This post will briefly discuss representation and expanding the classical music performance repertoire to include Latin American and Caribbean composers. It is necessary for me to write about this, considering that debates have emerged in the past few years (particularly, this year) concerning the problematic nature of the classical music genre. Many have stressed its lack of diversity by focusing too much on dead European and American composers, to frequent instances of cultural appropriation and racism. As a contemporary classical composer of Puerto Rican descent, I agree with such complaints and realize that concert halls and operas houses must do more to clean up this negative image and treat music by Latin American and Caribbean composers (and other marginalized groups) as more than just a novelty.

I consider this blog post as an addendum to my previous discussion about audio recording preservation. Like that post, I will offer digital online resources that people can use to locate information about Latin American and Caribbean music. With that said, let me begin by referring once again to one of the resources that I talked about last week: the “Audio Recordings” section of the Archivo Virtual Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (ICP). This audio archive features digitized recordings of music by Puerto Rican composers from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The segment on nineteenth-century classical music concentrates on danzas from the Romantic era by Manuel Gregorio Tavárez (1843-1883), Juan Morel Campos (1857-1896), and many others. The section dedicated to twentieth-century Puerto Rican classical music features recordings of works by composers like Hector Campos Parsi (1922-1998), Rafael Aponte Ledée (b. 1937), and Ernesto Cordero (b. 1946).

This is not to say that this archive is without problems. I mentioned last week that it does not contain contemporary popular music from the twenty-first century. Perhaps, the same can be said about its selection of contemporary classical music. To my knowledge, I was unable to locate mainland U.S.-based composers from the Puerto Rican diaspora, as well as Afro-Puerto Rican, female, and LGBTQIA composers. In this era, proper representation from these groups is important now more than ever.

In terms of classical music ensembles, the Unitas Ensemble focuses specifically on promoting classical music by Latin American and Caribbean composers. Based in Boston and directed by Lina Gonzalez-Granados, this group specializes in performing pieces by both deceased and living composers from international and stateside Latin American and Hispanophone Caribbean communities. The ensemble also commissions new pieces by Latin American and Caribbean composers to expand and enhance the classical music repertoire. Many of their performances can be accessed through social media.

While this blog post functions mainly to help musicians based in the United States in terms of Latin American  musical representation, I am aware that some Latin American composers  have encountered backlash for their work. Miguel del Águila (the current Composer in Residence for the Orchestra of the Americas) notes that people like the Argentine tango composer Astor Piazolla (1921-1992) were often shunned in their home country for experimenting too much with traditional or popular music genres, while this same experimentation has often been appreciated elsewhere (see latest program from Unitas Ensemble). The problem of underrepresentation, then, must not be perceived as strictly U.S.-centric, but global. In other words, both geographical regions must do their part to accurately and fairly demonstrate works from past and present Latin American composers.

Versión Español:
Hoy en el blog, nos concentraremos en los archivos de audio y otros recursos que actualmente están disponible en línea con materiales sobre América Latina, el Caribe, y las comunidades estadounidenses. Específicamente, hablo de archivos selectos que las personas pueden tener acceso fácilmente desde su casa: para trabajos independientes de investigación, o por curiosidad. Aunque se pueden conseguir colecciones para trabajos académicos en línea, algunos de ellos tienen listas de catálogo y requieren que las personas obtengan acceso físico.

La Biblioteca de Congreso es un buen punto de referencia para comenzar a buscar archivos virtuales de audio relacionado con América Latina y el Caribe: especialmente, las áreas en los E.E.U.U. Esta institución investigativa contiene versiones digitales de grabaciones musicales y de discursos etnográficos. Por ejemplo, una selección del W.P.A. California Folk Music Project, dirigida por la etnomusicóloga Sydney Robertson Cowell (1903-1995), contiene grabaciones de la comunidad puertorriqueña en California en el 1939. Sin embargo, colecciones como estas deben ser usadas cautelosamente, porque las restricciones especificas bajo la sección de “Los derechos y acceso.” La Biblioteca de Congreso advierte a las personas que deben usar los materiales en sus colecciones para trabajos académicos y que otros propósitos (fuera de la política de “Uso justo” en los Estados Unidos) usualmente requieren permiso de los derechos del autor.

Otros recursos de gran valor en relación a las grabaciones latinoamericanas y caribeñas que son digitalizadas son las “Grabaciones” en el Archivo Virtual del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (ICP), y otro recurso es la Colección Gladys Palmera. Ambos archivos están actualmente disponibles al público con ejemplos accesibles de grabaciones de distintos géneros: desde música clásica, hasta la música popular. Pero, hay algunas diferencias importantes entre los dos archivos. El Archivo Virtual Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña se concentra en las grabaciones hechas específicamente en Puerto Rico bajo la etiqueta del ICP. Por otro lado, La Colección Gladys Palmera representa parte de una grande colección privada (basada en España) de discos sobre la música de América Latina y del Caribe acumulado por mas de tres décadas. Cinco mil grabaciones de cincuenta mil grabaciones de audio están disponibles en línea, con listas de canciones y piezas musicales para escuchar. La música popular en estas colecciones muestra algunos géneros del siglo xx: como música folclórica, mambo cubano, música afrolatino, y el rock en español.
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¿Y que de los géneros musicales mas recientes de las últimas décadas del siglo xx hasta hoy? Hay muchos músicos y agrupaciones musicales internacionales y del E.E.U.U. (además de Residente, Bad Bunny, y otros nombres mas conocidos por el público) que están representados en plataformas como Bandcamp. Basado en Bandcamp, la promoción de música latina que ofrecen es un material diverso donde incluyen gran diversidad de géneros que remueven barreras de estereotipo en estos tiempos.   

