Dominican Music

It is often said that Dominicans have rhythm running through their veins. It is a true passion, that make them move and thance with the slightest bit of sound. Dominican Republic is one of the very few nations in the world that has its own true national music and dance, the Merengue.



Dominican Merengue, pretty much like its Haitian and Venezuelan counterparts, first appeared in ballrooms in mid-19th century, as a transformation, due to afro-american influence, of the European contredanse.

Later on, and imitating the good society, peasants in several regions of the island transformed this first merengue into their own style, using their own traditions and musical instruments. What today is called Dominican Merengue was born in the Cibao region of the Dominican Republic.

Instruments used in traditional merengue (also commonly called perico ripiao) are the Güira, tambora and the accordion, and that is how it is still being played in the central valleys of El Cibao.

Güira is a percussion instrument consisting of a metal en un cillinder with a handle and open on both ends, whith a series of deep cuts made on oits side. I is plahed holding it vertically from tha handle, and scratching its side with a metal comb.

The Tambora is also a percussion instrument, similar to a little drum played on both sides. In its most authentic form, it should have been made with two different types of goat skin, one for each side of the drum: on one side there should be a female goat skin, that is played with the hand, and on the other end there is a male gost skin, to be played with a stick. Tradition says that the female goats have a thinner, softer skin with a higher pitch, making it able to provide a distinct sound.



Finally, the accordion makes a stark contrast with the other two instruments as it is of German origin, complex to fabricate and play, as opposed to the simplicity of güira and tambora.

Merengue evolved with time, and left aside the accordion to replace it with trumpets and keyboard, creating modern day merengue as it is played in Latin music clubs around the world.

Another Dominican traditional music is the bachata, also considered part of national identity. Instead of an accordion, bachata is played with guitars. It is considered a hybrid between bolero and other influences such as Cuban son.

At the beginning, bachata was a marginal music, pretty much low-class played in popular parties. Its lyrics were more often than not, tragical an melancholic: alwais singing love dramas, treason, jealousy... It is called the "music of bitterness".

However, during the 70's and 80's, lyrics renovate and soften a little as they reach better off people. It will be thanks to Juan Luis Guerra and expansion of tourism what will make it popular worlwide.