Introduction

Various artists visited Cuba during the beginning of the age of the rising popularity of Salsa to hear the impressive rhythm. George Gershwin was a composer that was very impressed, and although he did not previously write music with Salsa rhythms in it, he featured Salsa rhythms in his next piece he wrote: Obertura Cubana. 
Ástor Pantaleón Piazzolla was an Argentine tango composer, whose works revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed Nueva Tango, which incorporated elements from Jazz and Classical music. This blog will be comparing Piazzolla’s Invierno Porteno- an Argentinian Tango and Gershwin’s piece- Obertura Cubana.  This blog will depict how the two styles of music are similar, and also how they differ musically. This blog will discuss the different types of harmonies, melodies, rhythms, and instrumentation that are used in Tango and Cuban Salsa. It will also discuss the history of Cuban Salsa and Argentinian Tango.

Cuban Salsa Instruments

When the Cuban Son became popular, so did many of the instruments used in Salsa music. 

The Bongos, which are held between the knees and struck with your fingers, the Marimbula, the Quijada, the Timbales Criollos, the Cowbell, (which was played using a small metal bar and now usually played with a wooden stick), the Botijuela, (a wide earthen jar which is played by applying ones lips and blowing air through the thin opening at its neck) and the Diente de Arado ( a piece of a plow blade which sounds like a deep cowbell when struck), were all introduced into popular Cuban music through the Son.

The instrument that is the key to the Cuban Son rhythm that also direct the dancer's footsteps is called the Clave. Being one of the most important instruments in Salsa music, the Clave was almost accidentally founded when building a ship. The hardwood that the Clave is made out of is the hardwood that originally came from ships. They're a pair of wooden sticks that when struck together form a metallic like sound that rises above all other instruments.

Other instruments that help keep the very specific rhythm in Salsa music are the Palmadas, (Flamenco hand claps), the Guiros, the Maracas, the guitar and its derivative, a Cuban innovation known as the "Tres". The "Tres" began being used in 1920 when the Son became popular, and lasted until 1930 when other instruments were added. 


Clave:

History of Cuban Salsa

The Cuban Son is the root of most Salsa music today.

       The Cuban Son is the first place that the Clave Salsa rhythm was played in  public. After the Slave revolution and later emancipation in La Hispañola, many rich French Caribbean families and their house slaves emigrated to the Oriente Provence in Cuba from what is now Haiti. Some of these slaves were educated in music and knew both European music and African secular music.

       In 1917, the "Danzon" was the most popular national dance in Cuba. Then a new musical style known as the Cuban Son appeared in Havana. The Son had the same elements as the "Danzon" but was different in its form. It is due to the Son that the African instruments came to light to animate the orchestras that were prevalent and typical at the time in Havana.

       In the Son, it is the rhythm that is most prominent. The Son originated in the Eastern region of Cuba, known as the Oriente Provence, among the country folk.  This was due to the influence of the freed African slaves that arrived shortly after the emancipation from the French.  

Sources of songs/information


Gershwin's Obertura Cubana 

Piazzolla's Invierno Porteno

Tango piece- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw6nYSlu298

Piazzolla Invierno Porteno

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw6nYSlu298

Example-

http://highlandsr.spps.org/uploads/musical_investigation_sample.pdf

Blog-

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8067146661655163353#editor/src=dashboard

HannahLangtry.blogspot.com

Tango notes-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tango_(dance)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81stor_Piazzolla

http://aleanmusicalinvestigation.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html
musical investigation sample

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/92848/canon
Canon

http://music-musicians.knoji.com/gershwin-goes-to-havana-the-cuban-overture-1932/
Gershwin's overture