English Version
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Today’s blog will concentrate on audio archives and other related resources currently available online with materials about Latin America, the Caribbean, and their stateside communities. More specifically, I discuss select archives that people can easily access from their home: either for independent academic research, or out of curiosity. I mention that last part because, while there are academic research collections online, some of them contain lists and require physical travel to obtain access.

The Library of Congress serves as a good starting point for virtual audio archives related to Latin America and the Hispanophone Caribbean: especially stateside areas in the U.S. It contains digitized versions of recorded music and speech via ethnographic field recordings. For example, a sample selection from the W.P.A. California Folk Music Project, led by ethnomusicologist Sydney Robertson Cowell (1903-1995), features musical field recordings from the Puerto Rican community in California from 1939. Collections such as this must be treated with caution due to specific restrictions in the “Rights and Access” section. The LOC advises people to use the materials in this and other collections for academic research and that other applications (besides “Fair Use”) usually require permission from the copyright holder.

Other valuable resources pertaining to digitized audio recordings related to Latin America and the Caribbean include the “Audio Recordings” section of the Archivo Virtual del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (Virtual Archive of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture) and the Colección Gladys Palmera (Gladys Palmera Collection). Both archives are currently available to the public with accessible samples of audio recordings of music and speech spanning different genres: from classical, to popular. There are several key differences, however. The  Archivo Virtual Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña focuses on audio recordings strictly from Puerto Rico made under the ICP record label. On the other end, the Colección Glady Palmera represents part of a large private collection (based in Spain) of Latin American and Caribbean records collected over three decades. Five thousand of the fifty-thousand audio recordings are listed online, some of them compiled in playlists for the public to hear. The popular music presented in both collections demonstrate several genres from the twentieth century: from folk music, to Cuban mambo and Afro-Latinx music, to rock in Spanish.

What about the newer popular music genres from the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries? There are many international and stateside Latin American and Caribbean artists (besides Residente, Bad Bunny, and other familiar names) who are represented on platforms like Bandcamp. Based on Bandcamp, the promotion of Latin music offers material that includes a grand diversity of genres that remove the barriers of stereotyping in these times.

En el blog anterior, hable de la radio en Puerto Rico y en Argentina y el impacto e importancia que tuvo en la sociedad y la política. Hoy, continuamos con otro segmento de mi investigación[1] enfocándonos en la importancia de la tecnología de las grabaciones en estas regiones: específicamente, el fonógrafo y el gramófono. Hablo de como los músicos de Puerto Rico y Argentina (incluyendo las comunidades de puertorriqueños en Nueva York) usaban estas formas de tecnología para promover sus culturas y abarcar audiencias globales. Además, cubrimos como esta tecnología de la radio y grabaciones ayudo a establecer conexiones musicales y culturales entre Puerto Rico y Argentina, a pesar de sus diferencias geográficas.


[1] Anthony L. Sánchez Crúz, El jibaro y el gaucho unidos en la música y canción (Vancouver, BC: Ditrie Marie Bowie, 2018).    

​In the last blog post, I discussed the impact of radio in Puerto Rico, noting its significance in both society and politics. Today, I continue with another passage from my investigation[1] by focusing on the importance of early audio recording technology in these regions: specifically, the phonograph and gramophone. I explain how Argentine and Puerto Rican musicians (including the  stateside Puerto Rican communities like New York City) used these recording technologies to  promote their cultures and reach a global audience. Additionally, I mention how these recording technologies, along with radio, helped to establish musical and cultural connections between Puerto Rico and Argentina despite geographical differences.


[1] Anthony L. Sánchez Crúz, The Jibaro and the Gaucho United in Music and Song (Vancouver, BC: Ditrie Marie Bowie, 2018, 2019).

Versión Español:
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​La creación y expansión de la música fue posible gracias a los elementos de difusión global con nuevas ideas y un renacimiento tecnológico. Esto sucede cuando aparatos de difusión aparecen en la vida cotidiana en secuencia de uno o dos años de diferencia, trayendo cada uno mejor tecnología que la anterior. En 1877, Thomas Edison creo el fonógrafo, que usó cilindros de cera para grabar dictaciones y después música. Con la implementación de cilindros en la Argentina en los 1890s, los establecimientos ofrecían distintas selecciones de piezas liricas, canciones patriotas y música de payadores. [1]

El gramófono fue creado en 1888 por Emil Berliner. Esta invención se impuso sobre el cilindro, utilizando discos planos en vez de los cilindros de cera. Ya para el 1894, se lanzaron los primeros discos. Pero, como fue en todas partes del mundo, los cilindros y discos coexistieron hasta que las maquinas reproductoras quedaron obsoletas y desaparecidas del mercado. Además, fue lógico que nueva tecnología empujara a la vieja. Las ventajas que el disco tenía era mayor capacidad de reproducción, según fue evolucionando. Se podía incluir más segundos, y más tarde se podían tener dos grabaciones: una a cada lado de la placa.[2]

