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The Tonada is a genre which can be found in countries as diverse as Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, Spain and Venezuela just to name a few. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a dance rhythm. In Chile, it is largely written in 6/8, but can be found in 3/4 or a combination of both meters at the same time. Within the genre, there are many sub-styles that are used for specific social occasions including the “Greeting Tonada” (esquinazo), a blessing for newlyweds (parabién), or as a song to celebrate the birth of Christ (villancico).
Structure
Margot Loyola wrote The Tonada: Testimony for the Future, as an anthology in which this great master conveys her love for the Chilean people and their music. She formally defines the genre in the following manner:
“The Tonada represents an ancient tradition in oral literature: the strophe, an unvarying form structured in precise metric verses that are regularly repeated, thereby providing the stability that is found in the monadic style. For this reason, strophic form and meter are what determine the unique form of the Tonada.”
When writing lyrics for a Tonada there are many distinct ways in which one can order and structure each strophe, even when the elemental form of the quatrain is octo-syllabic. Often times they are written in decimas and it is not unusual to incorporate a chorus (which makes the form a little more song like). This allows each artist to use his or her own structure, thus permitting tremendous flexibility in the organization of the text. It is most probable that this formal independence allowed the Tonada to evolve in a fashion much different from that of the Cueca, a style which shares very similar structure, rhythmic characteristics, and melodic organization.
The Tonada: Testimonies for the future by M. Loyola
Proponents and continuity
To truly appreciate the history of the Tonada, it is important to understand that it was kept alive primarily by the musical vigilance of the Cantoras (female singers), the very soul of this most Chilean folkloric genre. It is still sung today in the fields and farms of Chile and is a natural part of daily life in any home where there is a guitar and people who wish to celebrate by singing. This is the so called Tonada Campesina (or “Essential Tonada” as cited by M. Loyola) and it is mainly performed by women who accompany themselves on the guitar. The guitars they use are tuned (finares) in many different modes to produce harmonic richness on the instrument and can change depending on the time of year or the celebration at hand. At the moment, there are over forty at use in Chile alone. (See “afinaciones” from Sergio Sauvalle).
Listen to Tonada campesina or “Tonada Esencial” (extract)
From the 1920s onward, the Tonada became one of the most refined and stylized musical forms in Chilean folkloric culture. With time, and thanks in part to its flexible structure and simplicity, new and more sophisticated arrangements began to appear as well as a greater depth of instrumentation that included the harp, piano and accordion. It was also at this time that the all male vocal quartet came to prominence. These quartets were (and are) characterized by their refined vocal arrangements, brilliant virtuosic guitar passages, and beautifully ornate suits known as the “vestido de hauso”, or a country farmer’s or country gentleman’s riding suit.
Most Chileans associate the previously described sound as most representative of their music. This “Traditional Tonada” was sung by groups such as Los Huasos Quincheros during the military regime of General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990), and at the time it was considered to represent the true, authentic and sometimes only, form of this genre. The music was not subversive and mostly engaged light, jingoistic themes that eschewed the social and political problems of the day. More often than not, the lyrics favored pro government nationalism and the beliefs extolled by the new regime. (It was during this time that many of these groups, supported by the government, achieved immense popularity.)
Listen to “Arriando un piño” (Los Huasos Quincheros)
During the 1940s and 1950s, many women began to gain attention for the new manner in which they sang, paramount among them were Ester Soré, Silvia Infantas and Rosita Serrano. Their style of Tonada was more elegant and urban and contrasted greatly with that of the Cantoras from rural areas. This new approach fit a model that was much more attractive to the ever-growing music recording industry, as well as for the radio and the theatre.
Violeta Parra (1917- 1967), one of the most unique researchers and performers of Chilean folkloric music, recorded an album named “Tonadas” in 1957. Another emblematic figure of Latin-American culture, Victor Jara (1932-1973) paid homage to the Tonada in his compositions “Dos palomitas”, “El reencuentro”, “Lo único que tengo”, and “La diuca”.
These two immensely important artists were directly responsible for the formation of one of the most interesting musical movements of last century: La Nueva Canción Chilena (The New Chilean Song). They began a wholesale process of musical change that included using folkloric rhythms and traditions in conjunction with modern arrangements, harmonies and powerful lyrics that spoke directly to the social ills and problems suffered by the people of the time. Some of its greatest advocates today are Angel Parra, Rolando Alarcón, Inti Illimani, Quilapayún, Patricio Manns, and Illapu. This movement was born in the mid sixties and was violently and immediately cut off in 1973 by the military regime of Agosto Pinochet.
Victor Jara, VioletaParra,
Inti Illimani, Patricio Manns
Violeta Parra; Front cover of her album; “Tonadas”
Listen “Cuando salí de mi casa” (Violeta Parra)
It would be negligent not to mention “Tonadas de Manuel Rodríguez”, a series of pieces composed in 1955 by Vicente Bianchi that used the poetry of Pablo Neruda. This recording had a tremendous impact on both artists and the public alike and went on to sell numerous copies, landing in the Chilean “billboard charts”.
