Here Guatemala

History of Marimba

Instrument to Guatemalans that we give the name of indigenous and we find both in the city and in rural areas of the country, very liked and appreciated by all Guatemalan truth that loves his homeland, after running in the marimba music written in light all kinds of rhythms, as well as variety of compositions selected for refined tastes.
Its origin is highly debated, some attributed to the African continent, others pose in Indonesia and until there are those who believe Amazon.

Those who attribute their origin to Africa, Africans believe that built some of the marimbas used by them in their home country to come to land and that the Guatemalan indigenous copy the model is reformed in their own way by putting a sounding board, made of pipes bamboo or pumpkins, being implemented at the outset by a single person; later reaching a degree of refinement that allowed his popularity among all social classes Guatemalan.

The boxes are currently resonance of cedar or cypress wood, tuned in accordance with the key and a membrane with wax stuck at the bottom, allowing the “charleo” that facilitates the extension of sound, the construction of first marimbas was only diatonic scales (scales are producing pianos, or the melodic pianicas only when using the keyboard white) and were given the name of Marimba easy in which to “bemolizar” a sound, Performers hit a ball of wax at one end of the keyboard, bass halftone so, to what the marimba called “carry”.

In the first marimbas it is known is the marimbas hoop or bow, consisting of a keyboard wood ants, placed on a framework of other wood (pine or cedar) with a cinch fabric that served to him for performing “Hang” and thus be able to play on a laptop; pumpkins or tecomates that had served him a sounding board. These marimbas can be seen even in museums and still are in some places distant from the city where they are executed from time to time farmers who have inherited from their ancestors.

Then appeared the marimba “simple” of which we speak and it produces only diatonic scales, with boxes and resonance with a keyboard where executed three or four people (depending on their size); what this whole enlarged by adding a small marimba which was Tenor name, which run two or three people; was then known as the instrument until the beginning of the twentieth century, which appeared in the first marimbas dual keyboard. At pair of marimbas simple (one large and one small) were given the name “cuache marimba.”

Lic. Paganini Castaneda said that the first thing built a double marimba keyboard capable of producing chromatic scales, was the quezalteco Sebastian Hurtado, at the suggestion of eminent musician Julian Martinez Paniagua.

In the year 1899, for a birthday of President Manuel Estrada Cabrera (quezalteco), the marimba brothers Hurtado gave a concert in the capital, bringing the waltz in her repertoire “Xelaju” and a step-double with the name of the trustee, concert marimba executed with the first “double” who arrived in Guatemala City.

To date, usually use two marimbas, called the small “Tenor” simply because the large marimba, the number of performing is the same as playing in the marimbas cuaches simple, add a double bass to a rope which have abolished it and have given the name of violon, which touched down in form, and a battery to accentuate the pace of various melodies running.

The “Post” of the marimba have the following name: piccolo, tiple, and under center, starting with the most acute and tenor: piccolo, tiple and low tenor. In the large marimba has been accustomed to playing the first voice of melody in the piccolo and tiple, the chord in the middle, and low in the most serious note of line with their respective change to avoid monotony. The tenor is playing in the piccolo and tiple, second voice and sometimes second and third, to what the marimba called “full” and low tenor reinforces the first, making sometimes counter-melody.

At present some marimba professionals who executed the instrument on the basis of musical theory, make arrangements in which each performer plays a different role, and this has served to complicate the execution of the instrument, but gives more charm and lucidity.

The composer Raul Albizí Anleu has devised a way of fractional marimba, consisting of six small marimbas, one for each performer, which of course allows for greater independence in implementing their respective roles. In this package gave him the name of GUATEMARIMBA.

The graduate David Vela said: “We refer to the thesis of Dr. Castaneda Paganini on the possible reinvention of the marimba in Guatemala, by the Africans brought as slaves in the sixteenth century, however surprised that the marimba appear here early among communities closed to the influence of them, between distant mountains, and really lacking in areas inhabited by the colored race. ” But what is indisputable is that the inventive genius of Guatemalan transformed the instrument to the point of doing theirs, as so aptly put it Erna Ferguson:
“It may not be the marimba of Guatemala,
but is undoubtedly Guatemalans.”

Source: The Music in Guatemala, some musicians and composers, written by Edward J. Tánchez. 1987. Printed Industrial Publisher, 3a. 3-17 street zone 9. Guatemala City.

Text in Spanish and translated taken from: Guatemala

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