When addressing the audience during a recent concert, the famed Mexican marimba artist--Maestro Zeferino Nandayapa--strove to convey his personal feelings about the marimba. Without hesitation he stated, "The marimba, it is in my blood." With those words he projected the commonly held notion that, although the marimba is heard throughout Mexico, if a player is to have credibility he or she must be from the southernmost State of Chiapas. Munecas del chiapaneco (the wrists of a Chiapan) are considered essential to gain credibility as a marimbist.
Much more than a musical instrument, the marimba in Mexico is a cultural symbol which is woven into the fabric of everyday life in the State of Chiapas. It is indeed difficult to walk down any street without hearing las maderas que cantan or what Chiapans affectionately call the "wood that sings." Chiapas is one of Mexico's most isolated and exotic states, which only adds resonance to the combination of reality and legend that surrounds the marimba, its music, and the people who play the instrument.
-Some Characteristics of the Mexican Marimba
At first glance, a North American audience sees what they think is a sort of xylophone-and they are right! The marimba is a type of xylophone:
In Mexico the marimba is almost always heard as an ensemble instrument (unlike the solo tradition which exists in the United States). In this regard the marimba reflects the important role of the family in Mexican society. Many marimba groups are comprised of fathers, sons, brothers, and cousins.
The Mexican marimba is table-like in design with wooden keys which are suspended over resonating chambers in the configuration of a piano keyboard (the combination of "black" and "white keys" is known as a chromatic system). Holes are drilled through each key at the two nodal points (the places on the bar which do not vibrate) and the bars are suspended with ropes that run throughout the entire instrument.
The characteristic sound of the Mexican instrument, and a major distinguishing feature from the North American instruments, are the telas (vibrating membranes) which are at the bottom of each resonator. Stretched over a small opening is a thin sheath of pig intestine. This membrane vibrates sympathetically when the bars are struck creating a buzzing effect. The instruments heard in American bands and orchestra have metal resonators with a pure sound and no buzz.
The number of keys and corresponding resonators are determined by the range of each particular instrument. From maker to maker the sizes and ranges of instruments vary; however, the full-sized chromatic instrument is usually 6-1/2 octaves, while smaller chromatic instruments (called requinta) are usually less than five octaves, but do not go below the second "C" on the full sized instrument.
Unlike the yarn covered mallets used in Europe, the United States and Japan, Chiapan mallet heads are wound with rubber strips. The baquetas (marimba mallets) in Chiapas are made of shafts from a wood called huizizil. There is a variety of mallet heads ranging from the soft, large, heavy ones for the bass keys to the hard, small, light ones for the uppermost keys.
-How and Where These Instruments Are Made
The marimba maker in the State of Chiapas is not only an entrepreneur, but the caretaker of a cherished tradition. The clientele of these craftsmen is of course the marimbists themselves, but the proprietors often sell instruments to municipal governments as well. The late Alejandrino Nandayapa, a marimba maker from Chiapa de Corzo--a brother of Zeferino--said that a good deal of his business comes from municipal governments in Chiapas. Since the marimba is generally acknowledged as the instrument of the state, it stands as a cultural symbol. The decorative nature of the marimba's appearance lends itself well to occupying prominent places within both small and large towns, usually in the town hall, as well as local cultural centers. The Chiapan marimba makers work in small shops and usually employ several young assistants. So intricate is the process that they only make several instruments a year. Instruments manufactured in Europe, the United States, and Japan most often employ rosewood from Belize for keys, but the Chiapans have always used wood from their own hormiguillo tree, which is a hard wood. In the botanical gardens of Tuxtla Gutierrez they are labeled "to make keys for marimbas, furniture, and lathed articles." The marimba makers look for the oldest trees, because they realize that the older the tree, the richer the sonority the keyboard will have. The keys are usually chosen from the center section of the tree trunk, and before being cut and tuned, they are allowed to dry. The craftsmen then tune the bars by shaving off wood underneath the middle to lower the pitch and shaving off from the ends to raise pitch. The instrument heard on this program was hand-made especially for Laurence Kaptain and Marimba Yajalon by the late Alejandrino Nandayapa of Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas in 1992.
-The Music of the Marimba
Eclectic is perhaps the best term with which one would describe the repertoire of the marimba in Mexico. Groups will literally perform any musical work, and in that regard the marimba is highly utilitarian. It has even been heard playing the music for Catholic masses and weddings. With no symphonic or chamber groups in Chiapas, it takes on the role of caretaker of western European classical music tradition. In fact, at the annual marimba contest of the state, there is often a classical division where groups will play transcriptions ranging from entire movements of Beethoven symphonies, to the piano works of Chopin, and in the case of this program, Franz Liszt. At fiestas the marimba is always an invited guest. The repertoire will vary, according to the specific function, as well as the geographic location within the state. In most cases the marimbists will often play Mexican popular songs, as well as regional works from Chiapas which are traditionally heard on the marimba. In recent years the marimba has often found itself competing with (and against) various combinations of wind, keyboard, and percussion instruments, as well as electronic media. To counter this trend, the state government of Chiapas reestablished, in 1984, state-wide marimba contests with the primary goal of featuring groups which only contained marimbas with no other instruments. The success of these competitions went beyond the organizers wildest dreams. With competition beginning at the local town level, and continuing on to nine regional play-offs, the finals in Tuxtla Gutierrez attract wide media attention as well as a fanatical following of individuals who support their local marimba groups, much like sports fans support their teams. It is indeed a unifying element when on a single night each fall these various ensembles carry the hopes and dreams of their townspeople in an event which carries large financial awards as well as a recording contract.
-What to listen for in a Marimba performance
A performance of the Mexican marimba is a treat for the ears, as well as the eyes. What is perhaps most visually striking is the high level of coordination between the players. The richest sound is achieved when the mallets of the performers are playing very close together. Of course this creates a major problem in terms of coordination. Much like a trained corps de ballet the marimbists rehearse for many hours to make sure their mallets do not become tangled with the adjacent player. This requires a very high level of skill, control, and cooperation. The greatest technical and expressive challenge to the marimbists are what North American percussionists call "rolls" (notes that are sustained). Just as a singer, wind, or string player will try to sustain a phrase (changing notes-while not making any break), the marimbist must employ an extremely high level of technical skill to do the same. Smoothness is the goal, especially on slower works where the musical lines are very exposed. The velocity or speed of these rolls is something that can be adjusted for expression. The listener will note that the players will sustain at different speeds in the different positions on the instrument. The upper register requires extreme dexterity in terms of rolling very rapidly. The best players mallets become much like the wings of hummingbirds, and move so fast they are a mere blur to the eye. An outstanding marimba ensemble will perform with proper balance, meaning that the listener should be able to distinguish all of the different parts. This is accomplished in several ways. The audience will note that often between pieces, the players will change mallets. They all may look the same to the lay person, but there are varying degrees of weight and firmness that dictate the characteristic sound. These mallets must balance to the area in the marimba where the player is standing. The lowest pitches use big, soft, heavy heads, while the upper most voices use small, hard heads that are tightly wrapped. Why are some players using three or four mallets, and the others use two? This is a matter of musical preference for each particular group. The additional mallets allow for more pitches to be played, which results in a much richer sound. Just as a sports team will plan strategy to exploit their particular strengths, so will a marimba group vary its style to reflect the unique abilities of the individuals within each group.
Please Note: These notes may be used in conjunction with a live performance by Marimba Yajalon, only if Laurence Kaptain is credited in the manner of this copy (with his name under the title).
Laurence D. Kaptain, 1995 All Rights Reserved