Danzón

The danzón is a rhythm and dance of Cuban origin created by the Matanzas composer Miguel Faílde (1852-1921) around the year 1879 and engendered by another Cuban genre called dance, a variation of the contradanza. "A typical Cuban dance, it became the archetype of popular music with its characteristic rhythm." Since the beginning of the century XX has had deep roots in Mexico, and is also considered part of the popular culture of that country. In Cuba it is interpreted with the majority of wind instruments, with flute, violins, timbales and Cuban percussion. It is one of the most common and traditional Cuban dances in which it is necessary to use the correct instruments.

Origins

It was derived as a result of the transculturation of the European contradanza that arrived at the beginning of the XVIII century via the courts by the capture of Havana by the English in 1762 and at the end of the XVIII century by the migrations of French settlers and blacks and mulattoes from Haiti to Cuba. This ballroom dance received a mestizo influence in Cuba to create a criolla music that became the first genre to emerge in Havana. Its name was known in two ways Creole dance or Cuban habanera. Although they maintained the Afro influence in their rhythm, they now had greater expressive freedom that allowed the couple to bond with more sensuality. The dance increased its formative parts and extended its dance time, which is why it began to be called danzón. The instruments of the danzón are the piano, trumpet, clarinet, flute, güiro timpani, keys to its popularity 1900-1940 its date of origin second half of the century XIX in Cuba.

It should be noted that, in the 50s, the danzón was also performed in Cuba by orchestras called the Jazz band, where the "Avilés" orchestra stood out, a hundred-year-old group, considered the oldest in Cuba. An example of this was the danzón "Dos Melodías", a compilation by the Holguin composer, guitarist and arranger Juanito Márquez, who made a selection of melodies by composer George Gershwin, with daring harmonizations. Also, in this context, the composer Electo Rosell from Santiago stands out & # 34; Chepín & # 34;, with his danzones & # 34; Bodas de Oro & # 34; and "La Reina Isabel", where some formal variants are proposed with respect to the original danzón. Among the highlights of danzón in Cuba, the "Danzón de los Danzones", "Linda Cubana", by the composer Alfredo Brito, should be mentioned. To this must be added the contributions made by orchestras such as "Aragón", without forgetting to mention composers of this time, such as José Luis Loyola, Guido Medina and others, who have given new perspectives to the Cuban danzón work of the present.

Danzón as a musical genre

The first known danzón, titled "Las Alturas de Simpson," was heard for the first time on January 1, 1879 at the Liceo de Matanzas. It was played by a "orquesta típica" of wind, which had a bugle, a piston trombone, a figle, two clarinets in C, two violins, a double bass, two timpani and a criollo güiro. Said orchestra was directed by Miguel Faílde, who was the author of it.

Faílde's danzón is made up of three 16-measure parts, which are called: Introduction, clarinet part or trio, and brass trio. Performed by the so-called "orquesta típica" (mentioned above) although years later it was also performed with the orchestra called "French brass band".

The Danzón was danced in couples, up to the number of twenty, prostrate with arches and flowers, who executed square pieces, figures and steps with movements adjusted to the beat of the Habanera, in 2/4 time. In later times fans were worn much more frequently by ladies.

The Danzón became more varied than the Dance; specific instruments would star in each particular part in the melodic conception, constituting a distinctive element of this genre what would be known as: part of the violin, part of the flute, part of the clarinet according to the function and intervention of each one.

The sound basis of the rhythm is in the use of the piano. Presents the three-string double bass, an ancient flute with five keys, first and second violins, two timpani, güiro, trombone, claves, with the clarinet or flute as relevant instrument. The mentioned instruments constituted the typical Danzón orchestra. (Substituted by a French Brass Band when the local conditions required moderate sounds). One of the leading figures of this genre was Antonio María Romeu, whose danzones "El barbero de Sevilla", "La sabrosura", "Linda Cubana", just to mention some were very successful between 1905 and 1940.

The new rhythm produced a surprising impact on the dancers, being «Las alturas de Simpson» one of the most listened to danzones. At night the musicians were forced to repeat it at the request of the dancers.

In the first and second decades of the XX century, the danzón began to shape its final form and incorporate elements of other rhythms and Cuban genres, principal Urfé, composer, conductor and clarinetist, revolutionizes the Cuban danzón by inserting, in its final part, a son montuno in the style of the figurados of the oriental tres players". This danzón was titled "El Bombín de Barreto".

