LCFAFA No. 12 August 1993 PUERTO RICO RECORDINGS IN THE ARCHIVE OF FOLK CULTURE Compiled by David J. Rodriguez, Ann M. Hamilton, H. Simon Bryce, and Joseph C. Hickerson ................................................................. This finding aid describes the Archive of Folk Culture's recorded collections that document the traditional music and folklife of Puerto Rico and of Puerto Ricans in the United States. Throughout the finding aid you will encounter several abbreviations. AFS and AFC numbers refer to the sequential numbering of recordings and other formats cataloged and controlled by the Archive of Folk Culture. LWO, RWA, RXA, and RYA numbers are shelflist designations for cassettes and tapes. All indications of time duration are estimates. A glossary of Spanish-language terms is given at the end of this finding aid. Information on listening to and obtaining copies of the recordings may be obtained by writing to the Archive of Folk Culture, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540-8100; (202) 707-5510. Also available upon request is a finding aid entitled _Latin_American_and_Caribbean_ Recordings_in_the_Archive_of_Folk_Culture_ (1960). The compilers wish to thank Everette E. Larson of the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress and Daniel Sheehy, director of the Folk Arts Program of the National Endowment for the Arts, for their assistance in preparing Spanish titles and glossary descriptions. ................................................................. AFS 1616-1637 Twenty-two 12-inch discs of songs performed by various singers recorded at the Library of Congress by Alan Lomax, May 1938. AFS 1631 A5; 1632 B3: Two discs containing two versions of "Contestame si me amas" (Answer Me If You Love Me), sung by Barbara Bell of Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Thirty seconds each; tape copy on LWO 4872 reel 119A) AFS 3809-3880 Seventy-two 12-inch discs from the California Folk Music Project, a field survey of songs, instrumentals, and religious ceremonies recorded in northern California by Sidney Robertson, November 1938--March 1940, under the joint sponsorship of the Music Department of the University of California at Berkeley, the Library of Congress, and the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A). These recordings are accompanied by numerous photos, scale drawings of musical instruments, transcriptions of lyrics and music, as well as several linear feet of field notes, correspondence, and other documentation. AFS 3876-3877: Two discs containing fourteen Puerto Rican songs. Recorded in Oakland, April 10, 1939. (Eighteen minutes; tape copy on LWO 4872 reel 252B) AFS 3866 A1: "El terruno." National song of Puerto Rico sung by Aurora Calderon of Vieques, Puerto Rico. AFS 3866 A2-A3: Two versions of "Si me dan pasteles" (If You Gave Me Pastries). Aguinaldo sung by Aurora Calderon. AFS 3866 A4: "Venid, pastores" (Come, Shepherds). Aguinaldo sung by Aurora Calderon. AFS 3866 B1: "El Jibarito" (The Peasant). Bolero sentimental about the Depression in Puerto Rico, sung by Elinor Rodrigues of the United States. AFS 3866 B2: "La estrella del oriente" (The Star of the Orient). Aguinaldo sung by Mrs. Cruz Losada of San Juan, Puerto Rico. AFS 3867 A1: "A mi madre querida" (To Mother Dear), sung by Mrs. Cruz Losada. AFS 3867 A2: "Dona Anna" (Lady Anne). Children's game song sung by Mrs. Cruz Losada. AFS 3867 A3: "Nino querido" (Dear Child). Lullaby sung by Mrs. Cruz Losada. AFS 3867 B1: "San Sererin." Children's game song sung by Aurora Calderon. AFS 3867 B2: "La madre querida" (Mother Dear), sung by Mrs. Cruz Losada. Learned ca. 1918 when she was a child in school. AFS 3867 B3: "Arroz con leche" (Rice with Milk). Dance song sung by Mrs. Cruz Losada. AFS 3867 B4: "La pajaro pinta" (The Gay Bird). Dance song sung by Mrs. Cruz Losada. AFS 3867 B5: "La estrella del oriente" (The Star of the Orient). Aguinaldo sung by Mrs. Cruz Losada. AFS 6089-6091 Three 16-inch discs of songs performed by Barbara Bell of Minneapolis, Minnesota, recorded at the Library of Congress by Alan Lomax and Arthur Semmig, January 1942. AFS 6091 A6: One disc containing "Contestame si me amas" (Answer Me If You Love Me) sung with guitar accompaniment and explanation. (One minute and forty-five seconds; tape copy on LWO 3493 reel 40B) AFS 8726-8760 Twenty-eight 12-inch discs and seven 16-inch discs of songs recorded in Puerto Rico by Richard A. Waterman of Northwestern University in 1946 in cooperation with the Puerto Rican Office of Information. Portions of this collection have been published by the Library of Congress on recording number AFS L18, Folk Music of Puerto Rico. (Six hours and forty-five minutes; tape copy on