Sunday, January 20, 2008

Music for IVE

I need to teach some Oaxacan music to the International Vocal Ensemble. I want to do one or two songs from the coast, but I can't decide on which one is better.

I just watched the 2004 Guelaguetza DVD and saw the "Danza de los Diablos" from Santa Maria Huazolotitlán and I think it captures the humor and the uniqueness of the Oaxacan coast really well. The instrumentation they use is:
  1. Flauta ó harmónica.
  2. Charrasca ó "quijada de burro," que se rasca con una pata de venado
  3. Arcusa/Arcuza/bote/tigra - "especie de tambor de origen africano a cuyo cuero se conecta una vara que, untada con cera de Campeche y tallada con la mano, produce un sonido como el de la respiración de un gran felino."
Source: [1]

Another interesting music that is on that DVD comes from Juchitan, where they use the following ancient instruments:
  1. Flauta de carrizo (ditch reed flute)
  2. Carapachos de tortuga, batidos con astas de venado

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