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| Norteño | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Stylistic origins | from Mexico:from Europe: |
| Cultural origins | Late 19th Century, Northeastern Mexico |
| Subgenres | |
| Northeastern Norteño, Pacific Norteño,Norteño-Sax, Norteño-Banda | |
| Regional scenes | |
| Mexico, United States, Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, Chile | |
| Other topics | |
Norteño ornorteña (Spanish pronunciation:[noɾˈteɲo],northern), alsomúsica norteña, is a subgenre ofregional Mexican music. The music is most often based onduple and triple metre and its lyrics often deal with socially relevant topics, although there are also many norteño love songs. Theaccordion and thebajo sexto are traditional norteño's most characteristic instruments.
The genre is popular in both Mexico and the United States, especially among the Mexican and Mexican-American community, and it has become popular in other Spanish-speaking countries as far away as Chile. Though originating from rural areas, norteño is popular in both rural and urban areas.
Aconjunto norteño is a type of Mexican folk ensemble. It mostly includesdiatonic accordion, bajo sexto,electric bass ordouble bass,drums, and depending on the region,alto saxophone.[1]
The norteño repertoire coverscanción ranchera,corrido,ballad,bolero,chotís,cumbia,huapango norteño,mazurka,polka,redowa andwaltz.[2]
Emperor Maximilian I brought Central European music to México during his reign (beginning 1863) in theSecond Mexican Empire. By 1864, he had accumulated marching bands and musicians to entertain him. In 1867, theMexican Republic executed Maximilian, thereby ending the Austrian empire in Mexico. Many of Maximilian's former soldiers and fellow countrymen fled north and dispersed into what is now thesouthwestern United States. Norteño music developed from a blending of Mexican and Spanish oral and musical traditions, military brass band instrumentation, and European musical styles such aspolka andwaltz.[3][4]
European immigrants from Germany, Poland, and Czechia to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States also brought dance traditions such as thevarsovienne. The focus on theaccordion in the music of their home countries was integrated into Mexican music, and became an essential instrument. It was called norteño ("northern") because it was most popular in the northern regions of Mexico.
The late 1910s and 1920s were the golden age of thecorrido, a form ofballad. Mexicans on both sides of the border came toSan Antonio, Texas, to record in hotels. Their songs memorialize the Mexican political revolution of the time.Los Alegres de Terán andLos Donneños were among the first norteño bands. Later in the century, the genre became more commercial with the works ofLos Relámpagos del Norte and other groups. More recent bands such asIntocable integrate elements ofrock music and other popular styles.
Modern norteño has also diverged significantly from more original "oldie" norteño of pre-1950s artists such asNarciso Martínez. Since the 1970s and 1980s, most norteño bands have replaced the tololoche with an electric bass guitar, and the snare drum with a fulldrum set. The traditional bajo sexto-accordion style ofLos Alegres de Terán andLos Donneños transformed into the modern style typical to that ofLos Tigres del Norte,Los Tucanes de Tijuana,Intocable, andDuelo. In 2014, Los Tigres del Norte released the albumRealidades, which contains the song "Era Diferente" ("She Was Different") about a lesbian teenager who falls in love with her best friend; according to lead singer and songwriter Jorge Hernández, this is the first time a norteño band has ever written a gay love song.[5][6]
Northeastern Norteño: The most traditional style of norteño. Mainly popular in Mexico's northeastern and central states, and parts of the United States with large Mexican populations from those regions. Some artists that fall under this style includeLos Cadetes de Linares,Ramón Ayala y Los Bravos del Norte,Los Invasores de Nuevo León, Los Cardenales de Nuevo León, and Pesado.
Pacific Norteño: Uses the same instruments as traditional northeastern norteño, but has a rougher sound; in part due to being influenced bySinaloan banda music. Also, some bands use apiano accordion instead of the traditionalbutton accordion. Mainly popular in the Mexican states that border thePacific Ocean, as well as the central states, and in parts of the United States with large Mexican populations from those regions. Some artists from this style includeLos Tigres del Norte,Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Los Buitres de Culiacán, Los Titanes de Durango, andMarca Registrada.
Norteño-Sax: Incorporates analto saxophone as a primary instrument along with an accordion. Sounds closer to traditional norteño, but with an emphasis on the saxophone. Several bands are influenced bygrupero music and incorporate anelectronic keyboard for their ballads and romantic cumbias. Mainly popular in Mexico's landlocked states, and in parts of the United States with large Mexican populations from that region. Some artists under this umbrella includeConjunto Primavera,Los Rieleros del Norte,Polo Urías y su Máquina Norteña, La Fiera de Ojinaga, and La Maquinaria Norteña.
Norteño-Banda: Is essentially pacific norteño, but replaces the bass with asousaphone; an instrument typically used in banda music for the low notes. Like bass-driven pacific norteño, it is mainly popular in Mexico's pacific and central states, and in parts of the United States with large Mexican populations from those regions. Some artists includeCalibre 50,Voz de Mando, Colmillo Norteño, Revolver Cannabis, and Código FN.
Norteño Light: Is essentially northeastern norteño, but with a more pop-oriented sound, relaxed rhythms, and contemporary lyrics. It may also incorporate mildly rock elements. Mainly popular in Mexico's northeastern and central states, and parts of the United States with large Mexican populations from those regions. Some artists includeIntocable,Duelo, Solido,Siggno, andGrupo Frontera.
Media related toNorteño (music) at Wikimedia Commons| Ensembles |  | |
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