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Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán is a Mexican mariachi ensemble founded in 1896 in Tecalitlán, in southern Jalisco, by Gaspar Vargas. In the beginning they played with a guitarra de golpe, a wooden harp and two violins: the Sonido Tecalitlán, which differed from the Sonido Cocula of the neighbouring village. His son Silvestre took over in 1931, expanded the group and dreamed that it would become the best mariachi in Mexico. The musicians wore charro suits, arrived on time and did not drink, which stood out in those years.

Music and breakthrough

In 1933 they won a competition in Guadalajara, and in 1934 one in Mexico City. President Lázaro Cárdenas, a fan of the group, had them appointed as the official mariachi of the Mexico City police, where they kept playing in parks and gardens for twenty years. From 1937 they appeared in films, the first of more than two hundred, including those of Pedro Infante. That same year they made their first record. In 1941 the group adopted the trumpet for good, with Miguel Martínez Domínguez as its first trumpeter. In 1944 Rubén Fuentes, a classically trained violinist, joined and became the arranger. Together with Silvestre he renewed the sound and the professional image of the mariachi. From 1950 the ensemble was under his artistic direction. Records such as El Mejor Mariachi del Mundo (1958) and La voz de México (1962) represent this period.

Influence

A standard mariachi has violins, trumpets, guitarrón, guitar and vihuela. The ensemble is regarded as the standard against which other mariachis are measured. In this way the music grew from village festival to a symbol of Mexico.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to La Negra and notice the trumpets taking up the melody together with the violins. Can you hear how the rhythm of the guitarrón and vihuela beneath them determines the movement?

Discography

Studio albums

See also

Categories: ArtistsMariachi and son jarocho