Today, the Tonada has many strong musical supporters and has evolved into a genre that freely mixes jazz, rock and other idioms and has developed a fresh new and exciting voice. Some of today’s more famous performers are Pablo Lecaros, Los Jaivas, Huaika and Alexis Venegas.
Pablo Lecaros, a national figure in Chilean jazz, has used the Tonada in many of his compositions.
Listen to “Tonada pa’ la pachamama” (Pablo Lecaros)
Many Chilean composers have turned their attention to the Tonada for inspiration and are admirably adapting its characteristics and musical style to modern composition for the guitar. Principal among them are: Juan Antonio Sanchez, Ricardo Acevedo and the young talent, Javier Contreras.
Comments about the Compositions
General Guideline
To be able to play these pieces correctly, one must understand the techniques of both the “pinza” for playing notes and chords, and the “apagado” used during the execution of the “rasgueo”, or strum. (See Sergio Sauvalle, técnicas de la guitarra chilena- pages 4 and 5).
| Tonada I | “En cualquier lugar” | Audio |
| Tonada II | “Aquí, a mi lado” | Audio |
| Tonada III | “Así no más…” | Audio |
“Tonada sola” (Tonada I)
The piece begins with a traditional harmonic and rhythmical pattern very customary to the genre. This commonality allows this first progression, which stretches from the beginning until the ninth measure, to lie very comfortably on the instrument. (Note the “A” pedal in the bass) Stylistically, it is very important to strum the rhythmic sections with a lot of freedom to create the “descuadramiento” (unequal, asymmetrical, uneven) of the eight notes so common to the rasgueo of the Tonada. This technique involves improvised strumming that runs the gamut between duplets to quintuplets played against the basic eighth note written in the 6/8. The phrasing in this piece is easy to follow and the harmony functions in a very tonal-modal way.
Duration: 2.42
Guitarist: Eugenio González.
“Aquí, a mi lado” (Tonada II)
This piece was composed outside of traditional form with the end result being more of a Canción-Tonada. The most notable change is in the rhythmical style. The 6/8 time signature is maintained but the pulse of a traditional Tonada is changed a little with the accent now lying on every third sixteenth note.
The melodic lines are very expressive and permit a great deal of flexibility in their interpretation. The performance of this piece must be very free; one should play it without feeling the necessity to “mark” the big beat or even the bar in some of the phrases.
The main theme begins in measure three running until bar 11 and then repeats with some modest variations. A small bridging section (measures 19-24) connects this first phrase to a harmonically contrasting second section which spans bars 25 through 40. The main theme is repeated one octave higher in measures 41 through 55. One must be sure to play this phrase freely, especially in measures 47 and 48. The same advice is given for measures 49 to 58 where it is suggested that one “abandon” the idea of the bar and pulse (senza tempo). From measures 59 to 70, a mysterious and darker mood is created by using a C# Phrygian harmony. After this section, the main theme is repeated once again but with some modest variations in the accompaniment. Finally, in measures 86 through 92 one arrives at a climactic point thats intensity is achieved through the use of heavy rasgueos. One must be sure to carefully control the strumming in order to properly accentuate this climax. The piece then ends with a coda section extending from measure 94 to the end.
The sixth string must be tuned to C#.
Duration: 6.14
Guitarist: Eugenio González.
“Así no más…” (Tonada III)
This is a fun, entertaining piece whose character borders on restless or even uncontrollable at times. The main theme, which is composed using duplets, appears throughout much of the work and is performed for the first time after the intro at measure 11. As indicated in the score, be sure to use the “pinza” technique to accompany the melody throughout this section (lasting until measure 50).
After this opening section, a new theme appears from measures 51 through 58. It has a much more melodic, “open and singing” character, but it is still underpinned by a strong and precise rhythmic accompaniment. The performer must take great pains to ensure the line is clear even while using rasgueo.
In measure 59 a new and even more contrasting section begins using what might be considered a more “jazzy language”, all the while maintaining the rhythmic motif of the duplet first displayed in the introduction. This section (which extends to bar 80) utilizes the maximum potential of the guitar’s melodic register (highest in measure 66, lowest in 75).
In measure 81 the original theme returns and is repeated three times (use “pinza” technique!!) but with unexpected modulations to G# Dorian (G#-A#-B-C#-D#-E#-F#-G#), B Dorian (measure 81 to 84) and D Dorian (measure 89 to 92). Finally, the theme is repeated one last time using a “hybrid chord” (measure 93) that will outline the melody while moving across the fret board while in a fixed left hand position. From measure 103 until the end of the section in 128, the mood will change due in large part to the “complicated” harmony that is used. From here, the themes are repeated until the ending section or coda which begins in measure 172.
Duration: 5.18
Guitarist: Eugenio González.