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| José Clemente Orozco: Cortés y la Malinche (detalle) |
Good work last night--and a good discussion. Me gusta que todos tienen ideas que pueden expresar...!
VOZ (ARRIEROS SOMOS)
New RAPIDSHARE downloads. I will send you a suggested playlist for these in a separate email:
José Alfredo Jiménez: http://rapidshare.com/files/1144395461/S%26P%20Mexico%20Jose%20Alfredo%20Jimenez%20.zip
Cuco Sánchez: http://rapidshare.com/files/1918178467/S%26P%20Mexico%20Cuco%20Sanchez.zip
Listen to José Alfredo singing his own songs (so far we've been listening to Chavela's versions)--how you understand them. Then listen to Cuco Sánchez in the same way. Qué es la diferencia entre los dos--as an example of VOZ. In other words what's each writer's view of the world? How do the songs speak to us of this? That's my primary question for you. (Para ellos que hablen castellano, se puede pensar en terminos de varias canciones--for those who's Spanish isn't as flexible, I suggest you compare some that we've been doing). For everyone, listen carefully to Yo, from 1951--from the very beginning of José Alfredo's career.
Ella or Que Te Vaya Bonita
with
Arrieros Someos and/or Fallaste Corazon.
La Cama de Piedra is also great--but it began as an anonymous song, later arranged by Cuco Sánchez. In this it represents a world view of his choosing rather than his own making...
Consider how BOTH sets of songs relate to what Octavio Paz has to say. (Continue READING El laberinto, Los hijos de la malinche.) The ideas back and forth (between song lyrics and the book) are quite provocative. They have everything to do with "el ser mexicano." I want you to explore this in your projects.
Note on VOZ. As we discussed, the word has MANY meanings. One I want you to keep in mind in particular is voice in the sense of "a poet's voice." That is, how the persona is reflected in what one writes. Make the crossover here from writing to artwork--painting, drawing, constructed montage--and yes, we're in Room 170 next Thursday evening!
Note on Arrieros Somos. We listened carefully--and then began singing it ourselves. Por lo menos intentabamos cantarla... (continue with this on your own!) Now I want you to consider what it SAYS. The song is profound--and at the same time quite subtle in its shifts from line to line. Consider again how this song relates to the ideas of Don Octavio.
For images: try googling <arrieros mexico> and you'll find some good historical images. I don't mean to tie you to history--the images are a point of departure--but they're important in that they'll give you a sense of why the figure of "el arriero" is so important in Mexican culture (and all through the Spanish speaking world). Cuco Sanchez took this figure (in a metaphorical sense) and wrote the song...
Also: Hay una fiesta--La Danza de Los Arrieros--se puede buscar en YouTube. Tiene interés. Compare what Frances Toor has to say (p. 362-363).
A reprise of what we watched/listened to last night:
Best of all: Chavela Vargas (in her early version): Chavela Vargas Arrieros Somos - YouTube
Arrieros somos, Cuco Sanchez (also in his early version): cuco sanchez arrieros somos - YouTube
The later version by Cuco Sánchez (more about form?): CUCO SÁNCHEZ - ARRIEROS SOMOS - YouTube
LA PRIETA LINDA Y LOS HERMANOS ZAIZAR, ARRIEROS SOMOS - YouTube Remember that Los hermanos Zaizar add a lot here. This version is also less "del corazón"--and more about form. Consider. It's a subtle distinction which has bearing on your own work...