional materials to accompany each study.
This unique volume provides an accessible introduction to the social, cultural, and economic conditions surrounding mariachi music in the United States. Large immigrations of Mexicans to the U.S., the power of the international recording industry, and the fluid travel of mariachi musicians between the two countries have resulted in a strong base of musical continuity across the political border. Drawing on thirty-five years of personal performance experience and on interviews with leading mariachi musicians, author Daniel Sheehy offers first-hand perspectives on the music's stylistic cornerstones, aesthetic standards, social standing, and economic life. He explains how mariachi music is simultaneously a folk music rooted in more than 150 years of tradition, a commodity governed by market considerations, and a dynamic course of activity that has been shaped and expanded by musical innovation and social meaning. The book focuses on the rising popularity of mariachi music amongst Mexican Americans--over the last twenty-five years, numerous mariachi festivals have become annual events in the U.S., a multitude of workshops and school programs have been developed, and more women have become involved in public mariachi performances. Mariachi Music in America is a captivating study that will interest students, aspiring performers, teachers, and aficionados alike.
Enhanced by vivid photos and illustrations and first-hand accounts of musicians, organizers, and audiences, Mariachi Music in America is packaged with a 50-minute CD containing examples of the music discussed in the book. It also features guided listening and hands-on activities that encourage readers to engage actively and critically with the music.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
CD Track List
1. An Introduction to Mariachi Culture
Mariachi Music and Culture
Issues for Reflection
Personal Perspectives from the Author
The Purpose of This Book
2. The Modern Mariachi Sound
Modern Mariachi
Before "Mariachi," 1519-1852
The Mariachi Emerges
Mariachi: The Musical Group
The Modern Mariachi Takes Shape
Instruments of the Modern Mariachi
The Vihuela
The Guitarrón
The Harp
Musical Forms
Poetic Forms
The Copla
The Seguidilla
The Son
Other Genres
The Canción Ranchera
The Bolero Ranchero
The Huanpango
The Polka
3. The Social Life of Mariachi Music
The Social Dimension
Nati Cano's Dream
The Birth of La Fonda
Social Dimensions of Mariachi Meaning
José Hernández's Motivation
The Value of Tradition
Women in the Mariachi
Rebecca Gonzales: Opening the Way for Women in the Mariachi
Laura Sobrino: The Challenge of Change
4. Mariachi Economy: Al Talón, Chambas, Plantas, Shows, and la Mariachada
Mariachi as a Product and a Profession
The Expanding Mariachi Market
Performance Settings
Al Talón
Chambas
Serenata
Plantas
Shows
La Mariachada
5. !Viva el Mariachi! Tacos with Ketchup or Salsa? The Challenge of Change
The Threads of Change
Social Threads
Mariachi in Schools
Mariachi Festivals
Social Movements
Chicano Movimiento
Women's Liberation Movement
Conclusion: The Challenge of Change, the Future
Glossary
References
Resources
Index