Danzón

Danzón was once called the official dance of Cuba, but it is no longer an active musical form.^[1] Like the habanera, the danzón evolved from the Contradanza, originally of English origin, brought to Cuba by French colonists fleeing the Haitian Revolution in the 1790s.^[2] It was influenced by African rhythmic and dance styles, and so became a genuine fusion of European and African influences.^[3]

History

The style developed in the second half of the 19th century, and has been an important root for Cuban music up to the present day. The precursors of danzón are the contradanza, and the habanera, which are creolized Cuban dance forms. The danzón was developed, according to one's point of view, either by Manuel Saumell^[4] or by Miguel Failde in Matanzas.^[5]

The danzón, first stage

The contradanza, the danza and the habanera were sequence dances, in which all danced together a set of figures.^[6] The first use of the term danzón, which dates from the 1850s, is for just such a dance. Havana's daily paper, El Triunfo, gave a description of this earlier danzón. It was a co-ordinated dance of figures performed by groups of Matanzas blacks. The dancers held the ends of colored ribbons, and carried flower-covered arches. The group twisted and entwined the ribbons to make pleasing patterns. ^[7][8] This account can be corroborated by other references, for example, a traveller in Cuba noted in 1854 that black Cubans "do a kind of wreath dance, in which the whole company took part, amid innumerable artistic entanglements and disentanglements".^[9] This style of danzón was performed at carnival comparsas by black groups: it is described that way before the late 1870s.^[10]

The interesting thing is that Faílde's first danzóns were created for just such sequence dances. Faílde himself said "In Matanzas at this time there was a kind of square dance for twenty couples who carried arches and flowers. It was really a dance of figures [sequence dance], and its moves were adapted to the tempo of the habanera, which we took over for the danzón." ^[11]

The danzón, second stage

The form of danzón created by Miguel Faílde in 1879 (Alturas del Simson), begins with an introduction (four bars) and paseo (four bars), which are repeated and followed by a 16-bar melody. The introduction and paseo again repeat before a second melody is played. The dancers do not dance during these sections: they choose partners, stroll onto the dance floor, and begin to dance at precisely the same moment: the fourth beat of bar four of the paseo, which has a distinctive percussion pattern that's hard to miss. When the introduction is repeated the dancers stop, chat, flirt, greet their friends, and start again, right on time as the paseo finishes.

Orquesta Enrique Peña
Peña seated left, Barreto (violin) and Urfé (clarinet)

Early danzón was played by groups called orquestas típicas, which were based on wind instruments. They had several brass instruments (cornet, valve trombone, ophicleide), a clarinet or two, a violin or two and tympani (kettle drums). At the beginning of the 20th century, the lighter and somewhat more elegant sound of the charanga emerged (see Early Cuban bands). Initially, they were small orchestra of 2 violins, a cello, flute, timbales, güiro, and doublebass. Charanga and típicas competed with each other for years, but after 1930 it was clear that the days of the típica were over.

In 1898 a piano was included in a charanga for the first time. In Antonio María Romeu's hands a piano became standard. Its musical flexibility, its ability to influence both melody and rhythm, made it invaluable. In 1926, in his arrangement of Tres lindas cubanas, Romeu incorporated a piano solo for the first time. His was the Cuba's top charanga for many years.

Danzón as scandal

Similar to other dances in the Caribbean and Latin America, the danzón was initially regarded as scandalous, especially when it began to be danced by all classes of the society. The slower rhythm of the danzón led to couples dancing closer, with sinuous movements of the hips and a lower centre of gravity. The author of a survey of prostitution in Havana devoted a whole chapter to the iniquities of dancing, and the danzón in particular.^[12] Articles in newspapers and periodicals took up the theme:

"Because I love my country, it hurts me to see danzón at gatherings of decent people." ^[13]

"We recommend banning the danza and danzón because they are vestiges of Africa and should be replaced by essentially European dances such as the quadrille and rigadoon." ^[14]

Apparently, the danzón, which later became an insipid dance for older couples, was at first danced with "obscene movements" of the hips by young couples in close embrace, with bodies touching, and by couples who might come from different races...

"First we had the danza, then came the danzón... next it will be the rumba, and finally we'll all end up dancing ñáñigo!" ^[15]

So, behind the concern about music and dance were concerns about sexual licence, and about miscegenation, the mixing of races. As with other similar cases, the criticism was to no avail. The danzón became hugely popular, and was the dominant popular music in Cuba until the advent of the son in the 1920s. At length the Cuban government made Faílde the official inventor of the danzón – but not until 1960, by which time the danzón had become a relic, and its 'child', the chachachá, had taken over.^[16]

Influence of the son

In 1910, some thirty years after Faílde's early days, José Urfé added a montuno as a final part of his El Bombín de Barretto.^[1] This was a swinging section, consisting of a repeated musical phrase, which introduced something of the son into the danzón (a tactic which was to recur again in the future). Because of the popularity of the son in the 1920s and 1930s, Aniceto Diaz in Rompiendo la rutina in 1929, added a vocal part, thereby creating a new genre called the danzonete.

