Music of Tierra Caliente

The area of Mexico denominated Tierra Caliente, or the Hot Lands, comprises a region in the interior highlands of the states of Guerrero, Michoacan and state of Mexico. Some of the towns found here include Arcelia, Ciudad Altamirano, Ajuchitlán del Progreso, Coyuca de Catalán and Cutzamala del Rincón in Guerrero, Amatepec and Zacualpan in the state of Mexico, and Zitacuaro and Huetamo de Nunez in Michoacan.

In this region a style of music has evolved known as Musica Calentana. The Sones Calentanos, Gustos and Valses are a melding of music, poetry and dance. They are played by small groups, Conjuntos Calentanos, on a combination of violins, guitars and a small double-headed drum known as a tamborita. These are sometimes also accompanied by a harp and/or stand-up bass, and lively dance is an integral part of the musical expression. When the songs are accompanied by lyrics, which isn’t always the case, they often tell the stories of loves gained and lost and the trials and joys of working and living in the hot and sere but beloved lands of Tierra Caliente.

Two of the most exciting and accomplished composers and interpreters of the Calentano music of Mexico’s Tierra Caliente have been two master fiddlers, the late Angel Tavira Maldonado and Juan Reynoso Portillo, known as the “Paganini of Mexico” or the “Paganini of Tierra Caliente”.

Angel Tavira, native of the town of Corral Falso in the Tierra Caliente, was taught a love and appreciation for the traditional music of his region by his grandfather, a composer and performer of the local sones, as well as his uncle and cousins, who were all musically inclined. When still a young boy, Tavira had the misfortune of losing one hand while setting off fireworks; despite this tragedy, he persevered with his musical training and development, practicing and mastering the violin with his bow tied to the stump of his arm, later leading the family band, teaching music to children and actually, at the age of 60, enrolling in the Morelia Conservatory of Music. At the age of 82, Tavira appeared and played in the acclaimed Mexican production “El Violin“, winning an acting award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006. He died in Mexico City in 2008 at the age of 84.

Juan Reynoso, another master violinist, has been called the “Paganini” of Mexico or of the Tierra Caliente. He was born in the village of Ancón de Santo Domingo, Tierra Caliente, in 1912 and although he did not have any formal education, he learned the violin and played at local parties and festivals as his livelihood throughout his life. In 1996 he made his first appearance at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, becoming then more well known and followed by the international community. Juan Reynoso has released several recordings of the wonderful and rousing Calentano Music.

Recently a couple of cultural research books have been released dealing with the traditional music of the Tierra Caliente: Jorge Amos has published “Guache Cocho“, originally a doctoral thesis about the dissemination of Calentano music, explores the evolution of the music over the centuries; “Cancionero tradicional  de la Tierra Caliente de Michoacan“, by Raúl Eduardo González, is compilation and study of traditional harp music from the area of Apatzingan, Michoacan.

Música calentana. (2009, 21) de septiembre. Wikipedia, La enciclopedia libre. Fecha de consulta: 23:00, noviembre 6, 2009 from http://es.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M%C3%BAsica_calentana&oldid=29933566.; Ángel Tavira. (2009, August 10). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:01, November 6, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C3%81ngel_Tavira&oldid=307145896; Juan Reynoso Portillo. (2009, August 26). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:02, November 6, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Juan_Reynoso_Portillo&oldid=310171447

Originally posted 2009-11-06 18:17:00.