Colombian Bambuco, Pasillo, and Porro and the role of the tuba in these traditional genres

Abstract

This document offers an overview of bambuco, pasillo, and porro, three traditional musical genres from Colombia and the role of the tuba such genres. The document starts by providing a geographical, historical, and cultural approach to understand the diversity of the country and the influence of the tri-cultural component in the origin and performance of bambuco, pasillo, and porro. Next, the document explores the origin of the bambuco pasillo and porro, the instrumentation both autochthonous and European, and the ensembles that perform these traditional genres. Some examples of extant literature are provided at the end of each of these chapters to show basic patterns of the traditional accompaniment role of the tuba. Finally, this document presents a general musical analysis of bambuco, pasillo, and porro emphasizing some archetypal accompaniment or rhythmical patterns in each of the genres and identifying the role of the tuba by comparing these patterns to “San Juan de la Vega”, a transcription for tuba and clarinet of a bambuco for band by Alfredo Mejia Vallejo, the bambuco and pasillo from “Tres Piezas Colombianas” an original piece for tuba and piano by John Mauricio Herrera Diaz and published by euphonium.com®, and “Quartet for clarinet, tuba, vibraphone, and drum set”, a piece commissioned by Santiago Baena, clarinetist, and the author of this document and written by Carlos Andrés Restrepo.

Description

Keywords

Bambuco, Pasillo, Porro, Colombian, Traditional, Music, Tuba, Clarinet, Gaita, Estudiantina, Chirimia, Porro pelayero

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