Ranchera

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The ranchera is a traditional genre of Mexican music . Closely linked to the mariachi groups that developed in Jalisco after the revolution, rancheras are still played by norteño (or conjunto) or banda (or duranguense) groups today . Taking up traditional rural folklore, the ranchera symbolized the national spirit in response to the aristocratic era. Probably the most famous living representative of the ranchera is the Mexican musician Vicente Fernández .

Traditional rancheras are about love , patriotism, or nature . The rhythm can be divided into 3/4, 2/4 or 4/4 bars, which corresponds to the respective rhythm of the waltz, the polka or the bolero. Songs are generally written in major and consist of an instrumental introduction, stanzas and chorus, with instrumental sections repeating the stanzas, which are marked with an accented ending. The instruments used here include guitars , violins , trumpets and / or accordions , depending on the line-up.

construction

The normal musical pattern of rancheras is a / b / a / b. Rancheras begin with an instrumental introduction (a), followed by a vocal section (b), interrupted by instrumental embellishments that are inserted into the lines. The instruments then repeat this theme, after which the lyrics are either repeated or started with new words. The form a / b / a / b / c / b is also used, where the introduction (a) is played, followed by the stanza (b). This form is repeated and a refrain (c) is added, ending with the verse.

Well-known composers and performers

The best-known ranchera composers include Felipe Valdés Leal and Cuco Sánchez as well as José Alfredo Jiménez , who also sings like him , who composed many of the most famous rancheras and, with his more than 1,000 songs, is one of the most productive songwriters in the history of this Mexican country music tradition applies. The most important ranchera singers, who were not infrequently also actors and sometimes also composers, are Javier Solís , Antonio Aguilar , Pedro Infante , Jorge Negrete , Lola Beltrán , Luis Pérez Meza , Vicente Fernández , Miguel Aceves Mejía , Lucha Reyes , Pepe Aguilar , Chavela Vargas , Francisco “El Charro” Avitia , Lucha Villa , the brothers Juan and David Záizar, Amalia Mendoza , Alejandro Fernández and Tito Guizar .

Another, also closely related style of music is the corrido , which is often played by the same line-up as the rancheras. However, the corrido is suitable for conveying epic stories of heroes and their opponents, while rancheras do not necessarily represent heroic ballads and also vary more in tempo. Two prominent exceptions to this rule are the songs 'Corrido de Chihuahua' and the 'Corrido de Monterrey', which despite their name can be classified as rancheras. Her song lyrics deal with the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Nuevo León in a patriotic way.

Origin of the term

The word ranchera was derived from the word rancho because the songs originated in the ranches in rural Mexico. Rancheras that come from the Norteño groups or conjuntos of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States are sometimes referred to as Norteños , derived from the Spanish word for north .

Known rancheras

Well-known ranchera singers

literature

  • Helmut Brenner: Música ranchera. The Mexican equivalent of country and western music from a historical, musical and commercial point of view. Foreword by Thomas Stanford. Schneider, Tutzing 1996, ISBN 3-7952-0867-X .

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