Musical Ritual in Mexico City: From the Aztec to NAFTA

by Mark Pedelty

On the Zócalo, the main square of Mexico City, Mexico's entire musical history is performed every day. "Mexica" percussionists drum and dance to the music of Aztec rituals on the open plaza. Inside the Metropolitan Cathedral, choristers sing colonial villancicos. Outside the National Palace, the Mexican army marching band plays the "Himno Nacional," a vestige of the nineteenth century. And all around the square, people listen to the contemporary sounds of pop, rock, and música grupera. In all, some seven centuries of music maintain a living presence in the modern city. This book offers an up-to-date, comprehensive history and ethnography of musical rituals in the world's largest city. Mark Pedelty details the dominant musical rites of the Aztec, colonial, national, revolutionary, modern, and contemporary eras, analyzing the role that musical ritual played in governance, resistance, and social change. His approach is twofold. Historical chapters describe the rituals and their functions, while ethnographic chapters explore how these musical forms continue to resonate in contemporary Mexican society. As a whole, the book provides a living record of cultural continuity, change, and vitality.

352 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2004

About the author

Mark Pedelty is an associate professor of Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of War Stories: The Culture of Foreign Correspondents (1995), Musical Ritual in Mexico City: From the Aztec to NAFTA (2004), and Ecomusicology: Rock, Folk, and the Environment (2012). Dr. Pedelty is currently conducting applied research concerning music as environmental communication.

Reviews

[Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.