A Brief History of Latin American Music

A quick history of Latin American music, from its humble beginnings to its current popularity.

Pre-Columbian music

The music of Latin America refers to music originating from Latin America, namely the Romance-speaking countries and territories of the Americas and the Caribbean south of the United States. Latin American music also incorporates African music from slaves who were brought to the Americas by the Spanish and Portuguese.

Mayan music

Pre-Columbian music is the music of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian peoples of North, Central and South America and their descendants.

The Mayans were one of the most important cultures in pre-Columbian America. Their music was an important part of their culture and their religious ceremonies. Mayan music was based on percussion and wind instruments. The most important instruments were drums, flutes and horns.

Mayan music was very complex. The Mayans used a system of notation that allowed them to play very complex pieces of music. This system is known as the Mayan hieroglyphic orchestra. The hieroglyphs were used to represent different musical instruments.

Mayan music was performed by professional musicians who were trained in special schools. The schools were known as “sound houses”. The most famous sound house was located in the city of Chichen Itza.

The Mayans believed that music had the power to heal people and to communication with the gods. Music was an important part of Mayan religious ceremonies.

Aztec music

The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztecs were known for their rich culture and diverse musical traditions. Music was an important part of Aztec life, and was used for religious ceremonies, feast days, and other important events.

Aztec music was typically based on reciprocal rhythms created by two groups of instruments playing interlocking parts. This type of music is known as “interlocking percussion.” It is thought that the Aztecs may have borrowed this style of music from their Mayan neighbors to the south.

The Aztecs used a wide variety of instruments, including drums, flutes, rattles, and gongs. Drums were the most important type of instrument, and were used to keep time for the other instruments. Flutes were often made from bone or reed, and were played by blowing into the end of the flute. Rattles were usually made from gourds or shells filled with seeds or small stones, and were shaken to produce a rattling sound. Gongs were large metal discs that were struck with a mallet to create a deep, resonant sound.

Aztec music was an important part of Aztec culture and played a role in many aspects of Aztec life.

Colonial music

music in Latin America is as diverse as its people and cultures. It is a mixture of various styles and genres that have been influenced by Latin America’s history, geography, and culture. Music in Latin America can be divided into three distinct periods: the pre-Columbian era, the colonial era, and the post-independence era.

Music in the Spanish colonies

During the 16th century, two musical styles predominated in the Spanish colonies: religious music and secular music. Religious music, which was chiefly sung in churches and convents, was almost entirely of European origin. Secular music, however, developed along different lines in the various regions of Latin America, reflecting the diverse character of the local populations. In Mexico and Peru, for example, Native American musical traditions exerted a powerful influence on the development of colonial music.

The earliest secular music of Latin America was probably that of the troubadours, professional singers who traveled from town to town, often accompanying themselves on guitars or lutes. They sang love songs (canciones de amor), picaresque songs (canciones de escándalo), and political songs (canciones políticas). Political songs were particularly popular during the early Colonial period, when many Spaniards were eager to express their dissatisfaction with Spanish rule.

Troubadour songs were typically in four-line stanzas called coplas. The coplas were often witty or erotic or both; they might praise a beautiful woman or satirize a pompous official. Many coplas were adapted from popular Spanish songs; others were of African or indigenous origin. The best-known troubadour song is probably La Cucaracha (“The Cockroach”), a lighthearted ballad that became a popular marching song during the Mexican Revolution (1910–20).

Music in the Portuguese colonies

During the 1500s, Portugal established colonies in South America, and music in these colonies was heavily influenced by the culture of Portugal. One type of music that was popular in the Portuguese colonies was the choro. The choro is a type of Brazilian folk music that began in the 19th century. It is typically played on guitar, mandolin, and flute, and is known for its fast tempo and complex melodies.

As the Portuguese colony of Brazil grew in size, so did the popularity of the choro. By the early 20th century, the choro had become one of the most popular genres of music in Brazil. Today, it is still very popular, and has even been exported to other countries such as Portugal and Japan.

Post-Independence music

19th century

During the 19th century, various forms of European classical music were brought to Latin America by visiting musicians and by exiled or refugee composers such as Luigi Cherubini, John Field, Johann Wenzel Peter and Louis Moreau Gottschalk. They found fertile ground in the different kinds of songs the local people had been singing for generations: the parent derived zamba and milonga from Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, the Cuban habanera, Colombian cumbia and Venezuelan waltz among others. The influence of these European styles led to the creation of new Latin American genres such as Tango, Bolero and Ranchera.

20th century

While it could be argued that the most significant event in the history of Latin American music took place in 1492 with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas, it is certainly true that the music of Latin America was profoundly shaped by the events of the twentieth century. The early years of the century were marked by movements toward independence from European colonial powers, and by the end of the century most Latin American countries had achieved political independence. This new-found independence had a profound impact on both the style and subject matter of Latin American music.

Musical styles such as tango, bolero, and salsa became extremely popular, while traditional forms such as mariachi and samba were also given new life. At the same time, Latin American composers began to experiment with incorporating elements of folk music into classical compositions, creating a uniquely Latin American form of classical music. All of these developments helped to create a vibrant and diverse musical culture in Latin America that continues to evolve to this day.

21st century

In the 21st century, Latin American music has been influenced by rock, pop and hip hop from the United States. In Mexico, bands such as Maná and Caifanes became popular in the 1990s, while in Argentina, Soda Stereo was one of the most influential bands of the 1980s and early 1990s. In Brazil, a mix of native Brazilian music genres such as samba and bossa nova with rock, pop and hip hop has produced bands such as Planet Hemp and Raimundos.