Comenzaron a surgir las compañías de grabación como Columbia Records, Victor Records, disco Record Odeon—después Disco Nacional entre otras. Este corto recorrido a través de la tecnología no estaría completo sin mencionar al personaje principal que le dio vida a esta innovación grabadora y difusiva, “el musico.” Uno de los primeros músicos que se hizo muy popular en este medio fue Vicente Greco. Trabajó con Columbia Records y estuvo en su catálogo de tangos y de donde por primera vez se usó el término “repertorio criollo.” Para 1904, Carlos Gardel también apareció en el catálogo de Columbia Records.[3]

Carlos Gardel y Razzano también tuvieron etiquetas personalizadas con Disco Nacional. Esto es solo para mencionar algunos de los cientos de músicos destacados que hicieron esta nueva modalidad. Las situaciones políticas y el desarrollo de la Primera Guerra Mundial transformo el destino de las naciones, y este fue el caso de la discografía en Argentina. Los discos se grababan en Buenos Aires, pero las plantas matrices de copiar y prensar estaban en Europa. Habiendo gran demanda de la mercancía y poca oferta, la producción quedó desproporcionada.[4]
Mientras la información sobre las primeras grabaciones de música en Puerto Rico en los 1900 y los 1910 indica algunas brechas en su historia cronológica. Vale la pena mencionar que Puerto Rico llevaba diez años bajo territorio norteamericano. Una grabación cilíndrica de Edison Amberol aparece en 1909, grabada por Gracia López: la primera mujer en grabar música fuera de Puerto Rico, una pieza guaracha. Algunas grabaciones sobrevivieron, pero se encuentran en colecciones privadas no accesible al público.[5]

Según el coleccionista David Morales, solo algunas compañías de grabación viajaron a la isla o grabaron materiales de Puerto Rico. En 1910, de la casa Columbia Records, viajaron a San Juan donde hicieron más de cien grabaciones. Pero, se pueden contar con las manos las canciones de música tradicional jíbara. Otra compañía de grabación que visito la isla fue Victor. El catálogo de La Biblioteca Nacional del Congreso en Washington, DC solo cuenta con seis discos de esta compañía grabados en 1917, donde incluyen primordialmente música de cámara.[6]

El cuarto volumen de la serie de libros titulado La música étnica en grabaciones: Una discografía de grabaciones étnicas producida en los Estados Unidos (1990), escrito por Ricardo K. Spottswood, cubre los periodos de 1893 al 1942. Este volumen está dedicado a las culturas españolas, incluyendo las áreas latinoamericanas y caribeñas (Puerto Rico), portuguesas, filipinas, y vascas.[7] En relación a Puerto Rico, el catálogo de Spottswood contiene una diversidad en las grabaciones incluidas: cuatro danzas, coplas, típicas, bailes jibaros, tres canciones, y una guaracha. Es aquí donde se describe el “seis chorreao” como una melodía rápida ejecutada en el cuatro como acompañamiento de décima. Se refería al baile, no a la canción. También, se hace mención de cantantes, grupos y orquestas como Orquesta Cocolía, Orquesta Tizol y Orquesta Andino y Parrilla entre otros.[8] Es importante mencionar que la compañía de grabación Ansonia se especializo en la música de trova campesina.
 
Un enlace transcultural con la tecnología
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Las grabaciones musicales, la radiografía y radioteatro contribuyeron notablemente a crear una era de enlace transcultural, donde el público entusiasmado hacia preferencia de sus trovadores favoritos como Toñin Romero, los hermanos Morales Ramos y German Rosario entre otros. Donde la música folklórica de Puerto Rico y Argentina se expandía a través del mundo y la música de Argentina se hizo popular en la isla. Algunos de estos trovadores mencionado anteriormente, se le atribuye la creación de algunos de los seises inspirado por la música de Argentina. Además, tenemos que mencionar a Mariano Cotto del pueblo de Naranjito, que se le conocía como el “Bate de la espinela” por el uso de “pie forzado” que describe para rimar vocabulario retorico difícil. Muchos le atribuyen el estilo “tanguillos” y “milonga campera.” Grupos de músicos de Puerto Rico habían emigrado a Nueva York para los 1930. El Cuarteto Flores (de Pedro Flores) grabo la canción “Aguinaldo trulla”: una grabación folklórica estilizada. Mas tarde, se conoció como “El nacimiento del jibaro urbano.” Otro favorito fue Chuito el de Cayey, Chuito el de Bayamón, y el grupo Aurora entre otros.[9]

Así también el tango llegó a un periodo de esplendor, con letristas, cantantes y músicos como Omero Manzi, Osvaldo Pugliese Anibal Troillo, y Carlos Gardel, que para muchos fue su favorito. Con la modalidad del “Gardelmania” a través de las ondas radiales, se crearon grupos de fanáticos en la isla de Puerto Rico. La promoción de su llegada estuvo a cargo de la emisora radial WNEL, entre otro de los medios informativos. Lamentablemente, fueron los mismos medios de comunicación que divulgaron al pueblo puertorriqueño la triste noticia de su fallecimiento. El amor a Carlos Gardel y al tango de Argentina creo un sentido de unidad para los amantes de este estilo de música. Para los años 1940, la radio y el radioteatro continuaron siendo escenarios para recibir artistas locales y extranjeros. La música de tango estaba latente en la comunidad puertorriqueña.

