Evening star., 1948-02-01
Latin Music
Abused Term,
Adherents Say
By Alice Eversmon

By Alice Eversmon
The mornings mail brought an
article from the Middle America
Information Bureau which ends up
by saying, Don't let's have any
more loose talk about a single Latin
American music" This was not, of
course, addressed to us personally
but summed up q release that was
entitled, What do you mean, Latin
American music?" The evident in
tent was to prove that the music
originating in the countries to the
South of us could not be put in
the general classification of Latin
American"
I'm an effort to correct popular
misconceptions about the music to
which 'Yanquis' step of the Latin
dances" begins the article, there is
no such thing as Latin American
music Between Mexico on the
north and Colombia on the south,
there are. as many different musics
rs there are Middle American re-
publics, namely, IL" The distin-
gushing characteristics Of several
are then enumerated.
'"The popular music Of Middle
America ranges from that OF Costa
Rica, which Is purely Caucasian, to
that of Haiti, where African
rhythms and modes crowded out
all other influences. In Mexico,
songs, the melodies of which are
probably 1900 years old, are still
sung by aged Indians who learned
them from their fathers. Contem-
porary Mexico's popular music,
however. Is Spanish but with a diff
ference, its rhythms being definitely
Of the New World. Melodies and
rhythms handed down from tre
ancient Quiche and Maya tribes Of
Indians are forever fixed In the folk
music of Nicaragua. Three sources
contributed about equally to the de-
velopment of Colombia's musical
folklore which is mellow mixture
Of Indian melancholy, African
ardor and Andalusian valor. Span
ish and African strains unite in
Cuban popular music. Each of the
remaining Middle American coun-
tries has its own national music"
influences Clear to Students.
To the student of music from
the other republics of this henll-
sphere, the underlying character
and influences are well known. In
fact, their fascinating sources are
being probed constantly by musi-
cologists of all nations. Yet few
musicians would be able to pick
out instantly the qualities that dis
tinguish one from the other and
hence the adoption Of the general
classification of Latin American.
The article contends that, What
with the Southern accent, the twang
peculiar to New England, the West
ern drawl and so on one could not
generalize North American accent. "
It would take some one well ac-
quainted with the shades of diff
ference in American infection to
know Just what they signified. To
most foreign ears they would be
variants of the American accent. "
It is the same with superficial
knowledge of our neighbors' music.
The rhythms. the harmonies and
the sentiment that are found IN all
their popular music resemble each
other at first hearing by the un-
initiated.
But a little research into the
background of national music con-
sciousness in each of these coun-
tries discovers a glorious heritage
that comes from antiquity. Fur
thermore, 1t is not something apart
but a constant ingredient of daily
living so that the history of these
nations Is bound up with music.
To the Middle American countries
the classification may seem too SUI
perficial, but to the North Amer
lean the term Latin American mu-
sic" is a complimentary nonencla-
ture signifying the special talent,
charm and warmth which their
music possesses.
San Antonio Opera.
Also in the mailbag came the an
nouncement of an opera festival to
be given by the Symphony Society
of San Antonio, Tex, on February
II, IS, 21 and %. "Rigoletto, :"
Madame Butterfly" and two per-
formances of "Tannhauser" are
scheduled by such Metropolitan
Opera artists as Rose hampton.
Leonard Warren, Nadine Conner,
Set Svanholn, Martial Singher,
Mona Paulee and others. The an
nouncement aroused wishful think
ing. It states, "San Antonios Grand
Opera Festival was originated by the
Symphony Society to fill definite
artistic need because the society felt
that San Antonio and South Texas
were entitled to the same caliber of
entertainment enjoyed in other parts
Of the United States" Last year,
10000 persons attended the four
performances.
OF course, San Antonio has a
Municipal Auditorium of size and
the audience can be drawn from the
surrounding country. But it brings
to mind once again the energy and
resourcefulness of other sections of
the country, while Washington is
faced with the possible loss of its
greatest cultural asset, the National
Symphony. While the comparatively
small sum needed for its continu-
ance must be begged for year by
year, other cities have their orches-
tras, their opera and their audi
toriums. The much vaunted Amer
lean spirit of competition and pride
In going one better than the other
languishes In the Nations Capital.
A