Folklore (Argentina)

Folklore is the name given to traditional forms of music in Argentina , which developed in the colonial times mainly from Spanish folk music styles. A distinction can be made between three main directions: the pampeano folklore from the pampas , the Andino folklore from the northwest and the Chamamé from the province of Corrientes . Urban forms of music such as tango and cuarteto , on the other hand, usually do not come under the folklore term.

The folklore Pampeano is a direct descendant of Spanish folk music and here in particular the Zarzuela . The music is characterized by the relatively uniform line-up of vocals and guitar , and the bombo , a deep drum made of cowhide, is sometimes added as a rhythm instrument . Characteristic dances within this form of music are the slow zamba in 3/4 time and the faster chacarera in 6/8 time. The folklore pampeano is often melancholy and in a minor key, but there are also light and cheerful pieces.

The Andino or Norteño folklore is a mixture of Spanish folk music and pre-Columbian dances of the indigenous people. It is widespread in the northwestern provinces of Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy and is closely related to southern Bolivian folklore music. A wide range of instruments can be found in this music: from wind instruments such as the alphorn-like Erke , the Siku panpipe and the Quena flute , to stringed instruments such as the mandolin-like Charango to a wide range of percussion instruments . The most characteristic dance is the happy carnavalito , characterized by a fast four-quarter rhythm, but you can also find very melancholy forms of music such as the huayno. From pre-Columbian music, this folklore form took over the characteristic overtone harmonic and partly also the pentatonic .

The Chamamé from the province of Corrientes does not come from Spanish, but from Central and Eastern European forms of music, especially from the polka . This is why the chamamé is also called "polka correntina". The music is characterized by a three-bar. The cast is vocals - guitar - accordion . The music usually has a cheerful, light mood and is the background music for the colorful carnival parades .

Today there are many groups that mix the traditional folklore sounds and add rock and pop influences . These include the Nocheros from Salta with their dark electro folklore, and the Tekis from Jujuy, who mix Andean folklore with modern pop rhythms. The rock star León Gieco also often uses folklore sounds from Argentina, but also from other countries in his music.