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Criolla is a genre ofCuban music which is closely related to the music of the CubanCoros de Clave and a genre of Cuban popular music called Clave.[1]
The Clave became a very popular genre in the Cuban vernacular theater and was created by composer Jorge Anckermann based on the style of theCoros de Clave. The Clave served, in turn, as a model for the creation of a new genre called Criolla. According to musicologist Helio Orovio, "Carmela", the first Criolla, was composed by Luis Casas Romero in 1909, which also created one of the most famous Criollas of all times, "El Mambí".[2]
Like the Clave and theGuajira (music), the formal structure of the Criolla consist of a brief introduction, followed by two sections of 16 measures each. The first one in a minor tone, and the second one in its major direct relative.[3]The essential rhythm of the Criolla is the same as that of the Clave, the VerticalHemiola, which appears consistently in the base part of those songs.
The Cuban traditionalTrova singers also adopted the Clave and Criolla genres, which became part of their repertoire. Some famous composers of Criollas were:Jorge Anckermann (Linda criolla), Alberto Villalón (Quiero besarte) andSindo Garay (Mujer bayamesa).[4]
In spite of the fact that the basic structure of theGuajira (music), the Clave and the Criolla is almost identical, it is possible to observe a certain style evolution that may suggest a possible relationship in the development of those three genres. For example, the rhythmic pattern of the VerticalHemiola does not appear in the first versions of theGuajira (music), so therefore it may have been included at a later time, maybe due to the influence of theCoros de Clave. Also the modulation style from a minor to a major mode, which already appears in the famousGuajira (music) "El arroyo que murmura" by Jorge Anckermann, varies in the posterior Criollas ofTrovadores Sindo Garay and Manuel Corona, in which they utilize much more complex modulations than in previous versions.[5]