Mariachi History

This article aims to serve as a starting point for investigating the origins of the Mariachi tradition in Mexico and its subsequent evolution.

It was once thought that the word Mariachi originated from the French word "mariage" (for "wedding" or "marriage") in the 19th century. Another theory held that the word referred to the wooden platform on which the musicians would often play, which came from the Pilla or Cirimo tree.

However, the most recent and best evidence suggests that the term "Mariachi" predates the arrival of the French in Mexico and it may be older than originally suspected. Instead, it is thought that the word originated in the language of the Coca Indians in the early 1500's. The word may have been used to refer to any musician. The most appropriate modern definition would be "Mexican Folk Musician." Used in a different context, the word could also have been used to refer to a group of such musicians. Today, the meaning often extends itself to include the Mariachi intrumentation, attire, and music.

The modern Mariachi ensemble, however, has more recent roots, perhaps as late as the end of the 19th century. In the state of Jalisco along the Pacific coast, a hybrid musical form encompassing both the local indigenous roots and the Spanish (and other European) traditions developed. The primary instrumentation included violins, guitars, vihuelas, and harps and reflected the Spanish influence. Indeed, these instruments were originally intended to be used for religious ceremony only, but their use soon spread beyond the confines of the church to include layman use.

The mariachi sound thus came to include the style known as the "son", which also reflected an African influence. The rhythmic pattern is a syncopated styling alternating between 3/4 and 6/8 time. One common type of son, the "son jalisciense", was very popular in the Jalisco region. The popular Mariachi piece, La Negra, is one such example.

Almost simultaneously in other regions of Mexico, other variations of the son rhythm developed. In Veracruz, located on the Gulf coast of Mexico, the "son jarocho" or "son veracruzano" developed. This style often utilizes the harp accompaniment instead of the guitarrón as the primary bass instrument. A commonly known song in the son jarocho style is La Bamba.

In southeastern Mexico, the "son huasteco" or "huapango" evolved and often included a flute as part of the standard ensemble. This style is reflected in songs such as La Malagueña and Serenata Huasteca. Eventually, many other popular songs were developed that used combinations of these basic rhythms.

In addition to the son style, the Spanish influence added waltzes, polkas, and other styles to the Mariachi repertoire.

Although enjoying a tradition several hundreds of years old, Mariachi music was mostly an art form of country people used exclusively as an accompaniment to dance and learned and taught by ear alone. In the 1930's, the Revolution conspired to forever alter the Mariachi landscape.

Populist President Lázaro Cárdenas, striving to unify the vastly different regions of Mexico with a common cultural and musical tradition, invited Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán to accompany him in his campaign in 1936 through Mexico instantly legitimizing this art form and spreading this musical style throughout Mexico. Once regarded only as music of commoners and the lower class, Mariachi music gained a tremendous following throughout Mexico due in large part to the efforts of Mariachi Vargas.

Founded in 1898 by Gaspar Vargas in Tecalitlán, Jalisco, the group had come under the leadership of Silvestre Vargas, Gaspar's son, in 1928. Vargas then hired a trained musician, Ruben Fuentes, to direct the group. Together, Vargas and Fuentes went on to define the foundation of the Mariachi style by standardizing musical arrangements for many of the popular sones and insisting on the use of written music. Their arrangements were used by the great singers of this generation including Pedro Infante, Lola Beltran, and José Alfredo Jiménez.

Adapting somewhat to the influence of the emerging Jazz and Cuban musical styles, they further revolutionized the Mariachi musical form with the adoption of the trumpet into the standard ensemble in the 1950's which now included 6-8 violins, a guitarrón, a vihuela, a guitar, and two trumpets (and occasionally the harp as well). Today, this is still the standard instrumentation in the Mariachi ensemble.

Aided by the advent of radio, television, and movies, Mariachi music went on to form the foundation of Mexican culture.

By the 1950's, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán had made the trumpet a standard part of the Mariachi ensemble. They appeared in over 200 films in this period, often considered the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.

Interest in Mariachi music and culture moved north across the border into the United States carried along like baggage by new immigrants and serving as a vibrant reminder of the home they left behind. Bolstered in large part by the efforts of artists such as Linda Ronstadt, the Mariachi movement in the United States is strong and growing with many music programs sprouting up throughout the country from grade school to the university level.

As the style reaches newer generations and is consequently adapting, the evolution of the musical style has been much slower than one would expect, likely resulting from the strong ties to tradition commonly found in the Mariachi community.

Regardless, with this beautiful style reaching a wider and more diverse audience, it is a great time to be a Mariachi!