candombe - milonga

[Christian Mensing <mensing @INORG.CHEM.ETHZ.CH>]

Automatic digest processor wrote:
>
> Subject: Candombe and Milonga
> Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2001 10:20:30 EST
> From: Leonardo De Leon <TangoLeon @AOL.COM>
>
> I would like some information on the candombe influence in milonga.
>
The candombe has its origin in the port cities Buenos Aires and
more in Montevideo. Since the origin of the black population was quite
diverse (the mayor part came from the Bantu region and what today is
Angola, Congo and Mozambique), also their culture was not unique. From
the religious heritage some sort of local negro culture grew.
The white government called all the negro music "candombe".
Thus a candombe is not very specific and not to be confused with
Brazil's
"candomble".
When Uruguay became independent from Spain in 1830, the black population
also became free, but at the same time had to support its own income.
The candombe became popular in shows and was used for entertainment of
the white. Finally the original candombe was exterminated in 1880 and
continued only during the carnival time which starts with the "llamada",
the call, on January 6th.

The milonga has its roots in Spain of the 16th and 17th century, and
probably
earlier. The basic element is the "payada", an improvised sung story.
About the music origin of the milonga there is very little known.
One origin could be the influence of the cuban guajira. But the guajira
has also spanish influence. The other influence of the milonga comes
probably from imitating the candombe drums with the spanish guitar.
It was particular popular in the rural areas among white troperos and
black as well.
Near the middle of the 19th century the milonga was influenced by the
very
popular habanera, also known as "tango americano". The new danceable
milonga was performed also by the blacks of the Rio de la Plata.
This form of milonga was the pregenitor of the tango criollo which is
known of about 1880. With the introduction of the bandoneon in the tango
during the first decade of the 20th century, the danceable milonga
came out of fashion, perhaps because of the technical difficulties.
The tango also had to adapt and to slow down. A rediscovery, or better,
reinvention of the milonga occurred about 1928 by Sabastian Piana who
was asked by Rosita Melo to compose a milonga, but without knowing
exactly
what a milonga was. His "milonga portena" style became very popular and
at the same time many orchestras tipicas remembered also the candombe
(Romeo Gavioli). Many of today's candombes were composed during that
time,
the 30 ties and 40 ties.

The candombe is still popular in Montevideo, mainly during the carnival
time and is performed by the "murgas y comparsas" (think about
la cumparsita). It exists a formal choreography. The music is basically
made by sets of drums called "piano", "chico" and "repique" and which is
usually
accompanied by a chorus.
With the strong inmigration of Buenos Aires, the black population was
reduced in proportion at the beginning of the 20th century and the last
place for the candombe there was "Casa Suiza", now nearly 80 years ago.

There are many variants between candombe and milonga, the best known are
the
"milonga-candombe" and "milongon" (Francisco Canaro).

Christian Mensing
--
Christian Mensing
Lab. fuer Anorg. Chemie   tel             (+41) 1/ 632 2894 / 4939
ETH Zentrum CAB B17       fax             (+41) 1/ 632 1149
Universitaetstrasse 6     mailto:mensing @inorg.chem.ethz.ch
CH 8092 Zuerich
http://www.inorg.chem.ethz.ch/group/mensing.html