From flamenco guitar strums to the infectious beats of reggaeton, Spanish music offers an eclectic variety of influences that contribute to its culture and identity. Discover what role these different genres have played in shaping Spain.
Rock en Espaol emerged during the mid-20th century, drawing inspiration from both American and British pop music. Today, artists such as Alejandro Sanz and Pablo Alboran combine catchy melodies with uniquely Spanish elements for an electrifying rock experience.
Bolero
Bolero is a slow ballad which originated in Spain during the latter half of the 18th century and eventually made its way to Cuba and Latin America, taking on various forms. Often accompanied by an acoustic guitar, this song boasts rich romantic overtones. Boleros feature more sophisticated dance moves than many other ballroom styles and are danced close embrace.
Bolero dances combine elements from three dance forms – tango (countermoves), waltz (body rise and fall) and rumba (Latin movement with slow music) – into a romantic romantic dance form. Sebastiano Carezo created its Spanish variant around 1780; its smooth movements and dramatic arm styling convey emotion effectively.
Corridos
Corridos are songs about real-life experiences and events that are performed using brass instruments like trumpets and trombones, along with an alto horn called the charcheta. Their length may range from just a few stanzas up to several verses that tell a complex narrative.
Corridos depict political and social conflicts as well as miraculous occurrences, with two notable figures depicted being Jesus Malverde and St. Toribio Romo Gonzalez (an official Catholic saint revered by drug traffickers as something of an underground Robin Hood figure).
Musical styles typically range from folk-style music to classical pieces; the tempo may also vary significantly. An opening stanza usually declares itself to be a corrido with words like “Este es el corrido (This is the corrido). Musical accompaniment may employ glissando techniques in order to accommodate for its lyrical lines in each strophe.
Copla
Copla is a four-line poem composed in four strophic stanzas that combine lyrics and music, typically following either romance (5-7-5 syllables per line) or seguidilla (8-5-8) rhythm. Manuel Machado noted that coplas truly come alive when performed by ordinary people singing them as part of cultural tradition – becoming part of everyone’s lives rather than solely belonging to any particular writer.
Pasion Vega and many artists, like him, have used copla to form what is known as Nueva Copla music. Although often confused with flamenco, copla is distinct in that its melodies differ greatly and do not use similar instruments – sometimes you might hear something you think is flamenco actually turn out to be traditional Andalusian copla instead!
Pasodoble
Pasodoble, inspired by Spanish bullfighting, features beautiful body forms and flamenco-influenced footwork. The leader portrays the matador, while followers often represent his cape or even shadow of a bull. Pasodoble gained popularity in the 1930s and remains an integral component of international Latin dance competitions today.
Pasodoble dance style features bold movements and dramatic poses, coupled with sharp staccato footwork that emphasizes rhythm and drama of music. Additionally, pasodoble is known for its stamp actions which add an additional level of intensity and power to this type of dance.
Musica Llaneera
Musica Llanera, popular on Venezuelan plains farms and ranches, features percussive accents from maracas and shimmering sounds of harps, with bass playing accompanying these instruments as well as four stringed instruments called Cuatros – which may also play a four stringed guitar-like instrument called Cuatro-like instruments – typical dance rhythms include lively Joropo styles as well as slower romantic passaje romanticos rhythms.
Rogelio Ortiz is widely known in his home country as “El Cavallero del Canto Nacional,” or simply the “gentleman of National Song”. At the National Folk Festival he will perform his famous joropo. Born and raised in Mexico City but currently residing in Laurel Maryland –
He feels an enormous connection to his homeland, using music as a form of cultural sharing. Watch as he plays the joropo revuelta which incorporates both composed and improvised sections into one performance.