Music in Ecuador

Ecuadorian music

It is said that some genera are exclusive Ecuador emerged considered, such as: The Hall, the Yaraví, the Fandango or El Pasacalle. These use particular instruments of the Ecuadorian regions and because of that, they became quite popular in traditional festivals and even in the daily life of Ecuadorians.
Currently, Ecuador has also had influence from foreign genres; for that reason you can also listen to several current rhythms such as pop, rock, electronics and many more, without losing the unique characteristic of Latin rhythms.

Ecuadorian musical genres
Ecuadorian music is characterized by having different genres over time have influenced in particular. Below we will show you some of the most famous musical genres in Ecuador:

• El pasillo: This genre not only arises in Ecuador, it also does it in Colombia, it even constituted itself as the genre of both countries and also has its own traditional dance. In Ecuador, "El Pasillo" was born thanks to some Colombian diplomats, precisely in the year 1877. It is a genre that has been directly influenced by the Yarabí and the San Juan. His lyrics are usually quite melancholic, with themes falling in love or longing, and today it could be said that it is considered as "national music."
• El Sanjuanito: Characteristic of the music of Andean tradition, it is not only heard in Ecuador, but also has a presence in and Colombia. Just in the previous century this genre began to be much more popular; added to that was a fundamental factor the fact that in this one the rhythm was much more cheerful than other genres, such as el pasillo for example, thanks to that, shortly it became the favorite music for traditional festivities, both indigenous and mestizo. As expected, "El Sanjuanito" in Ecuador also has its own folk dance.
• El Pasacalle: It is known as a mestizo genre thanks to its roots from Spain; In the beginning it was played by traveling musicians, which gave it a lot of popularity during the Baroque period. “El Pasacalle” has very lively melodies, apart from being heard in Ecuador, it has also had its place in Argentina.
• El Albazo: Born in the Ecuadorian highlands, it also has Creole influence as well as mestizos. It can be distinguished by the lively rhythms it gives off, as it is customary to play through the guitar and the requinto. The latter is an instrument very similar to the first, although it has smaller strings and can upload some modifications, depending on the region where it comes from. "El Albazo" can be heard more frequently in the Ecuadorian provinces and has long been part of the repertoire of different street gangs. From him, it is known that his most important exponent is the Ecuadorian singer Paulina Tamayo.
• The Yaraví: In the same way it has a mestizo influence, because in it several particular elements of European music are mixed. In the “yaraví” there are many songs that enjoy a lot of popularity in Ecuador an example could be “El condor pasa”, which is a musical piece heard even in many places in South America.

Music in Ecuador History

Only a few traces of indigenous music remain, prior to the time of the colony, since the different nationalities themselves did not have any system related to musical notes, what is known is that this music was pentaphonic, that is, that in most of them used percussion and wind instruments, which were manufactured with materials that occurred in the areas where they played like guadua cane, hollow plant materials, bones or feathers.
During the colonial period and even until a little of the republican era the music was clearly of a religious nature: devout lyric and religious popular; in fact the musicians had a very close relationship with the Church, and used to perform functions of chapel masters or choir directors. The music called "profane" was heard in bands that played mostly at popular parties to entertain the people. There were really very few composers at the time who performed their musical pieces to be performed in religious events, and in fact the first popular songs were Christmas carols, which persist today.

The first known composer is Diego Lobato de Sosa in the seventeenth century who managed to gain recognition in the society of the time. There are also records from the mid-19th century to Francisco Coronel, Manuel Blasco, Mariano Baca, Ignacio Miño, Antonio Altuna, Agustín Baldeón, Juan Agustín Guerrero, Manuel Jurado, Crisanto Castro, among others.
The first Music Conservatory was founded by President García Moreno in the middle of the 19th century, it is here that first academic musicians are trained, however they were only trained to interpret and not compose. At that time we can highlight Carlos Amable Ortíz who gave his great contribution to the Ecuadorian pasillo. Also noteworthy are Antonio Nieto’s funeral marches, some musical pieces played by institutional and village bands.
By this time, pasillo becomes popular and it becomes quite successful, there were a large number of composers who made this musical genre the most popular in Ecuador. Those who stand out are: Medardo Angel Silva, José María Egas, Arturo Borja, Ernesto Noboa, whose poems have been musicalized and widely disseminated, as well as many postmodernists such as Alfredo Gangotena, Jorge Carrera Andrade, Miguel Angel León, Gonzalo Escudero, Abel Romeo Castillo, César Andrade and Cordero, Remigio Romero and Cordero, etc.-, as well as others of their own inspiration.

The fifties are a great moment that constituted a transition: at that time pasillo is still the most popular and even competed with foreign music thanks to the arrival of the radio. These are: boleros, tangos, waltzes and tropical rhythms such as the guaracha, the merecumbé, the cumbia. Some famous interpreters were: the duet of Luis Alberto Valencia and Gonzalo Benítez,. Montecel brothers, the Mendoza Sangurima sisters, Mendoza Suasti sisters, Los Coraza and Marco Tulio Hidrobo.

We cannot fail to mention great performers with much importance as Julio Jaramillo Laurido, who was not so famous for composing however he is by his touch to the people’s heart and becoming the "Nightingale of America" ​​recognized as one of the most important musicians of popular music in Latin America in the twentieth century; We can also mention Olimpo Cárdenas, Fausto Gortaire, Los Montalvinos, Los Locos del Ritmo, Los Embajadores, Los Indianos, Los Brillantes, Los Reales, the Duo of Brothers Miño Naranjo and Eduardo Zurita.

Among the popular composers and performers we highlight:

• Segundo Bautista Vasco, who is one of the best guitar, requinto, piano and accordion performers.
• Homero Hidrovo, virtuoso of the guitar with high technical level.
• Polibio Mayorga, composer of popular dance music.
• And the groups that promote the New Ecuadorian and Latin American Song, of which Jatari and Pueblo Nuevo are the most prominent.
• Jaime Guevara, Abdullah Arellano, Hugo Idrovo, Ataulfo Tobar, Brothers Diablo and Héctor Napolitano.
• In the classical vocal interpretation, Galo Cárdenas, Francisco Piedra, Beatriz Parra, Hernán Tamayo, Astrid Achig and Juan Borja stand out.

More about Music in Ecuador

• Music park
• Musical Instruments Pelileo
• Marimba - Afro Music and Dance
• Sacred Music in Quito
• Music House
• Julio Jaramillo Music Big hits
• Museum of Popular Music Guayaquileña Julio Jaramillo