User:AJona1992/Music of Puerto Rico
The music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by African and European (especially Spanish) forms. It has become popular around the world, particularly in the Carribean.
Bomba change
Bomba is a style of music and dance imported from West Africa during the time of slavery. Its modern development began in Loiza, Puerto Rico. Bomba was played during the festival of St. James, since slaves were not allowed to worship their own gods, and soon developed into countless styles, including: leró, yubá, cunyá, babú and belén.
Bomba often begins with a laina, or a female singer who is answered by a chorus before the dancing begins. Harmony is not used. Dancers interact with the drummer, who is usually performs a solo.
Danza change
Danza is a very sophisticated form of music that can be extremely varied in its expression. The Puerto Rican national anthem, "La Borinqueña", is an example of danza. Danzas can be either romantic or festive. Romantic danzas have four sections, beginning with an eight measure paseo followed by three themes of sixteen measures each. The third theme typically includes a solo by the bombardino and, often, a return to the first theme or a coda at the end. Festive danzas are free-form, with the only rules being an introduction and a swift rhythm.
While the origins of the danza are not clear, it probably arose around 1840 as a sort of reaction against the highly codified contradanza. It was strongly influenced by Cuban immigrants. The first danzas were immature, youthful songs condemned by the authorities, who occasionally tried ineffectively to ban the genre. The first danza virtuosos were Manuel Tavarez and his disciple, Juan Morel Campos.
Décima change
Décima is derived from Andalusian ballads that came to Puerto Rico in the late 17th century. Décima usually consists of ten improvised couplets of eight syllables each; the form quickly became popular among jibaros, or peasants.
Vicente Martinez de Espinel was a Spanish writer and musician who revived the décima, using Andalusian jibaro traditions and midieval Moorish influences. The two varieties are: seis (a dance music) and aguinaldo (derived from Spanish Christmas carols).
Plena change
Plena is a narrative song from the coastal regions of Puerto Rico. Its origins have been various claimed as far back as 1875 and as late as 1920. As rural farmers moved to San Juan and other cities, they brought plena with them. Later horns and improvised call-and-response vocals were added. Lyrics generally deal with stories or current events, though some are light-hearted or humorous. Manuel A. Jiménez, or El Canario, is the most well-known of the original plena performers.
By the 1950s, plena's popularity had given way to salsa, merengue and rock and roll. In the 1960s and 1970s, artists like Mon Rivera updated the sound and added big band-style orchestras. Plena's popularity has since blossomed. The revival has survived. Plena has influenced foreign genres from Jamaica, Cuba, Brazil and other Latin and Carribean countries. Artists like Willie Colón united plena and bomba with salsa music to great critical acclaim and popularity.
Son and mambo change
Son and mambo are types of Cuban music that became very popular in Puerto Rico in the 1930s. Puerto Rican and Cuban immigrants soon brought the music to New York City, where it evolved into salsa music in the early 1950s.