2664  musica follow-up

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2004 17:30:03 -0500
From: Frank Williams <frankw@MAIL.AHC.UMN.EDU>
Subject: musica follow-up

Thanks for the help on 'Yumba'! As I work on understanding the article
provided by Elemer, let me pass along the gist of an off-line communication
by Ruben Terbalca.

He writes that it was, indeed, an onomatopoeic description of rhythmic
elements that he called "toque canyengue". Specifically, for the contrabass
it was a slide on a string combined with striking the body of the bass.
Reuben writes that it was invented by (or for?) "Negro Thompson" in 1912 to
imitate African percussion. Early on it was a quick, percussive rhythmic
element. As used by Pugliese ~30 years later, it was slowed way down from
Thompson's 'canyengue touch'. Ruben politely adds that there may be
differences of opinion about the literature.

Muchas gracias! It illustrates the fun of learning!

As an afterthought to my last post, I didn't mean to suggest that
identifying the orchestras is unimportant for the dancer. I agree we should
know the music AND the arrangements, not to mention the full meaning and
poetic nuance of the lyrics.

...gives us a little something to work at, no? Imagine all the fun!

;-)

abrazos a todos,

Frank - Mpls.

Frank G. Williams, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota
frankw@umn.edu
612-625-6441

Department of Neuroscience
6-145 Jackson Hall
321 Church St. SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
1971 Commonwealth Ave.
St. Paul, Minnesota 55108