The Garland Handbook Of Latin American Music

1. The Garland Handbook Of Latin American Music Part Three: Nations and Musical Traditions, South America, Venezuela

2. Venezuela • Cultural Heritage • European and African influences predominate • Spanish origins reflect influence of Arabic, Islamic, and West Asian sources • African influence shares common roots with those in Caribbean (Mainly West and Central African in origin) • Indigenous musical traditions survive primarily in Amazon region, Orinoco Delta, and Guajira Peninsula • Share similar characteristics and functions with other low-land indigenous communities (see Tropical Forest Region and Warao)

3. Venezuelan music • Música Criolla • Refers to music originating among Venezuelans of mixed origin • Criolla (Creole)—term takes on different meanings in different parts of Latin America • i.e., may likewise refer to music and traditions of purely European descent • In Venezuela, refers to confluence of European, Amerindian, and African heritage • Instruments • Reflect cultural origins • Indigenous contribution primarily Idiophones and areophones (i.e., maracas, palos, turas, panpipes, and conch trumpets) • European primarily chordophones and certain membranophones (i.e., cuatro, harp, and redoblante) • African primarily membranophones and idiophones (i.e. minas, redondos, tambores, and quituplás)

4. Contexts and Genres • Folk Catholicism • Refers to character and nature of Catholic Church as it developed in Latin America • Often blurs distinction between sacred and secular • Provides context for many Venezuelan musical genres • i.e., Saint-day celebrations, vigils, and Corpus Cristi • Exhibits no clear links with African religious belief systems (as in Cuba, Haiti, and Brazil) • Secular contexts and genres • Seasonal music • Christmastime and year-end music • Parranda and aguinaldos • Gaitas • Dance music • Joropo • National dance of Venezuela • Reflects blend of European and African musical elements • Refers to to both genre and event • Several regional variants of ensemble

5. Venezuelan Music and Identity • The Joropo • Various regional variations of the genre known generically as joropo can be heard throughout Venezuela. Considering the characterization of Venezuelan national identity as “criollo,” how might the joropo reflect the ideal of cultural blending? • Questions for discussion: • What aspects of the joropo might be considered European, African, Indigenous? • Where else in Latin America do we see similar combinations of instruments, rhythms, and other musical elements? • Consider why regional genres might differ. Where else in Latin America do we see this kind of variation with a single generic song/dance form?