MUSIC OF THE ECUADOR

There are many different kinds of music in Ecuador. the most popular
are:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Traditional and mestizo music

Afro Ecuadorian Music.
Traditional dance.
Indigenous music

TRADITIONAL AND MESTIZO MUSIC

PASILLO
Into the traditional and mestizo music is the pasillo this is a Popular
musical gender, that expresses lovely verses to women to the being
loved, some feeling or pleasing memories, it is a rhythm very listened in
bars, it accompanies to the libadores in their moments of melancholy
when they want to mitigate with alcohol their memories, for this reason
the town calls it affectionately, liquid music.
Pasillo usually expresses admiration for the nature, the beauty of the
women. Their origin is multinational; it arose in the XIX century, in the
time of wars of South America independence. The name Pasillo, is due to
the form like it was danced, with short steps and rapids.
The Pasillo, in its beginning was considered by some sectors of the
bourgeoisie and some journalists, as a musical gender of "bad stock",
simply to represent to the popular art.

between the years 60th and 70th of the XX century, the Pasillo was sang
for Julio Jaramillo (1935-1978) who was a biggest musical in our country.
YARAV
Yaravi is a musical gender present in the Andean region. its meaning is
the song that speak of the deads.

Initially it was interpreted in the

agricultural works and family meetings; then it became a song

sentimental with loving poetry. That is why the yaravi is sung in funerals
ALBAZO
The origin of the albazo is in the yarav, in the fandango and especially
in the zambacueca. The rhythmic base of the albazo is a derivation of
the yarav, but in another tempo, a little slighter and glad.
CAPISHCA
This dance and mestizo music is typical from Chimborazo province. It
comes from CAPINA word, it means squeeze. It is a rhythm moved and
cheerful. The dancers show their physical aptitud with steps and
entrances with roguery and courtship. The capishca is interpreted by
cowboys of the CHimborazo with verses in quichua and spanish
This rhythm is similar to the albazo
SANJUANITO OR SAN JUAN

San Pablo Lake near to the Imbabura mountain in Imbabura province.

According to the investigators the San Juanito was born here.

It is a

binary musical gender 2/4, it is a dance with text, structured in smaller

tonality, with a lot of acceptance especially in the Andean region.

Their

origin is possibly in the indigenous ceremony of Inti Raymi, the homage

is in June 24,.
PASACALLE
The origins of this dance are in the Spanish paso doble. Is a goods
musical of dance with text, dance of couple. It arose at the beginning of
century and it incorporated to the music of several South American
countries, as Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile. It is expressed in a tap-danced
dance and gallant, where the arms are lifted and bent, with the closed
fists or sustaining the hands of the women.

"El aguacate" (pasillo ) por Gonzalo Benitez

AFRO ECUADORIAN MUSIC

When

studying

the

music

afro

ecuadorian

music

it

should

be

systematized the repertoires. Because in somecases are erroneously

considered as gender. the most popular forms of afro ecuadorian music
are:
LA BOMBA DEL VALLE DEL CHOTA

bomba is a choreographic group of long tradition in the population of the

valley of the Chota. The woman takes a bottle of liquor in the head and
she dances giving caderazos to her partner, if the liquor spills out, the
dancer has to pay a bottle of liquor

as penance.

this is a way

of

intoxicate and to get liquor.

THE BANDA MOCHA
It is characterized to use some musical instruments fused with
vegetables of the sector. Through the music, you can understand the
cosmovisin and the socioeconomic problem of afroecuadorian people.
TRADITIONAL DANCES
Their characteristics are the choreographies. They reflect the different
aspects of the indigenous culture, rich in regional and ethnic differences.
COSECHAS:
It is a quichua dance from Imbabura. it is carried out, in the months of
August and September in honor to the pachamama (the mother earth)
and to the inti (the sun).
ZULETA:
It is a dance of multicolored polleros. it is from Esperanza o "Zuleta", in
the Imbabura province. The motive is the celebration of the social and
religious party.
USTAS:

It is a dance interpreted by beautiful women. Their tender movements

and candies highlight the woman's natural beauty in commendation to
the gifts conceived by the nature mother. They also celebrate the
farewell of the single. Their white attires represent the purity of the
doncellaque virgin it arrives to the marriage.

INDIGENOUS MUSIC
The indigenous music varies because there are a lot of indigenous
groups of Ecuador. The indigenous music is similar to the indigenous
music of the Peru or Bolivia
In the indigenous music are the sanjuanito, capishca, and yaravi.