Joropo
Encyclopedia
The Joropo is a musical style resembling the waltz
, and an accompanying dance
, having African and European influences originated in Venezuela and performed in Colombia
and Venezuela
. It's a fundamental genre
belonging to its typical music or música criolla (creole
music). It is also the most popular "folk rhythm": the well-known song "Alma Llanera
" is a joropo, considered the unofficial national anthem of Venezuela.
In 1882 it became Venezuela's national dance. Formerly, the Spanish word joropo meant "a party", but now it has come to mean a type of music and dance that identifies Venezuelans. This is because in the 18th century the llanero
s started using the word “joropo” instead of the word "fandango", which was the word used at the time for party and dance.
, cuatro
, and maracas (ibid), making use of polyrhythmic patterns, especially of hemiola
, and alternation of 3/4 and 6/8 tempo
s. It was originally played, most often also sung, by the llaneros, the inhabitants of Colombian and Venezuela Llanos
(plains), and thus also called música llanera (ibid).
The singer and the harp
or bandola may perform the main melody
while a cuatro performs the accompaniment
, adding its characteristic rhythmic, sharp percussive effect. The cuatro and the bandola are four-stringed instruments which are descendants of the Spanish guitar
. The only real percussion instruments used are the maracas. Besides the genre and dance, the name joropo also means the performance, the event or occasion of performance.
, clarinet
, piano
, and so on, up to having a complete symphony orchestra
playing Joropo arrangements. Since the 1950s the Venezuelan composer Aldemaro Romero
pioneered praiseworthy orchestrations of numerous Joropos, among other native Venezuelan genres, allowing international audiences to enjoy the beautiful Venezuelan music, albeit in a more conventional presentation. Curiously enough, it often happens that when a Symphony
Orchestra plays a Joropo, the cuatro
is still included.
Venezuelan waltz
- History :Between the hall dances that arrived to Venezuela during the 19th century, waltz has been the one of greater root and dispersion. Waltz consists of a musical expression derived from an Austrian popular dance, the ländler...
, and an accompanying dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, having African and European influences originated in Venezuela and performed in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. It's a fundamental genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
belonging to its typical music or música criolla (creole
Creole language
A creole language, or simply a creole, is a stable natural language developed from the mixing of parent languages; creoles differ from pidgins in that they have been nativized by children as their primary language, making them have features of natural languages that are normally missing from...
music). It is also the most popular "folk rhythm": the well-known song "Alma Llanera
Alma Llanera
Alma Llanera is a popular Joropo song composed by Pedro Elías Gutiérrez and with lyrics of Rafael Bolívar Coronado. It was part of a zarzuela whose premiere was on September 19, 1914 at the Teatro Municipal de Caracas....
" is a joropo, considered the unofficial national anthem of Venezuela.
In 1882 it became Venezuela's national dance. Formerly, the Spanish word joropo meant "a party", but now it has come to mean a type of music and dance that identifies Venezuelans. This is because in the 18th century the llanero
Llanero
A llanero is a Venezuelan or Colombian herder. The name is taken from the Llanos grasslands occupying western Venezuela and eastern Colombia. The Llanero were originally part Spanish and Indian and have a strong culture including a distinctive form of music.During the wars of independence,...
s started using the word “joropo” instead of the word "fandango", which was the word used at the time for party and dance.
Playing
The Joropo is played with the arpa llanera (harp), bandolaBandola
This article refers to various South American instruments. Bandola is also Portuguese for Mandola.The Bandola is one oif many varieties of small pear-shape chordophones found in Venezuela and Colombia...
, cuatro
Cuatro (instrument)
The cuatro is any of several Latin American instruments of the guitar or lute family. The cuatro is smaller than a guitar. Cuatro means four in Spanish, although current instruments may have more than four strings....
, and maracas (ibid), making use of polyrhythmic patterns, especially of hemiola
Hemiola
In modern musical parlance, a hemiola is a metrical pattern in which two bars in simple triple time are articulated as if they were three bars in simple duple time...
, and alternation of 3/4 and 6/8 tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
s. It was originally played, most often also sung, by the llaneros, the inhabitants of Colombian and Venezuela Llanos
Llanos
The Llanos is a vast tropical grassland plain situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela, in northwestern South America. It is an ecoregion of the Flooded grasslands and savannas Biome....
(plains), and thus also called música llanera (ibid).
The singer and the harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
or bandola may perform the main melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
while a cuatro performs the accompaniment
Accompaniment
In music, accompaniment is the art of playing along with an instrumental or vocal soloist or ensemble, often known as the lead, in a supporting manner...
, adding its characteristic rhythmic, sharp percussive effect. The cuatro and the bandola are four-stringed instruments which are descendants of the Spanish guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. The only real percussion instruments used are the maracas. Besides the genre and dance, the name joropo also means the performance, the event or occasion of performance.
Dancing
The joropo adopted and still uses the hand turn, the movement of the feet, and waltz turns. First, the partners dance a type of waltz holding each other tightly. Then they stand facing each other and make small steps forward and backward as if sweeping the floor. Lastly they hold each others’ arms, and the woman does sweeping steps while the man stomps his feet along with the music’s rhythm.Evolution and more refined forms
In modern times, several other instruments have been adding themselves to playing various parts in Joropo performances, for instance, guitar, fluteFlute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, and so on, up to having a complete symphony orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
playing Joropo arrangements. Since the 1950s the Venezuelan composer Aldemaro Romero
Aldemaro Romero
Aldemaro Romero was a Venezuelan pianist, composer, arranger and orchestral conductor. He was born in Valencia, Carabobo State.-Biography:...
pioneered praiseworthy orchestrations of numerous Joropos, among other native Venezuelan genres, allowing international audiences to enjoy the beautiful Venezuelan music, albeit in a more conventional presentation. Curiously enough, it often happens that when a Symphony
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
Orchestra plays a Joropo, the cuatro
Cuatro (instrument)
The cuatro is any of several Latin American instruments of the guitar or lute family. The cuatro is smaller than a guitar. Cuatro means four in Spanish, although current instruments may have more than four strings....
is still included.