Huapango is a corruption of the Nahuatl word huapanco that textually means on top of the wood platform according to the dictionary of the Real Academia Española ("huapantli", wood table; "pantli", row; and "co", place, on) [1]. Today huapango refers to a musical style that originated in and is played throughout the La Huasteca region in Mexico. It is interpreted in different forms, the most common being the classic huapango interpreted by a trio of musicians (un trio huasteco); the huapango norteño interpreted by a group (un conjunto norteño); and the huapango de [[mariachi]], which can be performed by a large number of musicians.
| Huapango típico (son huasteco) | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | fandango, Son |
| Cultural origins | Huastec Region, Mexico |
| Typical instruments | quinta huapanguera, jarana, violin, guitar |
| Mainstream popularity | Veracruz, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, Puebla, Querétaro |
The classical trio huasteco brings together a violin , a huapanguera and a jarana huasteca. The classical huapango is characterized by a complex rhythmic structure mixing duple and triple meters which reflect the intricate steps of the dance. When the players sing (in a duet, in a falsetto tone), the violin stops, and the zapateado (the rhythm provided by heels hitting the floor) softens . The huapango is danced by men and women as couples. A very popular huapango is El querreque, in which two singers alternate pert and funny repartees.
The huapango norteño is a fast dance piece in 6/8. This dance style and rhythm was included in early conjunto norteño (music). It is performed by conjunto norteño (northern groups). The instrumentation of this type of ensemble consists of accordion, bajo sexto, double bass, drums and saxophone.
The huapango in mariachi has alternating rhythmic patterns similar to the son jaliscience. Both major and minor keys are used. One of the distinctive characteristics is the use of a falsetto by the vocalist. Another characteristic is the use of busy violin passages for the musical introductions and interludes. Famous songs include "Cucurrucucú paloma" and "Malagueña".