Salgado 1

Lindsey Salgado

MUS-3223

Dr. Araújo

4 March 2023

CAP History Essay 2

Mariachi, a quintessential part of Mexican culture, traces its roots back in Jalisco, México

during the Romantic Period. The ensemble features different instruments, including the violin,

trumpet, guitar, harp, vihuela, guitarrón, and powerful vocal performances. Mariachi Vargas de

Tecalitlán, was founded in 1897 in Tecalitlán, Mexico by Don Gaspar. Rubén Fuentes, the prime

Mexican classical violinist, music director, arranger, and composer for Mariachi Vargas

expanded its repertoire and composed memorable songs such as La Bikina, a son joropo in 1964.

The son joropo, a Mexican folk style, is characterized by the fusion of Venezuelan and

Creolian music, including both “slower, more lyrical songs” called pasajes and “faster”

percussive strikes called golpes (Cruz). The music is in 3/4 meter and switches to 6/8 meter

typically seen in son joropos. La Bikina, describes a woman’s lament for her lost love, one of the

classic themes in son joropos. Mariachi Vargas and Orquesta Filarmónica del Estado de

Querétaro’s rendition of the song is played in the key of G. Throughout the performance, there is

an array of colors, from the robust trumpets, the complex pizzicato and legato techniques from

the violins, to the driving rhythms and strong golpes, or hard strums from the armonía section,

and the harp, flutes, and percussion playing ornamented notes (Camacho). The meter change

characterizes the pain the singer goes through losing their love.

Another distinctive genre from mariachi is huapango, originating from La Huasteca.

Influenced by the Indigenous, Spanish, and African cultures, huapango is characterized by

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slower songs that focus on love and emotions. Cielo Rojo, composed by Juan Záizar, a Mexican

singer and composer, epitomizes the sorrowful tale of lost love. Mariachi Vargas’ rendition of

the song featuring Flor Silvestre, a famous Mexican singer and actress, embodies the

melancholic tone with strong emotional musicality. Sung in A minor and played in 3/4 meter, the

violin leads with the downbeat of the piece with elongated notes, setting a sad mood, while the

trumpets harmonize in a legato but bright sounding form. Using a technique called rasgueado, a

Spanish and Flamenco guitar strumming technique where the fingers are drawn across the strings

and apagón, a technique where the strings are muted, and struck, the armonía creates a

percussive effect in the music (Cruz). The song modulates to E minor, emphasizing the singer’s

lament. The singer holds out the phrase “Ya no te acuerdes” in falsetto, mourning for him after

his death and accepting loss.

Mariachi Sol de México is another notable mariachi ensemble. According to the official

website, the group was established in 1981 by Jóse Hernàndez, a famed musician, composer and

educator who wrote 15 albums. La Bikina is a song that they performed in 1987. In their version

of the song, the chorus is sung once and the trumpet begins La Bikina, rather than the usage of

the harp. Plucking and ornamentation are done by the violins, while the trumpet has a brassy

articulated sound. The armonía plays fast and has a strong emphasis on the strums, invoking a

sense of heartache.

Cielo Rojo by Juan Záizar was performed by Mariachi Sol de México in 2004. In

contrast, a male singer from the ensemble is featured to sing in this rendition of the song. It is

performed in A minor and is led by the trumpets and violin in al bajón. The armonía uses the

apagón technique to sound percussive. The melodia is in legato form, emphasizing the depressed

tone of the music. Mariachi Sol de México modulates to E minor in the chorus and the pattern
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changes to 6/8 meter. After singing in falsetto, the vocalist sings in a perfect 4th, rather than a

major 2nd like in the Mariachi Vargas version and the song ends on a major 3rd harmonization,

leaving a sense of hope.

Despite their notable similarities and differences, both Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán and

Mariachi Sol de México made significant contributions to Mexican culture, showcasing different

interpretations of the same songs, while also preserving their culture. Today, both ensembles

continue to play music and continue to develop their voices in the mariachi world.
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Works Cited

Camacho, Leon. “Agustín Sandoval Shares Mariachi Trumpet Techniques in Series of

YouTube Tutorials.” Mariachi Music, 1 Feb. 2021,

https://mariachimusic.com/blog/2021/01/agustin-sandoval-shares-mariachi-trumpet-methods-in-

a-series-of-youtube-tutorials/. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.

Cruz, Rachel Yvonne. “Música Del Mariachi: Conservator of Mexican Culture and

Heritage.” Research Gate, Dec. 2023,

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377294533_Musica_del_Mariachi_Conservator_of_M

exican_Culture_and_Heritage. Accessed 06 Mar. 2024.

“Glossary.” TUCSON INTERNATIONAL MARIACHI CONFERENCE, La Frontera

Tucson International Mariachi Conference, 29 Jan. 2017,

https://www.tucsonmariachi.org/glossary/. Accessed 06 Mar. 2024.

Hernandez Productions. “Mariachi Sol de México de Jóse Hernàndez®.” Sol de México,

Casa Paloma Design Co., 2022, https://www.mariachisoldemexico.com/about. Accessed 12 Mar.

2024.

“VocalEssence ¡cantaré! Teacher Resources.” VocalEssence, 3 Aug. 2020,

https://www.vocalessence.org/what-we-do/learning-and-engagement-programs/cantare/teacher-

resource-guide/. Accessed 14 Mar. 2024.