LWO 5111 reels 136B-140A) AFS 8946-8949 Four 16-inch discs of religious ceremonies recorded in Puerto Rico by Joseph Barth ca. 1948. (One hour and forty-five minutes; tape copy on LWO 5111 reels 169B-170A) AFS 10,915-10,918 Three 10-inch discs and one 6-inch disc of songs recorded in Puerto Rico and donated by Ruth Fouche in June 1955. (Twenty-five minutes; tape copy on LWO 5111 reel 355A) AFS 20,524-20,867 Ninety-nine 7-inch tapes and 245 cassettes from the Chicago Ethnic Arts Project Collection, a field survey of ethnic artistic expression including dance, foodways, neighborhood gatherings, religious celebrations, and vocal and instrumental music. Recorded in the Chicago, Illinois, area by various collectors under the direction of Elena Bradunas, February- November 1977; cosponsored by the American Folklife Center and the Illinois Arts Council. These recordings are accompanied by a 561-page report on the project published by the American Folklife Center in January 1978, as well as numerous slides and photographs and several linear feet of field notes and logs. The following Puerto Rican examples were recorded in Chicago by Philip B. George. AFS 20,749: One cassette containing a live television broadcast of "El show jibaro" (The Peasant Show) hosted by Israel Maldonado, including performances of boleros, merengues, waltzes, and other dance songs and instrumentals. Recorded at WCIU, Channel 26 Studios, June 25, 1977. (Forty-five minutes; RYA 0767) AFS 20,752-20,757: Two cassettes and four 7-inch tapes containing an interview with Israel Maldonado, an interview with cuatro player Arcadio Otero, and performances by Conjunto de Cuerdas Tipicas that include plenas and other dance songs, a seis con decima, and instrumentals. Recorded at El Romance Club, June 28, 1977. (Two hours and thirty-six minutes; RYA 0770-0771, RXA 1063-1066) AFS 20,758: One cassette containing an interview with Gamaliel "Bobby" Ramirez, member of the five-person collective that runs El Taller (The Workshop), a community arts center, recorded at the office of El Taller, June 29, 1977. Topics include an outline of the organization and its evolution; variety of workshops; philosophy of the collective; future objectives of Bobby and of El Taller; history of Puerto Ricans in Chicago; riots in 1967. (Thirty-five minutes; RYA 0772) AFS 20,771-20,772: Two 7-inch tapes containing boleros, merengues, polkas, and rancheras performed by Pedrito Roman y Los Amantes. Recorded at El Romance Club, July 2, 1977. (One hour; RXA 1075-1076) AFS 24,286 One 10-inch tape of a performance of Afro- Hispanic music by Maria y sus Magnificos of Washington, D.C., including cumbia, salsa, boleros, and merengue, recorded at the Library of Congress Neptune Plaza by Pete Reiniger, September 18, 1986. Presented by the American Folklife Center in cooperation with the National Council for the Traditional Arts. This collection includes numerous photographs. (One hour and thirty minutes; RWB 3320) AFS 27,060 One 10-inch tape of a performance by cuatro player Yomo Toro and his Conjunto Tipico Puertorriqueno, including decimas, plenas, and aguinaldos, recorded at the Library of Congress Coolidge Auditorium, September 13, 1984. Presented by the American Folklife Center in conjunction with the Library's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Week. This collection includes numerous photographs. (One hour and thirty minutes; RWA 7847) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The following collections have not yet been fully processed: AFC 1987:042 247 7-inch tapes and ninety cassettes from the Lowell Folklife Project, a field survey that examines ethnicity and occupational lore. Recorded in the Lowell, Massachusetts, area by various collectors under the direction of Doug DeNatale, August-October 1987; cosponsored by the American Folklife Center and the Lowell Historic Preservation Commission. These recordings are accompanied by numerous slides and photographs and several linear feet of field notes and logs. The following Puerto Rican examples were recorded in Lowell. LFP/MM/R001-R003: Three 7-inch tapes containing events and music at the Puerto Rican Festival, recorded by Doug DeNatale, Mario Montano, and Tom Rankin, August 20, 1987. The following performances are featured. Merengue music of the Dominican Republic performed by Los Aces del Merengue. "Poesia negroid," a form of poetry performed by blacks who were brought to Puerto Rico by slave traders and were sold along the coast. Read by Patrick Charles Rivera, stationed in Maine with the U.S. Army. Aguinaldos, boleros, guarachas, merengues, and sies mainly from Naranjito, Puerto Rico. Performed by Oscar Lugo y su Conjunto Jivaro of