Merengue music

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Merengue
Stylistic origins:	Possibly Haitian méringue, Spanish contradanza, Spanish decima and African plena, or at Talanquera
Cultural origins:
Typical instruments:	Bass guitar, Diatonic accordion, Guira, Guitar, Saxophone, Trumpet, sometimes Trombone
Mainstream popularity:	Some in the early 20th century, continued pan-Latin popularity
Subgenres
Merengue cibaeño - Merengue estilo yanqui - Merengue rodondo - Merenrap - Pambiche - Pri-prí
Fusion genres
Merenhouse - Merenrap
Regional scenes
Colombia - Puerto Rico - UK - Venezuelan
Other topics
Fusilamiento - El maco Orqestre tipica - La Voz Dominicana

Merengue is a type of lively, joyful music and dance that comes from the Dominican Republic. Merengue means whipped egg whites and sugar in Spanish, similar to the English word meringue. It is unclear as to why this name became the name of the music of the Dominican Republic. This style of music was created by Ñico Lora in the 1920s; however, it was promoted by Rafael Trujillo, the president in the 1930s, and eventually became the country’s national music and dance style. World famous Merengue singers include Miriam Cruz & Las Chicas Del Can, Juan Luis Guerra, Wilfrido Vargas, Sergio Vargas, Johnny Ventura, Kinito Mendez, Ravel, Josie Esteban y la Patrulla 15, Pochy y su Cocoband, Fernando Villalona,Cuco Valoy, The Freddie Kenton Orquestra, Elvis Crespo and Conjunto Quisqueya. Other artists popular in the Dominican Republic as of 2006 include Julian, Toño Rosario, Aguakate and Amarfis. Milly Quezada is known as the Queen of Merengue.

1 Musicology
2 References
3 External links
4 See also

[edit] Musicology

Meter: 2/4, tempo: fast.

The traditional instrumentation for a conjunto típico (traditional band), the usual performing group of folk merengue, is a diatonic accordion, a two sided drum held on the lap called a tambora, and a güira. A güira (Gwee-ra) is a percussion instrument that sounds like a maraca but in fact is a sheet of metal perforated with a nail, shaped into a cylinder, and played with a stiff brush. The guira is brushed steadily on the downbeat with a "and-a" thrown in at certain points, or played in more complex patterns that generally mark the time. "Caballito" rhythm, or a quarter and two eighths, is also common. The double headed drum is played on one side with a stick syncopation) and on the other side with the palm of the hand. Típico groups play a variety of rhythms, but most common are the merengue and the pambiche. In the 1930s-50s a bass instrument was also often used. Called marimba, it resembles the Cuban marimbula, and is a large box-shaped thumb piano with 3-6 metal keys.

In more urban settings, merengue is played with all manner of instrumentation, but the tambora and the guira are signatures. Today, orquesta, or big band, merengue is most popular. It uses a large horn section with paired saxophones, piano, and conga in addition to tambora, guira, and bass. In modern merengue típico a saxophone is an addition to the accordion, along with electric bass guitar. A proof of the great adaptability of the music can be found in the Dominican National Symphony's presentation in 2003 of a concert series entitled "Symphonic Merengue" in which the Symphonic Orchestra consisting of woodwinds, brass, strings, and the like played popular tunes.

[edit] References

Manuel, Peter (2006). Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae (2nd edition). Philadelphia: Temple University Press. ISBN 1-59213-463-7.