Title: Esta Noche
Artist: Federico Aubele
Culture: Argentine Singer-Songwriter (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Instrumentation: Acoustic guitar, bass, drum set, auxiliary percussion instruments, women's vocals
I was thrilled to come across this piece by Federico Aubele. My wife is a foreign language teacher and enjoys listening to music in both Spanish, as well as French but I have never been much of a fan of music I did not understand. This song however, caught my attention. Although I had to look up a translation of the lyrics, once I did the music behind the lyrics made complete sense. The solo-like acoustic guitar that interjects between the lyrics along with the added auxiliary percussion do a wonderful job of setting up the mood of this song. The study of ethnomusicology is important for us as music educators because it gives a better chance to learn about the music of other cultures so that we feel more comfortable sharing more music with our students. The more comfortable that you feel about a subject the more likely that you will be to include it in the curriculum for your students.
What a cool song! I agree that the acoustic guitar riffs definitely do a good job of setting up the mood of this piece. The instrumentation itself is also characteristic of Latino music, making it sound interesting in itself since it is something unique in comparison to American music that we are used to hearing. You make a good point about the lyrics of a piece playing a large role in its context and meaning. Understanding what a song is about will certainly put it more in perspective. However, at the same time, I think that the transcending power of music makes it powerful even without lyrics. As mentioned with the guitar, the instrumentation and riffs of a piece itself can convey meaning and set up a certain kind of atmosphere. Nice song choice!
ReplyDeleteI really like the feel of this song. However, if we can't understand Spanish or do not look up the lyrics then it is nearly impossible yo truly be able to appreciate the song. Honestly I could just listen to the instrumental track of this all day. When listening to this song the origin was clearly of Latin descent. I could see how it would be be hard for a non musician and a non Spanish speaker to be able to appreciate this song.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Andrew, this song is so hip! I love the acoustic guitar throughout the song, it so tranquil and relaxing to listen to, as I am typing this thought. The fusion of Western rock music, mixed with traditional Latin harmonies and rhythms makes for a truly special mix of styles, which work together quite well. The bongo playing in the track is also excellent, and I can clearly tell when the switch techniques and tones, which is the mark of a master hand drummer. Thanks for your post!
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