Es tanto así que el programa radial de comedia Jíbaros de la radio tuvo una programación especial para recibir la cantante argentina Libertad Lamarque. Para que tengan una idea de la relación familiar entre ambas culturas, Jesús Rivera Pérez fue el responsable de escribir el espacio de comedia costumbrista, donde Libertad Lamarque haría su actuación. Según el libreto, Libertad aseguraba que ella era puertorriqueña y “Manomeco” la llamaba mentirosa. Ella estableció que nació en la isla de Vieques, y que estaba buscando a su hermano para cocinarle mofongo y cuchifritos. En la parodia, ella menciono tantas veces que había nacido en Vieques (lugar que por si ella no conocía) que decidió visitar la isla de Vieques.
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Para sorpresa, en el 1946, fue llamada “hija adoptiva” de la isla por el alcalde Antonio Ávila. Por un breve momento, los radioyentes tuvieron una conexión transcultural con referencias directas a las costumbres cotidiana de la isla, y ella experimento un cambio cultural con el vocablo puertorriqueño. Fue tanto el sentido familiar hacia la isla de Puerto y la isla nena de Vieques, qué a través de su larga carrera, fueron innumerables las visitas que hizo a Puerto Rico.


[1] Héctor Benedetti, “3. Setenta y ocho revoluciones por minuto: El tango empieza a expandirse,” en Nueva historia del tango: De los orígenes al siglo XXI (Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI Editores, 2016), 87-113.

[2] Héctor Benedetti, 87-113.

[3] Héctor Benedetti, 87-113.

[4] Héctor Benedetti, 87-113.

[5] David Morales, “Grabaciones tempranas de música jibara puertorriqueña: 1909-1910.” La Clave (Blog), http://plenama.blogspot.com/2011/06/early-audio-recordings-of-puerto-rican.html?m=1 (acceso el 14 de marzo de 2018).

[6] Biblioteca Nacional del Congreso, “Grabaciones de audio, 1910-1919, Puerto Rico,” https://www.loc.gov/audio/?fa=location%3Apuerto+rico&dates=1910-1919 (acceso el 24 de marzo de 2018).

[7] Ricardo K. Spottswood. La música étnica en grabaciones: La música étnica en grabaciones: Una discografía de grabaciones étnicas producida en los Estados Unidos: 1893-1942—Volumen 4: española, portuguesa, filipina, vasca (Urbana, IL: Imprenta de La Universidad de Illinois, 1990), 1609-2412.

[8] Ricardo K. Spottswood, 1609-2412; David Morales, “Grabaciones tempranas de música jibara puertorriqueña: 1909-1910.” La Clave (Blog), http://plenama.blogspot.com/2011/06/early-audio-recordings-of-puerto-rican.html?m=1 (acceso el 14 de marzo de 2018).

[9]  Proyecto del Cuatro Puertorriqueño, “Trovadores puertorriqueños,” http://www.cuatro-pr.org/es/node/150 (acceso el 8 de abril de 2018).   

English Version:

The creation and expansion of music became possible thanks in part to the global diffusion through new ideas and technological rebirth. This occurred when apparatuses designed for transmitting sound appeared in the everyday life in sequence of about one or two years, bringing with it a better form of technology that the previous one. In 1877, Thomas Edison created the phonograph, which used wax cylinders to record dictation and (later) music. With the implementation of cylinders in Argentina in the 1890s, the production establishments offered distinct selections of lyrical pieces, patriotic songs and music by payadores.[1]    

Emil Berliner created the gramophone in 1888. This invention imposed itself over the phonograph, using flat discs instead of wax cylinders. Already by 1894, recording technology companies had launched discs into production. However, as it occurred in most parts of the world, cylinders and discs coexisted until most of these manufacturing plants became obsolete and disappeared. Additionally, people found it logical for new technology to push out the old. The advantages that a disc had over a wax cylinder stemmed from greater space for reproduction, based on how disc formats would keep evolving over time. Discs could include more seconds or minutes, and later allowed for two recordings: one on each side of the board.[2]  

Record companies began to emerge like Columbia Records, Victor Records, Odeon—later Disco Nacional among others. This brief journey into technology would not be complete without mentioning the person who gave life to recording technology and transmission: “the musician.” One of the first musicians who grew in popularity through this form of media was Vicente Greco. Greco worked for Columbia Records and had a catalog of tangos where, for the first time, he applied the term “repertorio criollo” (“Creole Repertoire”). By 1904, Carlos Gardel also appeared on the music catalog from Columbia Records.[3]

Carlos Gardel and José Razzano also had personalized labels with Disco Nacional. This is solely to mention some of the hundreds of outstanding musicians who used this new technology. Political situations and the development of World War I (1914-1918) transformed the destiny of nations, and these factors affected the discographies in Argentina. Discs were recorded in Buenos Aires, but the manufacturing plants for pressing and reproducing these discs were in Europe. Having great demand for a commodity and short supply, production remained disproportionate.[4] 

Information concerning the first musical recordings in Puerto Rico in the 1900s and 1910s indicates several hiatuses in its chronology. It deserves mentioning that, at that point in time. Puerto Rico spent over ten years as an imperial territory under the United States. One Edison Amberol wax cylinder dates from 1909, recorded by Gracia López: the first female to record music outside of Puerto Rico, a guaracha. Some recordings from this era survive, but these are encountered in private collections not open to the public.[5]

