I was asked to teach a lecture class this past semester called Sounds of the City: Music in Urban Spaces, in which I focused on the music of Latin America.
I began with Hanacpachap, the first piece of polyphonic choral music published in the Americas. It was published in 1631 in Cuzco, Peru, and is written in Quechua.
After a brief period exploring music during the colonial era, we dove into the music that emerged from the interaction of Indigenous, European, and African cultures throughout Latin America: Mariachi, Corridos, Bolero, Festejo, Landó, Samba, Bossa Nova, Milonga, Tango, Vallenato, Cumbia, Son, Merengue, Bachata, Rumba, Plena, Salsa, Reggaetón … and this is just a short list!
Among the topics we explored were:
Music and Gender
Music and Politics
Music and Race
Music and Identity
Music and Resistance
Some of the biggest lessons I took away from the class were:
Everything is connected. At the end of the day, everything is interconnected, and music provides a powerful way to see those connections.
Africa is at the root of so much of Latin American music. At the same time, Spain and Portugal were themselves culturally diverse societies whose music had already been shaped by Arabic, Jewish, Romani, African, and other cultures.
Many of these musical genres were initially rejected by the elites. They were often considered vulgar, unsophisticated, or “trashy.”
Many of these same genres were eventually embraced by the ruling classes and became powerful symbols of national identity. Take the Dominican Republic, for example, where Trujillo, one of Latin America’s most ruthless dictators, made merengue the official music of the country and used it as a tool of propaganda.
New York is an important part of Latin American music history. The city became a unique and extraordinarily rich space for cultural exchange among different communities, giving rise to new musical genres and styles.
Latin Americans have played a significant role in the development of American music, often without receiving the recognition they deserve.
What a rich learning experience!
What an inspiring journey it has been.
I’m going to miss teaching this class.