Exploring music and Art

IV. Exploring Music and Art
Use internet searches to explore the music and art of Ecuador, and then answer the following questions:

1) What is the “national genre of music” in Ecuador? Listen to some of this type of music and describe its main characteristics.
The national genre of music is called Pasillo. It is slow and ballad-like. Often it features one or very few voices with guitar in the background. It is atmospherically romantic and wistful.  Pasillos first originated in Colombia but Ecuadorian pasillos haves since become a separate and distinctive style of music.




2) Julio Jaramillo is one of the most famous singers from Ecuador. Do a google search on him. What kind(s) of music did he sing?
Julio Jaramillo sang pasillos, tango, boleros, and valses. He played the guitar and accompanied himself while singing. He was popular from the the 1950s until his death in 1978.



3) Look up Julio Jaramillo on Spotify or You Tube. Listen to his music. Do you enjoy it? Why do you think he is one of the most popular singers of Ecuador?
I enjoy Julio Jaramillo’s music a great deal because it feels sincere and romantic. Other listeners probably also get this sensation. I also think he is so popular because his music is accessible. He did not come from a wealthy background and did not have formal schooling. This might make him relatable and inspirational to many listeners, especially those from a working class background.

4) Is there a typical style of Ecuadorian art? What are its features?

Ecuadorian art is as diverse as the nation itself. A simple Google search of “Ecuadorian Art" yields images of textiles from the Otovalo region, sweaters of alpaca wool, silver filigree jewelry, and leather goods. Ecuadorian art is not easily quantifiable. Each region has a distinctive craft and style.

5) Search online for Oswaldo Guayasamín, a well-known Ecuadorian artist. How would you describe his art visually and in terms of themes?

The work of Oswaldo Guayasamín reminds me of  Picasso’s blue period. He work is very gestural and expressionistic. He paints sorrowful looking figures and emphasizes their hands and faces. Most of the figures are skeletal looking and painted in dark colors.