Mariachi is a term that emerged from indigenous Mexico, mainly a mixture of Spanish and indigenous languages in the country. The origin of mariachi music is from a place known as Jalisco, western Mexico, where it emerged from the integration of the polka, bolero ranchero, and other types of Mexican songs. Nonetheless, in the 1930s mariachi genre of music underwent an urban transformation and thus became the famous mariachi known today (Castro, n.d). One of today’s signature styles is mariachi modern, which utilizes various musical instruments such as guitar, violins, guitar, and vihuela. Mariachi must rapidly grow due to enslaved Africans in Mexico during the colonial period.
It is essential to recognize the instrumentations used in Mariachi music. According to scholars, the instruments were invented by Hernan Cortes in the 25th century. Some of the instruments include; harps, violin, and guitar (Sinta, 44). Additionally, the Mestizo traditional groups founded the mariachi genre had well-articulated instruments like wind, striking apparats, and strings. Nonetheless, in Jalisco, mainly a place recognized as Cocula, the music was well played using violins, guitars, and vihuela (Castro, n.d). Also, in the southern region of Mexico, harps and violins were the primary instruments for playing mariachi. Besides, mariachi has various musical genres, garnering a different audience due to its universal nature. Some forms include; Marcha, corrido, pasodoble, and cancion ranchera.
Furthermore, the rhythm of mariachi music is a unique feature of the music. Rhythm typically refers to movements characterized by or monitored by a succession of weak and strong elements. Undoubtedly, the instruments were jointly used together to create the rhythmic pattern of the music. Similarly, the music was characterized by a strophic form whereby one part of the song formed the chorus or repeating verse (Sinta, 5-7). Another distinct feature of mariachi music is that it does not demand vocal instruction or music training to become an active singer. Any person could sing it, although the instruments played an important role in creating the harmony of the music.
In the 1950s, just after the Mexican Revolution, mariachi music started to embrace modern culture. This is because most people immigrate to urban centers to seek better employment opportunities. The troupes that had moved to occupy the new regions became sentimental in changing the form of mariachi music. The current instruments replaced some of the traditional instruments used (Dorf et al., 354). For instance, musicians could now use an improvised version of guitar and violins., and trumpets were also acquired. Additionally, new fans were initiated in urban areas, and this mariachi expanded its fan base. Mariachi band groups would put more effort into the streets to find more clients. Soon the music was played in films coming from US and Mexico, and thus it traveled around the globe and became appreciated.
To conclude, mariachi music originated from enslaved Africans and Mexican Spanish. The music became more popular in the 1950s, and since then, it has been effective in communication media that escalates its fame. Music has become a key figure in Mexican culture and heritage. However, some challenges hindered the perception of the music (Castro, n.d). For instance, music has been used commercially to stereotype hurtful images of Mexican culture. Besides, the music’s negative image is a significant symbol and has represented the Mexican heritage and culture globally with a recognizable declaration.
Works Cited
Castro, M. R. The Need for a “History of Mexican Music” Course at California State University, Los Angeles. California State University, Los Angeles, 2019.
Dorf, S. N., et al. “Mexican and Mexican American mariachi music.” Anthology to Accompany Gateways to Understanding Music, 2020, pp. 354-355, doi:10.4324/9781003041542-47.
Sinta, V. “De ViVa voz: Mariachi musicians share their stories.” US Latina & Latino Oral History Journal, vol. 4, 2020, pp. 5-44, doi:10.7560/ohj402.
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