Documentary

52 minutes
English
1910

Yves Billon , Henri Lecomte

Zarafa Films

SONGS OF A REVOLUTION

Mexico is a true laboratory of music, songs and dances which all express its long and eventful history. Because of their being so diversified, they are also the memory of the mosaic population formed by the natives and the immigrants from Europe or Africa, who have all built up the cultural identity of Mexican people. The Spanish colonisation, which started in 1519, didn't manage to eradicate the musical cultures of the natives (there are still over thirty local languages spoken in Mexico) and each episode of the Mexican history has left its musical mark. The Spanish brought over their harps and guitars but they were soon modified by the typical genius of the Mexican people and new instruments were created from them. All these influences, which have constantly been rethought and modified, thanks to popular creation, have produced an extremely rich music. It reached its climax during the fantastic outburst of the revolution in 1910. Hundreds of hymns, romances and corridos were created all over the country to glorify Emiliano Zapata, Pancho Villa and their soldiers