According to the music recording collector David Morales, few record companies travelled to Puerto Rico or recorded music from that island. In 1910, in the case of Columbia Records, that company travelled to San Juan, where they produced more than one hundred recordings. However, one can quickly count the small number of recordings of traditional folk music (musica jíbara). The record company Victor also visited the island. The catalog from the Library of Congress in Washington, DC features only six recordings released by Victor in 1917, which primarily contains chamber music.[6]
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The fourth volume from the book series entitled, Ethnic Music on Records: A Discography of Ethnic Recordings Produced in the United States, 1893-1942, written by Richard K. Spottswood, covers a period of nearly fifty years of audio recordings and preservation. Spottswood dedicates this specific volume to Spanish cultures, including areas from Latin America, the Caribbean (Puerto Rico), Portugal, Philippines, and Basque region of Spain.[7] In relation to Puerto Rico, the catalog from Spottswood consist of a diversity of included recordings: four danzas, coplas, tipiccas, jibaro dances, three songs, and a guaracha. It is here where the “seis chorreao” gets described as a rapid melody performed by the cuatro as accompaniment to a décima. The seis here refers to the dance, not the song and type of music. Also, Spottswood provides in his catalog names of singers, groups and orchestras like Orquesta Cocolía, Orquesta Tizol and Orquesta Andino and Parrilla among others.[8] It deserves brief mention that the Ansona record label specialized in producing trova farm music.  
 
A Transcultural Link with Technology

Musical recordings, radio and radio theater contributed notably to the creation of a transcultural link, where the listening public enthusiastically had preferences for their favorite trovadors like Toñin Romero, the Morales Ramos Brothers and German Rosario among others.Folk music from Puerto Rico and Argentina expanded around the world, and the music from Argentina increased in popularity on the island of Puerto Rico. Some of the trovadores mention previously in this study, have been credited for creating some of the seises inspired by music from Argentina. Additionally, it deserves mention that Mariano Cotto from the town of Naranjito, who is known by many as “The Beat of the Espinela” (el “Bate de la espinela”) for his application of the “forced foot” (“pie forzado”) which is used to partially describe difficult rhyming techniques. Many give credit for the “tanguillo” and “música campera” styles of the seis to Cotto. Groups of Puerto Rican musicians had migrated to New York by the 1930s. The Forles Cuartet (Cuarteto Flores, led by Pedro Flores) recorded the song “Aguinaldo trulla”: a recording of stylized folk music. Later, this process came to be known as “The Birth of the Urban Jibaro” (“El nacimiento del jibaro urbano”). Other favorite musicians included Chuito from Cayey, Chuito from Bayamón and the group Aurora among other musical artists.[9]

The tango also entered into a period of splendor, with lyricists, singers and musicians like Omero Manzi, Osvaldo Pugliese Anibal Troillo, y Carlos Gardel, who proved to be a favorite for many listeners. With the “Gardel Mania” spreading across radio stations, people established fan groups on the island of Puerto Rico. Radio station WNEL, as well as other forms of media, took charge of promoting news about Gardel and his visit to the island in April 1935. Lamentably, the same media divulged the sad news of his death that same year to Puerto Rican audiences. The appreciation for Carlos Gardel and Argentine tango created a sense of unity for people who loved this type of music. In the 1940a, radio and radio theater continued to serve as the format for receiving local and foreign musical artists. Tango music grew latent in the Puerto Rican community.      

This last aspect manifested itself so much that the comedic radio show Jíbaros de la radio (Jíbaros of the Radio) produced am episode with special guest Argentine singer Libertad Lamarque. In order to establish an idea of the relationship between the two cultures (Puerto Rico and Argentina), Jesús Rivera Pérez wrote a folk comedy skit, where Libertad Lamarque participated and performed. According to the script, Libertad claimed that she was Puerto Rican, and “Manomeco” would call her a liar. She established that she was born on the island of Vieques, and she was looking for her brother so could cook mofongo and cuchifritps for him. In the parody, she frequently mentioned that she was from the island of Vieques (a location which she did not really know about at all) that she decided to visit that island.   
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As a surprise, in 1946, Libertad Lamarque was named the “Adopted Daughter” of Vieques by then Mayor Antonio Ávila. For one brief moment, raido listeners experienced a transcultural connection with direct references to the daily customs on the island, and she experimented with a cultural change by applying Puerto Rican speech.  She developed a  great sense of familiarity toward Puerto Rico and the sister island of Vieques , that  during her long  career,  she visited the island of Puerto Rico an innumerable amount of times.



[1] Héctor Benedetti, “3. Setenta y ocho revoluciones por minuto: El tango empieza a expandirse,” en Nueva historia del tango: De los orígenes al siglo XXI (Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI Editores, 2016), 87-113.

[2] Héctor Benedetti, 87-113.

[3] Héctor Benedetti, 87-113.

[4] Héctor Benedetti, 87-113.

[5] David Morales, “Early Audio-Recordings of Puerto Rican Jibaro Music: 1909-1910.” La Clave (Blog), http://plenama.blogspot.com/2011/06/early-audio-recordings-of-puerto-rican.html?m=1 (accessed March 14, 2018).

[6] Library of Congress, “Audio Recordings, 1910-1919, Puerto Rico,” https://www.loc.gov/audio/?fa=location%3Apuerto+rico&dates=1910-1919 (accessed March 24, 2018).

