Trova rebels against the rebels Origins Cuban Nueva Trova is a movement of socially conscious music that emerged in the midsixties continuing through to the nineties Cuba has a long tradition of protest music going back to the ID: 335802
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Slide1
Nueva Trova
rebels against the rebelsSlide2
Origins
Cuban “Nueva
Trova
” is a movement of socially conscious music that emerged in the mid-sixties continuing through to the nineties
Cuba has a long tradition of protest music going back to the
Teatro
Vernaculo
of the mid-1800’s.
“Nueva
Trova
” was influenced by both Cuban musical movements (
Trova
,
filin
) and foreign movements including Chilean/Argentine “Nueva
Cancion
” and American and British Rock and Roll Slide3
Both Nueva and Traditional
Trova
distinguished itself from other types of Cuban and Caribbean music by its focus on lyricism, (text and emotion) rather than dance.
Nueva
Trova
artists, unlike their
Trova
predecessors, were well educated and benefited from the reforms of the Revolution.
For this reason, Nueva
Trova
tends to be “cosmopolitan” in its sound, integrating music from across genres and cultures.
Lyrical content also tend to be heavily influenced by poetry and literature (Marti, Nicolas Guillen, Pablo Neruda, Cesar Vallejo) Slide4
Nueva Trova and the Revolution
The Regime’s changing views on youth and its movement to a more rigorous Communist dogmatism in the mid-sixties marginalized Nueva
Trova
artists.
NT artists “tested boundaries” both in their dress and music, adopting “hippie styles”, busking, and writing songs critical of the Revolution’s attitudes towards
youth and outsiders.
Their music also incorporated influences from American rock and roll which the Revolution strongly opposed.
Slide5
Young musicians took a “loyal opposition” stance to the Revolution, supporting its goals and philosophy while criticizing its actions.
From 1968 to about 1972 Nueva
Trova
artists faced media scrutiny, censorship and at times imprisonment.
Pablo
Milanes
, one of the most famous figures of the movement was imprisoned in an UMAP between 1965 and 1966, under suspicion of homosexuality.
Silvio Rodriguez, meanwhile was fired by the organization he was working for in 1969 and was forced
(either by circumstances or
as punishment)
to
work on a fishing boat for a year. Slide6
Haydee Santamaria
One of the most important figures in the Cuban Revolution, especially with regards to culture.
Had fought along with Fidel at the
Moncada
assault in 1953. Arrested and tortured by Batista forces. Both her brother Abel and her boyfriend were tortured and executed for their role in the assault. Also fought with Fidel in the Sierra
Maestra
.
Founded and headed the Casa de
las
Americas in 1967. Encouraged artists and poets from the Americas to visit Cuba and provided a haven for Nueva
Trova
singers.Slide7
The seventies
The regime’s view of Nueva
Trova
began to change in the Seventies:
Castro threw his support behind the Allende government in Chile and invited Chilean musicians to Cuba to perform (Victor
Jara
and Inti-Illimani)
ICAIC
, (
Instituto
cubano
de arte e
industria
cinematografica
)
an organization primarily dedicated to Cuban Cinema, formed a subgroup called the GES
(
groupo
de
experimentacion
sonica
)
in
order to give
Trova
musicians work.
The
Communist party
began inviting
Trova
musicians to represent Cuba abroad.
By 1973
Trova
had become government established, the unofficial representative of the Cuban Revolution abroad. Slide8
Silvio Rodriguez
One of the most internationally known members of the Nueva
Trova
movement along with Pablo
Milanes
.
Grew up in rural family in San Antonio de los
Banos
, later moved to Havana.
Took an interest in music from his mother and grandmother. Took piano lessons at the Conservatory in Havana for a time. Also picked up an interest in literature there.
Was 13 years old when the Revolution ousted Batista. Eventually joined the AJR
Is well known particularly as a lyricist. Lyrics tend to combine surrealistic imagery and emotional or introspective themes. Slide9
Pablo Milanes
Born in 1943, Studied music at the Municipal Conservatory of Havana.
His early music drew heavily on “
Filin
”, a romantic ballad genre popular in the 1940’s.
Gained public acclaim through his compositions and performances with Los
Bucaneros
in the mid sixties.
Met Silvio Rodriguez though his involvement with Casa de
las
Americas, specifically the festival Primer
Encuentro
Internacional
de la
Cancion
de
Protesta
, sponsored by
Haydee
Santamaria.
Brought
the influences of Afro-Cuban folk music (son, rhumba) into
TrovaSlide10
Pedro Luis Ferrer
Associated with both Nueva
Trova
(1970’s) and
Novisima
trova
(1980’s)
Ferrer
wrote some of the most anti-authoritarian music in Cuba
.
Was often censored by the Revolutionary government. Unable to perform concerts in
Cuba
at various junctures in his career.
Songs became popular in the underground
Is frequently contrasted with the “Establishment
Trovadores
” (
Milanes
and Rodriguez) who eventually became
officialized
by the Revolution. Ferrer remained anti-establishment throughout his career. Slide11
Carlos Varela
One of the most famous members of “
Novisima
Trova
”,
the movement that grew out of Nueva
Trova
in the 1980’s but rejected the latter’s mainstream status.
Had difficulty recording and performing music in Cuba and was forced to find workarounds, taking acting classes and incorporating music into them.
Was eventually discovered and helped by Silvio Rodriguez and taken to Spain where he was able to record his first album “Jalisco Park”
His style takes a lot from Rodriguez, including introspective lyrics which often criticize the older generation’s disregard for the young.
Some of his songs have been featured in Hollywood movies such as 2004 “Man on Fire”. In 2009 he travelled to Washington in order to try and sway US policy changes on Cuba.