Mariachi
Mexican ensemble and music style with violins, trumpets, guitars and singing.
What it means
Mariachi refers both to a Mexican ensemble and to the style it plays. The typical line-up consists of several violins and trumpets together with a rhythm section of guitar, the small guitar vihuela and the large bass instrument guitarrón. Nearly all members sing, often alternating between solos and the full group.
The tradition comes from western Mexico, above all the state of Jalisco. UNESCO added mariachi to its list of intangible cultural heritage in 2011.
Musical use
The repertoire includes the son jalisciense, the ranchera, the huapango, the bolero ranchero and the corrido. Trumpets became a fixed part of the line-up only in the course of the 20th century; earlier groups consisted mainly of strings and plucked instruments. The costumes of the musicians are based on the dress of the charros, Mexican horsemen.
Mariachi should be distinguished from the banda, a Mexican wind band, and from the marimba music of southern Mexico: each has its own line-up and repertoire.
Performance practice
If you play mariachi, pay attention to the constant alternation of triple and duple pulses that enlivens many pieces. The rhythm section holds the pulse, while violins and trumpets often play in thirds and sixths and carry the melody together.