Southbridge, Massachusetts. Instruments include the cuatro, six-stringed guitar, bongas, and guiro. Performance by El Grupo Folklorico de Bailes Latinos, a children's ballet group of Worcester, Massachusetts, directed by Miguel Almestica. Merengue music of the Dominican Republic performed by Los Astros of Fitchburgh, Massachusetts. Boleros and love songs sung by Johnny Albino y su Conjunto of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Cuban music, cumbias, and salsa performed by El Grupo Chevere. LFP/MM/A001: One cassette containing an interview with Ramon and Jose Nieves regarding the origins of the Puerto Rican Festival in Lowell, its political and civic importance, fund-raising to support the festival, and family life, recorded by Mario Montano and Tom Rankin, August 20, 1987. LFP/TR/A002: One cassette containing Leo Vasquez singing a bolero and reciting poetry, recorded by Tom Rankin, August 20, 1987. LFP/MM/R004-R006: Three 7-inch tapes containing interviews with Felix Luna, Hector Medina, and Nereida Nieves regarding social relations, Catholicism, religious traditions and beliefs, spiritualism, foodways, gender roles, Jibaro music, Puerto Rican ethnic identification, regional costumes, Puerto Rican racial mixture, family stories, parades, folk healing, and making musical instruments. Recorded by Doug DeNatale, John Lueders-Booth, and Mario Montano, October 22, 1987. LFP/MM/R007-R009: Three 7-inch tapes containing a Puerto Rican church service at the Church of the Nazarene, recorded by Doug DeNatale, John Lueders-Booth, and Mario Montano, October 25, 1987. LFP/MM/R010-R011: Two 7-inch tapes containing interviews and songs about Puerto Rican workers, recorded by Doug DeNatale, John Lueders-Booth, and Mario Montano, October 25, 1987. AFC 1992:001 One 10-inch tape, one 7-inch tape, and one cassette of a performance of Jibarito by Edwin Colon Zayas y su Taller Campesino recorded at the Library of Congress Neptune Plaza, April 23, 1992. Presented by the American Folklife Center. This collection includes a videotape and numerous photographs. (One hour and thirty minutes) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Addendum The Archive of Folk Culture has recently received twenty- seven 7-inch tapes and seven 5-inch tapes of songs and instrumentals recorded in Puerto Rico by Henrietta Yurchenco, 1967-79. This collection is as yet unaccessioned and uncataloged. ................................................................. Glossary of Select Terms in Spanish Used in This Finding Aid: Aguinaldo: A Christmas carol. Bolero: A pan-Latin American popular song in moderate tempo and duple meter, most likely originating in Cuba and spreading through the popular media in the 1930s through 1950s. Conjunto: Literally, "ensemble." Often refers to a dance band of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, or other instruments against a rhythmic setting that includes conga and bongo drums. Cuatro: A ten-stringed, five-course guitar from Puerto Rico used as an ensemble instrument in both secular and religious music. Cumbia: A dance originating in Colombia and Panama as a folk form and evolving into a pan-Latin popular dance genre. Decima: A verse form, commonly sung, comprising ten lines, which elaborates on a theme often introduced by a quatrain. Guiro: In Puerto Rico, an elongated scraper fashioned from the marimbo gourd. Guarasha: A music/dance form originating in Cuba. Jibaro: A person of rural Hispanic Puerto Rican origin. Merengue: A dance originating in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Venezuela, with both folk and urban popular traditions. Its song texts, often regional in subject matter, are in typical Spanish copla (four-line stanza) and estribillo (refrain) form. Plena: A song genre of Puerto Rico, believed to have originated in the late nineteenth century, with a binary form consisting of solo or duet melodies followed by choral refrains. Narrative texts are often humorous or satirical. Ranchera: A Mexican-style "country song" genre. Salsa: A popular music style of Cuban origin that evolved in the 1940s and continues to be popular among Puerto Rican musicians and audiences. Seis con decima: A Puerto Rican accompanied vocal piece, similar to counterparts in Colombia and Venezuela, consisting of a series of decimas. ................................................................. This version of this finding aid has been prepared in ascii text for distribution on Internet. Diacritics and fonts have been removed for this format. To recieve a free printed copy of this finding aid write to the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540. Note: This publication is in press. Printed copies should be available in early 1994.