[7] Richard K. Spottswood, Ethnic Music on Records: A Discography of Ethnic Rcordings Produce in the United States: 1893-1942—Volume 4: Spanish, Portuguese, Filipino, Basque (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1990), 1609-2412.

[8] Ricardo K. Spottswood, 1609-2412; “Early Audio-Recordings of Puerto Rican Jibaro Music: 1909-1910.” La Clave (Blog), http://plenama.blogspot.com/2011/06/early-audio-recordings-of-puerto-rican.html?m=1 (accessed March 14, 2018). http://plenama.blogspot.com/2011/06/early-audio-recordings-of-puerto-rican.html?m=1 (acceso el 14 de marzo de 2018).

[9]  Proyecto del Cuatro Puertorriqueño, “Trovadores puertorriqueños,” http://www.cuatro-pr.org/es/node/150 (accessed April 8, 2018).   

​Este año de inpredectíble acontecimientos han sido pruebas de obstáculos para los artistas en la rama musical teniendo ellos que adaptarse a las restricciones de estos tiempos. (El Mes de la Hispanidad fue autorizado por primera vez por el Congreso de E.E.U.U. bajo la administración de presidente Lyndon Johnson en el 1968.) Recordamos los logros y contribuciones de artistas latinoamericanos y del Caribe en los Estados Unidos. Algunos de los efectos positivos fue la expansión de la nueva tecnología: la radio y grabaciones musicales. En otros aspectos, la situación vigente como huracanes, terremotos, COVID-19, y la supresión gubernamental en los medios de expresión públicos, son algunas de las similitudes de eventos ocurridos en América Latina y el Caribe en la pasada década. Esto fue el caso de PR y Argentina, el cual discuto en un Proyecto investigativo.[1] Estos eventos envolvieron: sobrevivir a una depresión económica y el censor político de transmisiones de radio. Este blog se dividirá en distintos segmentos. La investigacion presentada aquí será en español y en inglés.


[1] Anthony L. Sánchez Crúz, El jibaro y el gaucho unidos en la música y canción (Vancouver, BC: Ditrie Marie Bowie, 2018).

​This year of unpredictable events has proven challenging for musical artists having to adapt to the restrictions of the times. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (first authorized by Congress under President Lyndon Johnson in 1968), we remember the achievements and contributions by artists from Latin America and the Hispanophone (Spanish-speaking) Caribbean in the United States. Some positive contributions came in the form of harnessing and disseminating new technologies through radio and audio recordings in Latin America and the Caribbean. In many respects, the struggles encountered today (hurricanes, earthquakes, a COVID-19, and governmental suppression of media outlets and public expression) echo similar events that occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean in the past century.  Such was the case for Puerto Rico and Argentina, which I discuss in an investigative research project.[1]  These events involved surviving an economic depression and the censorship of radio broadcasts. This blog will be divided into  several segments. The research presented here is in both Spanish and English.


[1] Anthony L. Sánchez Crúz, The Jibaro and the Gaucho United in Music and Song (Vancouver, BC: Ditrie Marie Bowie, 2018, 2019).

Versión Español:

Durante los años de los 1920, surgió la creación de una tecnología de radiodifusión. La primera transmisión de radio en la Argentina fue en el 27 de agosto de 1920. La transmisión en Teatro Coliseo de Buenos Aires, que duró tres horas, comenzó con estas palabras: “Señoras y señores: La Sociedad Radio Argentina les presenta hoy el festival sacro de Ricardo Wagner Parsifal…” Esto fue posible por la dedicación y trabajo de cuatro estudiantes universitarios de medicina y radioaficionados, a los que se le conocía como “Los locos de Azotea.”[2]
  
En el 1920, Puerto Rico también contaba con un grupo de radioaficionados llamado “Porto Rico Radio Club”: dirigido por Joaquín Agusty y Manolo Ochoa entre otros miembros de este club. Mientras esta nueva tecnología llego a la isla el 3 de diciembre de 1922 con una programación inaugural de WKAQ en San Juan. Incluyo estas primeras palabras en las ondas radiales: “Esta es WKAQ en San Juan, capital de Puerto Rico, La Isla del Encanto, y donde se produce el mejor café del mundo.” (Joaquín Agusty). La corta programación comenzó con el himno nacional “La Borinqueña,” discurso inaugural por el juez del Tribunal Supremo Emilio Toro Cuevas, breves palabras del gerente de la compañía telefónica J. T. Quinn, seguido por selecciones musicales que incluyeron una soprano y una pianista interpretando música de danza.[3]

Solo unos pocos contaban con aparatos receptores. Fue un proceso largo y experimental del sistema de transmisión global. En la infancia de la radio, las presentaciones eran crudas, sin refinar y en vivo. A través de los tiempos, la radio se convirtió en un gran instrumento de comunicación transcultural, lo que hizo posible que muchos emigrantes se integraran a la nueva forma de cultura y sociedad. Recordando que la transmisión inicial en Argentina fue escuchada por cincuenta personas, los propietarios de los contados radios que había en el país. La evolución fue rápida ya que, para el año 1923, Argentina contaba con sesenta mil receptores. En el mismo año, las emisoras de radio empezaban hacer nombrada con la combinación de letras y números bajo la dirección del Ministerio de Marina.[4] Todo esto es tomando en consideración que comenzó a llegar al público argentino en el 1926. En Puerto Rico, los radioaficionados transmitían discos fonográficos para entretenimiento de sus amigos. Para los 1930 en la isla, habían alrededor de cuatro mil radios y una audiencia de vente y cinco mil personas.[5]

