Danzon - dance
National dance of Cuba, evolved from danza.
Danzón
- Significance: Considered Cuba’s national dance.
- Premiered: 1879 in Matanzas by Miguel Faílde.
- Style: Elegant ballroom dance, derived from European contradance.
- Blend: European structure + Afro-Cuban rhythms.
- Structure: abacada
Instruments
Originally performed by orquesta típica:
Later, charangas took over: flute, violins, piano, bass, and timbales.
Rhythm:
- Built on a cinquillo rhythm (a syncopated five-note pattern).
- The dance has a slow, elegant tempo, often in 2/4 or 4/4 time.
🎶 Notable Figures
- Miguel Faílde – "father of danzón," composed the first known danzón: "Las Alturas de Simpson".
- Antonio María Romeu – legendary charanga leader who modernized danzón.
- Israel "Cachao" López – bassist and composer, helped develop danzón-mambo, bridging into Afro-Cuban jazz.
Modern Relevance
- Danzón is still performed today in Cuba and Mexico (especially Veracruz and Yucatán).
- It holds ceremonial and nostalgic value and is performed at traditional events.
- Some contemporary orchestras and dancers keep the danzón tradition alive with festivals and social dances.
National dance of Cuba, evolved from danza.
Lees meer >Form Breakdown ( ABACADA)
A – Main Theme
- Graceful, lyrical melody in 2/4 (habanera feel).
- Introduces the character of the piece.
B – Contrasting Theme
- Different melody, lighter texture.
- Provides contrast, but still elegant.
A – Return of Main Theme
- Listeners recognize it, dancers reorient.
C – New Section
- Usually more playful, with syncopated rhythms.
- Contrast in mood and orchestration.
A – Main Theme again
- Keeps the piece grounded.
D – Montuno-like Section
- More rhythmic, sometimes featuring instrumental solos.
- Anticipates the later Cuban montuno style.
A – Final Return of Main Theme
- Brings closure and balance.
Lees meer >The following dances have their origin in Matanzas:
Timbales
History
Timbales were introduced in Cuban danzón during the late 19th century.
Here’s how it happened:
- The earliest danzón was played by orquestas típicas, which used heavier European-style timpani and military-style percussion.
- Around the 1870s–1880s, these large drums were replaced by the pailas criollas (what we now call timbales). They were lighter, more agile metal drums better suited for Cuban dance rhythms.
- This innovation helped shape the charanga francesa ensemble (flute, violins, piano, bass, güiro, timbales), which became the standard for danzón, danzonete, and later chachachá.
👉 So, the timbales first entered Cuban music through danzón and then became central to many genres afterwards (mambo, salsa, songo, timba).
Origins
Inventor: Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655–1731), an Italian instrument maker in Florence.
Date: Around 1700, Cristofori built the first instrument he called a “gravicembalo col piano e forte” — meaning harpsichord with soft and loud.
Lees meer >Timba, the explosive and rhythmically rich genre of Cuban dance music, transformed how the bass functions in popular music. In Timba, the bass is not just foundational — it’s fiery, funky, and free.
Lees meer >Dances
- Danzón – The quintessential Cuban ballroom dance, elegant and formal, often seen as the "national dance of Cuba."
- Danzonete – A sung variant of danzón that became popular in the 1920s–30s.
- Cha-cha-chá – Created in the 1950s by Enrique Jorrín while playing with a charanga; specifically designed for charanga orchestras.
- Pachanga – A playful dance and rhythm from the late 1950s/early 1960s, closely linked to charanga bands.
- Mambo (in its earlier Cuban form) – Before the big-band New York mambo, charangas also played early mambo-style danzones.
- Charanga is a Cuban ensemble style and musical tradition that dates back to the early 20th century. It became especially popular in the 1940s–50s and played a crucial role in the evolution of salsa, timba, and Latin jazz.
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