Week 9: Arrieros Somos / Cama de Piedra

 

José Clemente Orozco, La Malinche y Cortés, mural detail, Escuela Nacional Preparatoria, DF, 1923-26 

Reading. Over the break I'd like for everyone to be reading Guillermo Bonfil Batalla, México Profundo: Una Civilización Negada. Start with his introduction and Parte Primera. That's more pages than we've been doing, but there's an extra week here, and Batalla's writing is more straightforward in exposition than don Octavio's line-by-line poetry (and wide-ranging allusions). In any case, México Profundo will be what we talk about over the next three weeks.

If you haven't purchased the book (Spanish or English translation) see my Download Links post in January for online pdf version.

A Thought. The image above (a detail from Orozco's mural en la Escuela Nacional Prepratoria) was painted in the early 1920s. It's Orozco's way of giving visual form to some of the questions we've been considering. From a point of view that Batalla would agree with--or is this part of México imaginario? A good question. In other words, is this part of the problem or part of the solution? (Either way, it's a powerful image--and an important voicing of México's past. Not just in the way Orozco characterizes La Malinche and Cortés--but also in how the form he chooses recapitulates the meaning. Consider this as you rea México Profundo--and as we continue to listen to--y cantar--las canciones del México imaginario...)

Música:  Along with José Alfredo, the songs of Cuco Sánchez remain classic. (It was great to relive José Alfredo's story, vis a vis his songs, in class last week.) Here's a good selection of Cuco Sanchez to download:

Download:   https://berkeley.box.com/s/ue4249g9smoakbsd54dy

Concentrate on:
Cama de Piedra
Arrieros Somos   (the ideas in the letra are profound--lots to consider)
Fallaste Corazón
Anillo de Compromiso 

Cama de Piedra--una canción del tiempo de la Revolución--one that came to be associated with Cuco Sánchez (whose arrangement--and interpretation--has proved definitive.)
But many of his own songs have become classic as well  ( Fallaste Corazón and Arrieros Somos, both in our cancionero...  and Anillo de compromiso). As with José Alfredo, many have become central to the ranchera tradition. Here's his original version:

Cuco Sanchez "La Cama de Piedra" - YouTube 

Cuco Sánchez presents a different point of view than José Alfredo--his lyrics tend to be reflexive--his self-image becoming the locus for his "oyentes." Philosophical, in his own way--as if there were sometimes a mirror rather than a window. And very different from José Alfredo, whose voice (though often reflexive) always seems to reach out to the listener... Chavela sings both their songs quite beautifully, as you know from listening to her Sentimiento de México albums.

There are many other good interpretations--this one from Lola Beltrán, from 1956--and a more recent version by Lila Downs, whose Cama de Piedra has a touch of Johnny Cash in the accompaniment--but these are the times we live in):   Lila Downs - La Cama de Piedra - YouTube 

Here's another,  based on the original Cuco Sánchez version, with good period photos:   YouTube - La Cama de Piedra * Revolución Mexicana, 1910.   And finally, Cuco Sánchez in a live performance, later in his career, after the song had become one of his icons:

CUCO SÁNCHEZ - LA CAMA DE PIEDRA - YouTube

So, work with Cama de Piedra--or choose another of the Cuco Sánchez songs in our Cancionero (Arrieros Somos, Fallaste Corazón)...and we'll see where everyone takes it!
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Suplemento: Aquí está la biografía de Cuco Sánchez de la SACM: 
http://www.sacm.org.mx/biografias/biografias-interior.asp?txtSocio=08050
También dice cosas intersantes de él Yolanda Moreno Rivas. Vean el "search." Por ejemplo:

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Note: In coming week's we'll broaden the focus and consider some of the other regional traditions del cancionero mexicano... As well as Guty Cardenas, Agustín Lara y la Canción Romantica (Trío los Panchos). Along with (or in juxtaposition to) Batalla's ideas in México Profundo (for which I'll be posting YouTubes). This combination of la música popular (like Chavela and Cuco Sánchez and José Alfredo) will contrast with videos and recordings of regional musicians who are continuing to play in the older "música del pueblo" traditions. Like this son jarocho "callejero" de Vera Cruz--la Guacamaya, which starts with a "décima" by one of the musicians. Watch how the music seems to flow continuously (I'm tempted to say "forever") in the background.México Profundo:

▶ Décima y Guacamaya - YouTube