Oaxacan Types of Music

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    Son Istmeno and Son Oaxaqueno

    • The word "Son" means "sound" in Spanish. "Son" is also the name given to traditional Latin American music that derives from the music of Africa, Europe and the indigenous peoples of a particular region, such as Oaxaca. Son istmeno and oaxaqueno often feature the xylophone-like marimba, as well as guitar and traditional percussion instruments.

    Banda and Marching Band

    • Banda is a brass-centered music form that is especially popular in Oaxaca. Many Germans arrived in Oaxaca in the 18th and 19th centuries, bringing with them brass instruments and the concept of the marching band. Oaxacan musicians rewrote songs and marches, and added traditional instruments to develop their own Oaxacan sound.

    Cathedral Music

    • In the Spring 2004 issue of "Sapaan," David Warren Steel describes Oaxaca as one of the "richest repositories of historic pipe organs in the New World." According to Steel, Oaxaca has more than 65 historic organs, some dating back to 1690 and many designed in a "distinctive regional style." This proliferation of church organs has led to a special fondness for cathedral music in Oaxaca.

    Bolero

    • Bolero is a traditional form of Spanish music that features a slow and driving tempo. Bolero received an Oaxacan twist and became more prominent in Oaxaca in the mid-20th century, when Oaxacan-born bolero artist, Alvaro Carrillo, gained local and international popularity.

    Nueva Trova

    • Usually performed by a single singer-guitarist with occasional accompaniment, "nueva trova" is a ballad-oriented style of music that often contains sociopolitical themes. Believed to have originated in Cuba, "nueva trova" is common in Oaxaca and songs are frequently in indigenous languages and dialects, rather than in Spanish.

    Other Musical Forms

    • Punk music and the "alternative" scene are also alive and well in Oaxaca. Forms of music from other cultures are always helping to infuse the great musical traditions of Oaxaca with new directions and possibilities.

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