The danzón was introduced to Havana by Miguel Faílde, Antonio Torroella (Papaíto), Raimundo and Pablo Valenzuela. The names of Torroella, Leopoldo Cervantes and Antonio María Romeu, are confused in the capital with the origin of the brass band with piano. The most outstanding composers for this format were: Antonio María Romeu, Octavio Alfonso (Tata), Ricardo Reverón, Armando Valdés Torres, Jacobo Rubalcaba, Eliseo Grenet, Abelardito Valdés, Antonio Sánchez Reyes (Musiquita), Silvio Contreras, Orestes López, Israel López (Cachao), Enrique Jorrín and Felix Reina. It was José Urfé González who completed the subsequent structure of the danzón, by introducing a new rhythmic element in the last trio: the son.

Creators such as Raimundo Valenzuela, Chencho Cruz, Corbacho, Felipe Valdés, Antonio María Romeu, Eliseo Grenet, Ricardo Reverón and Pablo O'Farrill arose, with their contributions they improved the interpretive aspect.

Beginning in the second quarter of the XX century, Cuba developed excellent orchestras in the interpretation of danzones such as Antonio María Romeu, in which she had an outstanding participation as singer Barbarito Díez.

Apart from some instrumental innovations, the danzón did not undergo changes until Aniceto Díaz from Matanzas mixed various elements of it with others from the Cuban son and created his danzonete in 1929.

Continuing the influence of the Cuban son, Orestes López and his brother Israel López, double bass player of the orchestra "Arcaño y sus Maravillas", create their "Danzón Mambo" in 1938 to which he incorporated at the end of the danzón a syncopated motif like the & # 34;Tres & # 34; in the Cuban son giving rise to a new rhythmic style in the danzón, which reaches its best definition in other musical genres such as the mambo, by Dámaso Pérez Prado and the chachachá by Enrique Jorrín.

The Cuban son, a rhythm that emerged in eastern Cuba and gradually replaced the popularity of the danzón among dancers, generated such acceptance when it arrived in the first decade of the century XX to Havana, which over the years became the most influential Cuban musical genre of that century nationally and internationally, leaving the danzón and its dance as "music from the past".

With the rise of the danzonete, the chachachá and the mambo, the danzón began to decline.

Danzón in Mexico

Couple dancing danzón in Guanajuato, Mexico

Danzón arrived in Mexico around the year 1890 through Yucatán and Veracruz, later spreading to other areas. It reaffirmed great popularity in Mexico, thanks to the influx of Cuban musicians such as the Aragón Orchestra, Benny Moré or Dámaso Pérez Prado who became an active element in the cultural life of that town.

It has been deeply rooted in Mexico, specifically in the Port of Veracruz, where Cuban immigrants took it, and currently forms an important part of the culture and traditions of that city, where it has been adopted as an element of its identity.

In the Federal District it has caused a great impact, currently the largest number of dancers, danzonero musicians, halls and squares to dance it are concentrated in this city.

The term used in Mexico for a danzón orchestra is danzonera. Mariachi groups, as well as traditional wind bands from Oaxaca and Sinaloa also perform danzones.

Mexican Danzones

• "Nereidas", Amador Pérez Torres "Dimas"
• "Juárez", Esteban Alfonso
• "Clear paludism", Esteban Alfonso
• "Acapulco", Gus Moreno
• "Pulque for 2", Gus Moreno
• "Mocambo", Emilio Renté
• "Long distance phone", Aniceto Díaz
• "La Negra", Gonzalo N. Bravo
• "Playa Suave", Ernesto Domínguez
• "Salón México", Tomás Ponce Reyes
• "Acayucan", Macario Luna
• "Blanca Estela", Emilio B. Rosado
• "Love of the Soul", Vidal Arciga Moncada
• "Flores de Romana", Juventino Rosas Cadenas
• "El Suave", Leopoldo Olivares
• "Immortal," Fermin Zárate

The danzón in the concert hall

Mexican composer Arturo Márquez has created numerous danzones for large orchestra and chamber orchestra. The most famous is the "Danzón no. 2", which since its premiere in 1994 is already a classic of the contemporary Latin American repertoire. The "Danzón no. 8 »is a tribute to Maurice Ravel, built in the likeness of the famous« Bolero »by him.