En Argentina, la radio siguió creciendo; algunas emisoras se crearon en días consecutivos unas de otras como Radio Argentina y Radio Cultura. Esta fueron algunas de las muchas emisoras de radio creadas: Radio Nacional LRA, Radio Paris, Radio Belgrano LR4 Radio “Splendid.” La primera emisora puertorriqueña, WKAQ de 1922, fue seguida por WNEL en 1934 como la segunda emisora en San Juan, que fue radioteatro. Después, llego la creación de WPRP Ponce en el 1936 y WPRA Mayagüez en el 1937.[6]

Aunque la radio no se pensó como una institución comercial, en el 1931 en Argentina se inauguró la emisora radial LV10 Radio Cuyo. Fue la primera emisora comercial, que se especializo en ventas y entretenimiento. Esta radio difusora transmitía música grabada y anuncios, pero también invitaba a músicos para tocar en el estudio. La emisora WNEL de la isla puertorriqueña se especializo en implementar radioteatro. Fue la primera en subscribirse a una agencia de noticia en el exterior y traer artistas del extranjero para presentarlos en programas como invitados internacionales (ej. Jorge Negrete y Pedro Vargas).[7]
 
Los receptores
 
La nueva tecnología hizo que los vecinos crearan un sentido de camaradería cuando se reunían a oír su programación favorita como entretenimiento: música, comedia, drama y transmisión de eventos deportivos. El poder ser dueño de un receptor en esos tiempos fue difícil. Con la caída de la bolsa de valores económicos de 1929, los desastres atmosféricos y las situaciones políticas, hicieron la vida más difícil no importaba si te encontrabas en Puerto Rico o Argentina.[8] Por ejemplo, el sueldo semanal de un trabajador en Puerto Rico era de diez a doce dólares. Cuando el costo de los receptores fluctuaba entre los treinta y sesenta dólares, el aparato se consideraba un lujo.

Una consecuencia con la nueva tecnología fue la necesidad de un reparadores de receptores: un problema común con la radio en Puerto Rico. Se empezaron a crear cursos en el extranjero de reparadores o técnicos especialistas. Cogiendo estos cursos de radio, los estudiantes recibían diagramas, planos y guías como parte de la instrucción.[9] Esto trajo como consecuencia que la gente podía construir su propio radio y donde se empezó a notar que muchos de los que tenían receptores en su casa eran de segunda mano y reparados. Los receptores podían ser comprados en mueblerías, como La Casa Sánchez Morales, que se dedicó a la venta de receptores por más de veinte años. Para los años de 1945 a 1950, se encontraban marcas de receptores, como Zenith, Philco y RCA.[10]
 
Los gobiernos y la programación radial
 
Las consecuencias de crisis económicas y los innumerables cambios de gobierno crearon inquietud en los pueblos, afectando los medios informativos de las comunidades, como la prensa y la radio. Como parte de esta forma de gobernación en la Argentina, hubo censuras y reglas estrictas. En 1933, se estableció un Reglamento de Radiocomunicaciones, el cual fue vigente hasta mayo 1946. En el mismo año, Edelmiro Farrell presenta otro decreto manual de instrucciones para la radiodifusión: una compilación de los redactados en 1933. Las motivaciones para la censura de la música en la radio fueron por razones políticas, lingüísticas, paranoicas, y ridículas.[11]

Desde 1930 al 1943, lo que conoce como “La Década Infame,” la Argentina sufrió un periodo de instabilidad y atropellos hacia los trabajadores. En su libro retrospectivo de 1945 La Década Infame, el periodista, escritor y político José Luis Torres expresaba el fraude electoral y corrupción de los tiempos.[12]Algunas de las reglas estrictas para la radio fueron censura de ciertos vocablos, según Enrique Fraga en su libro La prohibición del lunfardo en la radiodifusión; incluyeron palabras como “broadcast,” “nacional,” “malevo” y “milonga.” Según el autor, la definición de milonga era tachar directamente emblemas y cosmovisiones populares. La situación llego a tal extremo que algunas radioemisoras tuvieron que cesar operaciones o cambiar de nombre para poder seguir retransmitiendo.[13] Un modelo descriptivo divulgando las situaciones de aquel presente es el tango canción “Cambalache.” Si damos una vista al pasado, notamos que durante el periodo de “La Década Infame,” ese tango sobrevivió ocho años libre de censuras.

