Danzón

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Music of Cuba: Topics
Batá and yuka	Chachachá
Changui	Charanga
Conga	Danzón
Descarga	Guajira
Guaracha	Habanera
Jazz	Hip hop
Mambo	Música campesina
Nueva trova	Pilón
Rock	Rumba
Salsa cubana	Son
Son montuno	Timba
History (Timeline and Samples)
Awards	Beny Moré Award
Festivals	Cuba Danzon, Percuba
National anthem	"La Bayamesa"
Caribbean music
Bahamas - Bermuda - Cayman Islands - Cuba - Dominican Republic - Haiti - Jamaica - Lesser Antilles - Puerto Rico - Turks and Caicos Islands

Danzón is the official music of Cuba, and derives from a European-influenced ballroom dance played by Cuban ensembles. These orchestras played refined music for the upper class in pre-revolution Cuba. Danzón is also widely popular in Mexico's Gulf Coast. Two of the most famous danzónes are "Almendra" and "Tres Lindas Cubanas".

1 History
2 Danzón in Mexico
3 Style & Structure
4 References

[edit] History

The style developed in the second half of the 19th century, and has been an important root for Cuban music until today. The precursors of danzón are the contradanza, danza and the habanera music, all of which have their roots in French music which in turn was influenced by German and Italian music that arrived in Cuba via Haiti. Early danzón was played by groups called orquesta típica which had many instruments like woodwinds, brass, and small tympani. In the beginning of the 20th century, the lighter and somewhat more elegant sound of the charanga emerged. An orchestra that only consisted strings typically 2 or 3 violins, violas and/or cello, flute, timbales, güiro, piano and contrabass. In the 1940s, when son and cha-cha-chá became popular, many charangas added conga drums.

The classic danzón form was established by Antonio María Romeu, who introduced the piano in the format, and further developed, among others, by José Urfé, who added influences from Cuban son music to the style. Because of the popularity of upcoming Cuban son in the 1920s and 1930s, many charangas added vocals to their compositions, after the change introduced by Aniceto Diaz.'Rompiendo la Rutina' in 1929, (Breaking the Routine), thereby creating new genres such as the danzonete and the vocal danzón. Further development led to an open vamp section at the end of the form, with a rhythm than was initially called nuevo ritmo ("new rhythm"), and would eventually develop into danzón-chá, cha-cha-chá and mambo. Being the traditional Cuban dance music, danzón has never ceased to influence Cuban musicians, and its influences can be heard in virtually all popular Cuban music genres, most prominently in Cuban latin jazz, salsa, songo and timba, the latter building upon the charanga orchestration. Groups like Los Van Van and Charanga Habanera are in fact charangas. Furthermore, groups like Orquesta Aragón keep playing danzón up until today.

[edit] Danzón in Mexico

Danzón is also very popular in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, Mexico because of the strong Cuban influence in the region. Later on danzón developed in Mexico City, specially in the famous "Salón México". It is often played in the same style of Cuban danzón, although it is occasionally played by a marimba band. The dancing of danzón is a typical scene in the cities and towns of the state of Veracruz, and this music is often associated with this region.

[edit] Style & Structure

Danzón is both elegant and virtuoso music (and dance). A danzón, in its original form, does not feature any improvisations, unlike most other popular Cuban genres. A danzón has the following typical structure (which stems from European rondo):

An introduction or paseo (A), usually 16 measures.
The theme or principal melody (B), featuring the flute, thus often referred to as parte de (la) flauta ("flute part").
A repeat of the introduction.
The trio (C), featuring the strings, thus also called parte del violín ("violin part").
Ending. This could either be a cliché ending (there are a few standard danzón endings), another repeat of the introduction, or a combination of both.

The classic form is thus ABAC or ABACA. A danzón-chá or danzón-mambo typically add another part (D), an open vamp in which soloists can improvise, creating an ABACD or, more common, ABACAD.