Music as the Messenger
Published in Vallarta Tribune
By Christie Seeley
vallartasounds.com
Throughout history music has been a major vehicle for the disemination of information. In the XII century important stories of wars, intrigues and romance were spread by troubadores in France, establishing some the earliest examples of modern literature and poetry. One of the earliest was the Chanson de Roland dipicting the Battle of Roncevaux Pass (778AD) during the reign of Charlemagne. The tales of the Knights of the Round Table by Chrétien des Troyes, favorite poet of Marie de France, most notably Percival the Story of the Grail and Lancelot the Knight of the Cart, were transmitted through music and recitation from town to town by troubadores from the City of Toulouse to Champagne.
These are examples of Medieval heroic and epic poetry. Typically oral poetry which concentrated on heroes, ancestors and the past, were sung rather than just recited. There were some functional reasons for this, one: a presenter’s voice carries better when he sings or chants; two: the world was just transforming from a predominantly oral society to a literate society from the early middle ages onward. Presenters often utilized a monotony of repitition of the same melody throughout the verses and the singer would establish himself as the source of the information imparted. Written versions needed to utilize more documented sources.
In Mexico, especially around the time of the Revolución (early 20th century), this method of carrying news from town to town was very important. The music, called Corridos, told of real, important events and often delivered news faster than any other source, spreading it from person to person, village to village by means of song. The singer would begin his report by introducing himself and his credentials. He or she had probably been present to witness the event or been informed by someone who did. The background is filled in so listeners will understand the details and then a blow by blow description of the occurances. At the end of the song, the listener will be reminded of the characters and their fate. This practice was very important as the telegraph system of the period was susceptible to damage from those wishing to keep news from spreading as well as from natural disasters. As the revolutionaries were unpopular with the powers at be, the music was one of the only ways to spread accurate information to the people.
Many of the messages were moral lessons. Perhaps the message was “don’t take your gun to town son or dance with the tough guy’s girlfriend” but they were real stories conveying information about actual happenings in the area involving people known to the listener.
If you listen to mariachi music, Cuco Sanchez or other ranchera musicians, you have probably heard some of the most enduring of these pieces. Of course there are the famous La Cucaracha and Adelita, but there are others that better fit the pattern like Heraclio Bernal (https://youtu.be/zOtP37FCPUw) and Valente Quintero (https://youtu.be/nJa_KXidhTs), The Battle of Celaya, about which a contemporary observer reported upon hearing a group singing: “...as verse after verse ... took the same melodic pattern I suddenly realized that this was no ancient epic, but a freshly minted account of the battle of the day before.... It was a corrido – hot from the oven of their vivid memory of the struggle between Villa and Obregon – the first one I had ever heard.” (Corridos of the Mexican Revolution Part IV. (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vlytDIvSL9s)
The norteño music of today continues to convey messages important to people on both sides of the border. Music by Los Tigres del Norte, Cafe Tacvba, Manu Chao, Lila Downs send a message of solidarity to those striving to overcome obstacles that often require facing danger from authority, gangs and other very real obstacles as well as the struggles of everyday existence. Lila Downs just released a new CD filled with meaningful messages and I am excited to have the privilege of seeing her in a couple of weeks while visiting San Francisco.
Expanding our knowledge of music in general adds so much to our actual enjoyment!
For more details, visit my website vallartasounds.com
Published in Vallarta Tribune
By Christie Seeley
vallartasounds.com
Throughout history music has been a major vehicle for the disemination of information. In the XII century important stories of wars, intrigues and romance were spread by troubadores in France, establishing some the earliest examples of modern literature and poetry. One of the earliest was the Chanson de Roland dipicting the Battle of Roncevaux Pass (778AD) during the reign of Charlemagne. The tales of the Knights of the Round Table by Chrétien des Troyes, favorite poet of Marie de France, most notably Percival the Story of the Grail and Lancelot the Knight of the Cart, were transmitted through music and recitation from town to town by troubadores from the City of Toulouse to Champagne.
These are examples of Medieval heroic and epic poetry. Typically oral poetry which concentrated on heroes, ancestors and the past, were sung rather than just recited. There were some functional reasons for this, one: a presenter’s voice carries better when he sings or chants; two: the world was just transforming from a predominantly oral society to a literate society from the early middle ages onward. Presenters often utilized a monotony of repitition of the same melody throughout the verses and the singer would establish himself as the source of the information imparted. Written versions needed to utilize more documented sources.
In Mexico, especially around the time of the Revolución (early 20th century), this method of carrying news from town to town was very important. The music, called Corridos, told of real, important events and often delivered news faster than any other source, spreading it from person to person, village to village by means of song. The singer would begin his report by introducing himself and his credentials. He or she had probably been present to witness the event or been informed by someone who did. The background is filled in so listeners will understand the details and then a blow by blow description of the occurances. At the end of the song, the listener will be reminded of the characters and their fate. This practice was very important as the telegraph system of the period was susceptible to damage from those wishing to keep news from spreading as well as from natural disasters. As the revolutionaries were unpopular with the powers at be, the music was one of the only ways to spread accurate information to the people.
Many of the messages were moral lessons. Perhaps the message was “don’t take your gun to town son or dance with the tough guy’s girlfriend” but they were real stories conveying information about actual happenings in the area involving people known to the listener.
If you listen to mariachi music, Cuco Sanchez or other ranchera musicians, you have probably heard some of the most enduring of these pieces. Of course there are the famous La Cucaracha and Adelita, but there are others that better fit the pattern like Heraclio Bernal (https://youtu.be/zOtP37FCPUw) and Valente Quintero (https://youtu.be/nJa_KXidhTs), The Battle of Celaya, about which a contemporary observer reported upon hearing a group singing: “...as verse after verse ... took the same melodic pattern I suddenly realized that this was no ancient epic, but a freshly minted account of the battle of the day before.... It was a corrido – hot from the oven of their vivid memory of the struggle between Villa and Obregon – the first one I had ever heard.” (Corridos of the Mexican Revolution Part IV. (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vlytDIvSL9s)
The norteño music of today continues to convey messages important to people on both sides of the border. Music by Los Tigres del Norte, Cafe Tacvba, Manu Chao, Lila Downs send a message of solidarity to those striving to overcome obstacles that often require facing danger from authority, gangs and other very real obstacles as well as the struggles of everyday existence. Lila Downs just released a new CD filled with meaningful messages and I am excited to have the privilege of seeing her in a couple of weeks while visiting San Francisco.
Expanding our knowledge of music in general adds so much to our actual enjoyment!
For more details, visit my website vallartasounds.com
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