Dances at the Border

Daniel Perlongo, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Abstract / Program Notes

Dances at the Border is a four-hand piano suite that celebrates the rich cultural fusion from the music and dance traditions of so many immigrants migrating through the Americas from around the world. In Columbia, for example, the popular cumbia and jorupa dances are of Afro-Colombian origin. The small quick steps of cumbia were danced in chains by immigrants stowed away from their native lands on slave ships. Columbian local stories and baladas are found in their old vallenato melodies, and there is also an influx of traditions from many nations bringing salsa, merengue tangos, reggae, romantic bachata, and many more Afro-Caribbean musical styles. The work unfolds in 7 sections, each relating to a Columbian dance. 1 - Cumbia Groove sets the stage with its driving rhythmic gestures and arpeggios over a descending chromatic scale bass line. This is followed by a contrast in two parts, 2 - Dream Balada and 3 - Vallenato Waltz. Further developing the initial themes with augmentation, sequence and harmonic modulation, is 4 - Jorupa Jive. The music then returns with variation to the contrast, 5 - Bachata Tryst and 6 - Merengue Swing. After that comes a piu mosso finale with rousing chordal interruptions, 7 - Cumbia Carnaval. We hope you enjoy this potpourri of dance-like rhythms in Dances at the Border – from chains rattling in the first movement, Cumbia Groove to the culminating liberation and cultural fusion celebrated in the Cumbia Carnaval finale. (Notes created by composer and performer.)

 

Dances at the Border

Dances at the Border is a four-hand piano suite that celebrates the rich cultural fusion from the music and dance traditions of so many immigrants migrating through the Americas from around the world. In Columbia, for example, the popular cumbia and jorupa dances are of Afro-Colombian origin. The small quick steps of cumbia were danced in chains by immigrants stowed away from their native lands on slave ships. Columbian local stories and baladas are found in their old vallenato melodies, and there is also an influx of traditions from many nations bringing salsa, merengue tangos, reggae, romantic bachata, and many more Afro-Caribbean musical styles. The work unfolds in 7 sections, each relating to a Columbian dance. 1 - Cumbia Groove sets the stage with its driving rhythmic gestures and arpeggios over a descending chromatic scale bass line. This is followed by a contrast in two parts, 2 - Dream Balada and 3 - Vallenato Waltz. Further developing the initial themes with augmentation, sequence and harmonic modulation, is 4 - Jorupa Jive. The music then returns with variation to the contrast, 5 - Bachata Tryst and 6 - Merengue Swing. After that comes a piu mosso finale with rousing chordal interruptions, 7 - Cumbia Carnaval. We hope you enjoy this potpourri of dance-like rhythms in Dances at the Border – from chains rattling in the first movement, Cumbia Groove to the culminating liberation and cultural fusion celebrated in the Cumbia Carnaval finale. (Notes created by composer and performer.)