''Pirekua'' (

Purépecha The Purépecha (endonym pua, P'urhepecha ) are a group of indigenous people centered in the northwestern region of Michoacán, Mexico, mainly in the area of the cities of Cherán and Pátzcuaro. They are also known by the pejorative "Tarascan ...

) is a

song form Ternary form, sometimes called song form, is a three-part musical form consisting of an opening section (A), a following section (B) and then a repetition of the first section (A). It is usually schematized as A–B–A. Prominent examples includ ...

of the

(Michoacán, Mexico). The singer of a ''pirekua'', a ''pirériecha'', may be male or female, solo or accompanied, and ''pirekua'' may be performed instrumentally. ''Pirériechas'' act as social mediators and "express sentiments and communicate events of importance to the Purépecha communities."Intangible Cultural Heritage:
Pirekua, traditional song of the P’urhépecha
, ''UNESCO.org''. ''Pirekua'' ensembles usually include, "two or three

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

s, strings and winds, nda small brass band, or 'pirériecha'' areunaccompanied." Performed with "a gentle rhythm," generally in ''sones'' ( time) or ''abajeños'' ( time), the genre combines African, European, and indigenous American influences. ''Pirekua'' is related to the

son A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...

and the

waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the wa ...

, and

Henrietta Yurchenco Henrietta Yurchenco (born Henrietta Weiss, March 22, 1916 – December 10, 2007) was an American ethnomusicologist, folklorist, radio producer, and radio host. She worked to save traditional music by recording in Guatemala, Mexico, the United State ...

points out that both the ''son'' and ''pirekua'' are in a slow

triple meter Triple metre (or Am. triple meter, also known as triple time) is a musical metre characterized by a ''primary'' division of 3 beats to the bar, usually indicated by 3 (simple) or 9 (compound) in the upper figure of the time signature, with , , ...

, performed as

duets A duet is a musical composition or piece for two performers. Duets or The Duets may also refer to: Films and television * ''Duets'' (film), a 2000 film, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Giamatti and Huey Lewis * "Duets" (''Glee''), a 2010 episod ...

, featuring rhythmic sequence against fixed patterns in the

accompaniment Accompaniment is the musical part which provides the rhythmic and/or harmonic support for the melody or main themes of a song or instrumental piece. There are many different styles and types of accompaniment in different genres and styles ...

, and using two to three chords ( I-IV-V) in

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

minor Minor may refer to: * Minor (law), a person under the age of certain legal activities. ** A person who has not reached the age of majority * Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education Music theory *Minor chord ** Barb ...

with little

modulation In electronics and telecommunications, modulation is the process of varying one or more properties of a periodic waveform, called the ''carrier signal'', with a separate signal called the ''modulation signal'' that typically contains informatio ...

.Chamorro, Arturo (1998). "Purépecha (Tarascan)", ''The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: Southeast Asia'', p.579. Taylor & Francis. . The subjects of ''pirekua''

lyrics Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a "libretto" and their writer, a ...

range, "from historical events to religion, social and political thought and love and courtship, making extensive use of symbolism." Lyrics make frequent use of flowers as symbols of femininity, passion, and local identity.Chamorro (1998), p.580. While ''sones'' are usually sung in Spanish, ''pirekua'' are usually sung in Purépecha, and while ''sones'' tends toward everyday life, ''pirekua'' tend more towards poetic expressions of the Purépecha world view.

References

External links

*Media services:
Pirekua, traditional song of the P’urhépecha
, ''UNESCO.org''. {{DEFAULTSORT:Pirekua Indigenous culture of Mexico Regional styles of Mexican music Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity Mexican styles of music Purépecha people

See also

References

External links