Alla va candela - Familia Valera Miranda

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Context

- The 'Familia' are a group of traditional musicians from Cuba

- Cuban son is a fusion of Cuban and African elements

The song is about the intense joys of love

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Performance forces & handling

- Lead vocal = pregon

- Chorus vocals = coro

- Syllabic setting

- Cuatro solo = adventorus, wide range, slides

- Percussion and guitar feature in accompaniment

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Structure

- 2 bar cuatro intro

- Bolero followed by son

- Cuatro solo 

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Tonality

- E major 

- NO MODULATIONS

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Harmony

Bolero = Wide range of chord extensions

Son = Alternates between I and V

- Cuatro solo has chromatic inflections (82-84)

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Melody

- Cuatro solo is flexible:

  • Conjunct
  • Chromaticism (82-84)
  • Triadic shape

- Vocal Idea A and the cuatro melody in 4-12 are similar in shape and structure

- Vocal Idea B has a lower tessitura and conjunct

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Tempo, Metre and Rhythm

Bolero:

  • 4/4 (sounds like 2/2)
  • 80 BPM

Son:

  • 2/2
  • 90 BPM

- 2:3 son clave rythm prominent

- Cross rhythm and syncopation in vocals

- Cuatro solo has triplets, hemiolas and rapid quavers 

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