A recipe for Cuban music
+
Musical
ingredients from
around the world
=
A little Mixing and
cooking
The music of Cuba
Part 1 - Spanish Music
Spanish music has a long
history and includes many
styles and sounds. There is
one kind, however, that is very
important to Spain and to this
story. It is called Flamenco.
Flamenco is actually a
combination of singing,
dancing, and guitar playing. It
is a music that comes from
several sources in Spanish history
and it is the music that the Spanish
settlers brought with them to Cuba.
But now, a little more about
Flamenco.
Flamenco – Traditional Spanish Music
The Moors
In the 8th century, Arab tribes,
known as the Moors, crossed
westward over the deserts of
North Africa after having left
Saudi Arabia. They were
looking for fertile lands and
people to teach their religion to.
When they reached what is now
the country of Morocco they
could only go North. This is
where the Moors crossed the
Mediterranean sea at the
narrowest point, and enter
Spain. That is what they did.
The Moors in Spain
In fact, after a few short battles, the
Moors conquered southern Spain and
made it an Arab state for over 800
years. That land was finally reconquered by Spain in the 15th century.
The Moorish culture can still be seen
and heard in southern Spain. The
Moors gave Spain one of the most
important parts of its musical heritage.
They brought with them a small stringed
instrument called an Ud. It is the
ancestor of the modern Spanish guitar.
The Spanish guitar is the backbone of
Flamenco music and is identified as one
of the most important musical
instruments in Spain.
The Ud
The Ud
The Spanish Guitar
The Ud – a guitar brought to Spain by the Moors (in the 15th century)
Spanish Troubadours
The troubadours were singers
and musical performers during
the medieval time period in
Europe (500-1400). They
would compose and sing songs
about heroism or love. Each
region of Europe had a different
style of troubadour music,
including Spain. Modern
Spanish style singing can be
linked all the way back to the
troubadours.
Troubadour – musicians who developed the Spanish style of singing
The Gypsy (Romani or Gitano)
The Gypsy are groups of Nomadic
peoples that left India in about the 10th
century. They traveled west throughout
Europe, some settling in different areas
as they went. Many, however,
continued to travel until they reached
Spain in the 15th century. They brought
with them music and dancing that had
never been seen or heard before in
Spain. The rhythmic dancing and
singing of the Gypsy peoples blended
with the local Spanish folk music which
was sung and played on the guitar. The
resulting sound is known as Flamenco
music and is considered to be the
foundation of Spanish folk music
tradition.
Gypsy – a nomadic group of people, they arrived in Spain in the 15th century
The mixing of ingredients…so far
As you can see, traditional
Spanish music is a blend
of three main types of music.
The Ud – a stringed
instrument brought to Spain by the
Moors.
+
2. Spanish singing – Linked all the
way back to the troubadours.
+
3. Gypsy singing and dancing.
=
Flamenco Music
This musical blend is what the
Spanish settlers brought with
them.
1.
Terms – Part 1
The Ud – An early version of the guitar brought to Spain
by the Moors in the 8th century.
Troubadours – Early musicians who helped create the
traditional sound of Spanish singing.
Gypsy - Groups of nomadic people who traveled west
across Europe, arriving in Spain in the 15th century
Flamenco music – Traditional music of Spain.
Ingredients:
The Ud + Spanish singing + Gypsy rhythms and dances
= Flamenco music
Part 2 - The Story of Cuba
Near the end of the 15th
century, King Ferdinand
and Queen Isabella of
Spain hired Christopher
Columbus to sail west
looking for a route to India
and China. In August
of 1492 he left Spain.
He arrived in Cuba
On October 29,
1492.
Cuba was not uninhabited
At the time that the Spanish
arrived, the island of Cuba
was inhabited by a tribe of native
people called the Taino. They had
lived there already for about 2700
years. The Spanish, thinking there
was gold in the rivers and
mountains, captured the Taino
people and made them search for
the gold. None was found, but
many of the Tainos died in the
process. Within 20 years all of the
native people of Cuba were killed
by Spanish settlers or the
illnesses that they brought with
them.
Coffee, Sugar, and more
Instead of finding gold, the
Spanish discovered something
that was nearly as profitable.
The climate in Cuba, unlike that
in Spain, was perfect for
growing coffee, sugar, tobacco,
and citrus fruits. Settlers came
from Spain to build large
plantations where these things
could be grown. Slaves were
brought from west Africa to
work on the plantations. This
was the beginning of the TransAtlantic slave trade.
Languages and Drums
The slaves that were brought to Cuba
were often separated from friends and
family to go work on different
plantations. Many of these people
came from what is now Nigeria, as part
of the Yoruba tribe. People from the
Yoruba tribe had a unique language,
called a tonal language, which the
plantation owners were did not
understand. This language could be
spoken using a person’s voice, or a
certain type of drum called a bata
drum. Since the plantation owners
allowed the slaves to build and play
drums in the evenings, they were
actually allowing the slaves to talk to
other slaves over long distances.
The clave rhythm
Many of the old rhythmic
patterns from Africa still
survive. They may have
lost their original meaning
but they have become part
of Cuban music over the
centuries. One of the most
important of these rhythms is
called the “clave” rhythm.
It is usually played on the
claves. It is a rhythm
made up of a 3-2 pattern
or a 2-3 pattern of notes.
The clave rhythm - A rhythm made up of a 3-2 pattern or a 2-3 pattern of notes
The mixing of ingredients…so far
The slaves brought with them
their own culture, including their
drums and singing. They were
allowed to perform in the
evenings and on Sundays.
Over time, a new mixture
developed. The ingredients were:
1. Spanish folk music
(Flamenco)
+
2. The rhythms and drums of the
slaves
=
Cuban Salsa Music (Rhumba)
Terms - Part 2
The clave rhythm - A rhythm made up of a 3-2
pattern or a 2-3 pattern of notes
Salsa music – A style of traditional music from
Cuba. (Rhumba)
Ingredients:
Flamenco music + African rhythms and drums =
Cuban salsa