Orquesta Romeu
with singer Fernando Collazo, end-1920s

Later development led to more synchopation, which eventually led to the danzón-chá, nuevo ritmo, cha-cha-chá, pachanga and mambo. In the 1940s, 50s and 60s the danzón and its derivatives were highly popular in Cuba, with several truly fine charangas playing most days of the week. Orquesta Aragón kept up an exceptionally high standard for many years, but the danzón itself gradually dropped out, and is now a relic dance.

Danzón has never ceased to influence Cuban musicians, and it is reflected in many popular Cuban music genres, in Cuban latin jazz, salsa, songo and timba, the latter building upon the charanga orchestration. Groups like Los Van Van and Orquesta Revé developed from charangas. Their make-up and orchestration (by Juan Formell) has been so greatly altered that it is difficult to identify traces of danzón, indeed, their present styles owe more to the son than to the danzón. The addition of brass instruments such as trombones and trumpets, and conga drums signalled a wider range of music.

Danzón in Mexico

Danzón was also very popular in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, Mexico because of the strong Cuban influence in the region. Later on danzón developed in Mexico City, specially in the famous Salón México; in fact, it survived as a dance longer there than in Cuba. Due to the popularity of the piece Danzón no. 2 by Arturo Márquez (b. 1950) it has been coined as the second national anthem by the Mexican people.^[17]

• Danzón (1991) film, directed by María Novaro. Plot: Julia (María Rojo) is a phone operator in Mexico City who lives for her job, her daughter and the danzón. Every Wednesday Julia does the danzón with Carmelo (Daniel Rergis) in the Salón Colonia. They've danced for years without becoming close. One night Carmelo disappears without a trace. Lonely and sad, Julia takes a train to Veracruz, where she knows Carmelo has a brother. That trip changes Julia's life.

	Short video of Danzon Public danzon event on the main plaza in Veracruz, Mexico.
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Style and structure

Danzón is elegant and virtuoso music, with dance. A danzón, in its original form, was not sung, and did not feature any improvisations, unlike some other Cuban genres. A danzón has the following typical structure:

• An introduction or paseo (A), usually 16 bars.
• The theme or principal melody (B), featuring the flute, thus often referred to as parte de (la) flauta.
• A repeat of the introduction.
• The trio (C), featuring the strings, thus also called parte del violín.
• Ending. This could either be a cliché ending (there are a few standard danzón endings), another repeat of the introduction, or a combination of both.

The classic form is thus ABAC or ABACA. A danzón-chá or danzón-mambo typically add another part (D), a syncopated open vamp in which soloists may sometimes improvise, creating an ABACD or, more common, ABACAD.

Mambo section

In danzón, the mambo section is the final section of an arrangement. It was first devised by Orestes López, who added synchopated motifs taken from the son, together with improvised flute variations.^[18] He called this type of danzón ritmo nuevo (new rhythm). Orestes' danzón Mambo was the start of a trend continued by Arcaño y sus Maravillas.^[19][20]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Urfé, Odilio 1965. El danzón. La Habana.
2. ^ Carpentier, Alejo. 2001. Music in Cuba. Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press. p146
3. ^ Chasteen, John Charles 2004. National rhythms, African roots: the deep history of Latin American popular dance. Albuquerque, N.M. Chapter 5.
4. ^ Carpentier, Alejo 2001 [1945]. Music in Cuba. Minniapolis MN. p191
5. ^ Failde, Osvalde Castillo 1964. Miguel Failde: créador musical del Danzón. Consejo Nacional de Cultura, La Habana.
6. ^ A set group of dance steps that makes up a recognized, named, movement.
7. ^ 'El danzón', article in El Triunfo, 25 July 1882.
8. ^ Chasteen, John Charles 2004. National rhythms, African roots, p75-76.
9. ^ Bremer, Fredrika 1853. The homes of the New World: impressions of America. Harper, N.Y. vol 2, p308.
10. ^ La Aurora del Yumurí, two articles: 'Danzón' (24.11.1871) and 'Magnifica comparsa' (2.12.1871)
11. ^ Failde, Osvalde Castillo 1964. Miguel Failde: créador musical del Danzón. p85 [rough transl. by contributor]
12. ^ De Cespedes, Benjamin 1888. La prostitución en La Habana.
13. ^ 'El danzón' articles in La Voz de Cuba (8.10.1879) and (20.11.1879); transl. from Chasteen p77.
14. ^ 'Sobre bailes' in La Habana elegante (19.8.1888); transl. from Chasteen p80
15. ^ 'El porvenir del baile en Cuba' in El Almendares (a Havana women's magazine) (7.9.1881); trans from Chasteen p81
16. ^ Failde, Osvalde Castillo 1964. Miguel Failde: créador musical del Danzón. La Habana. Here the official document is reprinted in full: El danzón, baile nacional de Cuba.
17. ^ Arturo Márquez article
18. ^ Orovio, Helio 2004. Cuban music from A to Z.
19. ^ Jim Payne, Tito Puente, p56
20. ^ Max Salazar, "Orestes Lopez and the mambo", Latin Beat Magazine, September 2002

• Rebeca Mauleón The Salsa guidebook for piano and ensemble (1993). Petaluma CA: Sher Music. ISBN 0-9614701-9-4