Cana Quema (Familia Valera Miranda) -Aos5: Fusions

Question 1

What is son form?

describe the rhythm, harmony and structure

Answer 1

It is a form of Cuban musical piece. They are usually in duple metre, based on simple harmonics patterns (i.e. I-V or I-V-IV)

Question 2

What is Cuban music a fusion of?

Answer 2

African influences and european (spanish) influences.

Question 3

What is one piece of instrumentation in Sa Quema La chumbamba that seems derivative from African influence?

Answer 3

The Percussion

The instruments in the percussion of Sa Quema La chumbamba come from African origin (i.e. Claves, Bongos and Congos)

Question 4

Name one instrument that shares it’s name with a rhythm?

Answer 4

Clave.

Question 5

What is one piece of instrumentation in Sa Quema La chumbamba that seems derivative from Spanish influence?

Answer 5

The string instruments

The strings used are common in spanish music (guitar, quatro and double bass)

Question 6

How is the rhythm in Sa Quema La chumbamba seemingly derivative from African influence?

Answer 6

The rhythm is highly syncopated, uses call and response nd often features clave rhythm

Question 7

How is the harmony in Sa Quema La chumbamba seemingly derivative from Spanish influence?

Answer 7

It uses simple harmonic chord progressions, focusing on chords I, V ad IV

Question 8

Describe the structure of Sa Quema La chumbamba?

Answer 8

Sa Quema La chumbamba uses a “coro-pegon” structure, a call and response structure between the lead singer and the chorus.

Question 9

What key is Sa Quema La chumbamba in?

Answer 9

G minor

Question 10

What is the time signature of Sa Quema La chumbamba?

Answer 10

2/2 (duple metre)

Question 11

Name one rhythmic device in the score of Sa Quema La chumbamba?

Answer 11

The use of polyrhythms between the claves and the bongos.

Question 12

What is one vocal technique that the lead vocals use in Sa Quema La chumbamba?

Answer 12

Improvisation (ad lib)

Question 13

What is one vocal technique that the chorus vocals use in Sa Quema La chumbamba?

Answer 13

Close, homophonic harmonies

Question 14

What instruments plays the virtuosic solos section and in which bar?
What little phrase helps you remember this?

Answer 14

The cuatro, in bar 77.

remember 77, Elvis and quantro in heaven

Question 15

What about the Cuatro solo seems different to the rest of Sa Quema La chumbamba?

Answer 15

The solo sounds similar to that of a guitar solo, with a jazz style and feel (it involves many chromatic dissonances that could be interpreted as blue notes) and uses conjunct riffs that make it seem similar to a USA influence jazz solo on guitar.

Question 16

Name two accentations are used in Sa Quema La chumbamba during the Cuatro solo from bar 77.

Answer 16

Accents and acciaccaturas

Question 17

What two chords are repeatedly alternated underneath the entire Cuatro solo in Sa Quema La chumbamba?

Answer 17

D7 and G minor (the tonic and dominant).

Question 18

How is the rhythm varied in the cuatro solo in Sa Quema La chumbamba?

Answer 18

On top of the percussion (that already involves syncopation and clave rhythms), the quatro uses triplets to instate a polyrhythm.

Question 19

when do the lead vocals return after the Cuatro solo in Sa Quema La chumbamba?
How do the other instruments build up to this return in bar 176?

Answer 19

bar 177

The cuatro plays an extended Bbmaj chord (Bbmaj11), and crescendos from piano to forte.

Question 20

What is the harmony of Alla Va Candela?

Answer 20

The piece is in E major and does not modulate.

Question 21

Describe the chordal harmony of Alla Va Candela

Answer 21

Though the focus of the piece is on the tonic and dominant (similarly to Sa Quema La chumbamba) , the bolero section shows some variation, by the use of A and F#7 (The subdominant and the secondary dominant).

Question 22

How is the chordal harmony in Alla Va Candela similar to Sa Quema La chumbamba?

Answer 22

They both, during the son section (or the virtuosic cuatro solo) repeatedly alternate the tonic and dominant chords.

Question 23

How does Alla Va Candela show elements of son form and deviate from son form?

Answer 23

At the start of the piece, the metre is in 4/4 (though it still sounds like duple metre) but in the son section it is obviously in duple metre.

Question 24

Name one way rhythm is used in Alla Va Candela to emulate african music?

Answer 24

Both 2:3 and 3:2 claves are used to create polyrhythms with the main rhythm and the “square rhythm in the bassline”

Question 25

Name four rhythmic features used in the Cuatro solo in Alla Va Candela?

Answer 25

Hemiola, rapid repeating quaver, triplets and syncopation

Question 26

How is the structure of Alla Va Candela similar to that of Sa Quema La chumbamba?

Answer 26

They both have a virtuosic cuatro solo.