En el periodo de 1943 al 1949, el decreto de manual de instrucciones para las estaciones radiodifusoras fue sistemáticamente puesto en práctica. Fue cuando el Ministerio de la Educación de la época, tras hacer un análisis de la letra de “Cambalache,” sentencio al tango por sedicioso y mala interpretación del lenguaje. En 1976, el tango “Cambalache” nuevamente fue censurado: esta vez, por la dictadura militar. Han transcurrido ochenta y tres años de la composición de este tango canción, y se sigue adaptando al presente que vivimos pues ofrece una predicción para el futuro. Es por esta razón que Gregorio Selser usa “Cambalache.” en 1981 para analizar y criticar otro periodo de crisis en Argentina.[14]
​
Mientras en la isla de Puerto Rico, el gobierno desarrolló un proyecto complementario para la enseñanza pública en la radio llamada “La Escuela del Aire.” Esta programación comenzó en el 1935, y consistió en un espacio de tiempo dedicado a todas las emisoras principales de la isla: San Juan, Ponce y Mayagüez para la retransmisión de programas educativos, además de una programación nocturna dirigida al entretenimiento público general y a la educación de adultos. El propósito era combatir el analfabetismo, contribuir a la socialización de zonas rurales, proporcionando información acerca de asuntos económicos, problemas cívicos sociales, y de agricultura entre otros. Este fue un proyecto modelo de radio educativo para promover el progreso en la enseñanza y actividades de jóvenes y la población de adultas.[15] Entre el personal que ayudo en la programación, se encontraban escritores como Enrique Laguerre y Julia de Burgos y actores como Lucy Boscana y Leopoldo Santiago Lavadero. Esta fue la base para más tarde la creación de radio pública de Puerto Rico emisora de gobierno WIPR. El propulsor de esta idea fue Ernesto Ramos Antonini.[16]


[1] Anthony L. Sanchez Cruz, The Jibaro and the Gaucho United in Music and Song (Vancouver, BC: Ditrie Marie Bowie, 2018, 2019).

[2] Mdz, “Historia cronológica de la radio en Argentina.” https://www.mdzol.com/nota/232937-historia-cronologica-de-la-radio-en-la-argentina/ (acceso el 12 de marzo de 2018); Héctor Benedetti, “4. Problemático y febril: Un camino ascendente entre dos crisis de expresión,” en Nueva historia del tango: De los orígenes al siglo XXI (Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI Editores, 2016), 124-128.

[3] Tinta digital, “La radioafición en Puerto Rico,” http://www.qsl.net/kp4md/rcprsp.htm (acceso el 12 de marzo de 2018); “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico,” http://tintadigitalpr.com/blog/comienzos-de-la-radio-en-puerto-rico/ (acceso el 12 de marzo de 2018).

[4] Héctor Benedetti, “4. Problemático y febril: Un camino ascendente entre dos crisis de expresión,” en Nueva historia del tango: De los orígenes al siglo XXI (Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI Editores, 2016), 124-128.

[5] Mdz, “Historia cronológica de la radio en Argentina.” https://www.mdzol.com/nota/232937-historia-cronologica-de-la-radio-en-la-argentina/ (acceso el 12 de marzo de 2018); “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico,” http://tintadigitalpr.com/blog/comienzos-de-la-radio-en-puerto-rico/ (acceso el 12 de marzo de 2018).

[6] “Historia cronológica de la radio en Argentina”; “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico,”

[7] “Historia cronológica de la radio en Argentina.” “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico,”

[8] “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico”

[9] “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico”

[10] “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico”

[11] Juan Pablo Bertazza, “Si se calla el cantor,” Página 12, https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/suplementos/radar/9-4990-2008-12-14.html (acceso el 18 de abril de 2018).

[12] Gregorio Selser, “Prohíbese el tango ‘Cambalache,’ escrito en 1935. Molesto espejo.” El Dia, 26 de octubre de 1981, 55.

[13] Mdz, “Historia cronológica de la radio en Argentina.” https://www.mdzol.com/nota/232937-historia-cronologica-de-la-radio-en-la-argentina/ (acceso el 12 de marzo de 2018): Enrique Fraga, La prohibición del lunfardo en la radiodifusión (Argentina: Lajouane, 2006).

[14] Gregorio Selser, “Prohíbese el tango ‘Cambalache,’ escrito en 1935. Molesto espejo.” El Dia, 26 de octubre de 1981, 55.

[15] Tinta Digital PR, “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico,” http://tintadigitalpr.com/blog/comienzos-de-la-radio-en-puerto-rico/ (acceso el 12 de marzo de 2018).

[16] Tinta Digital PR, “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico.”

​English Version:
  
In the 1920s, the creation of radio transmission technology emerged. The first radio broadcast in Argentina commenced on August 27, 1920. The transmission at the Coliseum Theater of Buenos Aires (Teatro Coliseo de Buenos Aires), which lasted for three hours, began with these words: “Ladies and gentlemen: Today, the Argentine Radio Society presents the sacred festival of Richard Wagner’s Parsifal…” (“Señoras y señores: La Sociedad Radio Argentina les presenta hoy el festival sacro de Ricardo Wagner Parsifal…”). This broadcast was made possible through the dedication and work from four university students in Medicine and radio fanatics known as “Los locos de Azotea.” (“The Crazy People on the Rooftop”).[1]

In 1920, Puerto Rico also featured a group of radio aficionados called, “Porto Rico Radio Club”: directed by Joaquín Agusty and Manolo Ochoa in addition to other club members. This new technology arrived on the island on December 3, 1922 with an inaugural program from WKAQ in San Juan. It included these first words on the radio waves: “This is WKAQ in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, the Island of Enchantment, and where the best coffee in the world is produced!” [“Esta es WKAQ en San Juan, capital de Puerto Rico, La Isla del Encanto, y donde se produce el mejor café del mundo.” (Joaquín Agusty)]. The short program began with the Puerto Rican national anthem “La Borinqueña,” inaugural speeches by the judge of the Supreme Tribunal Emilio Toro Cuevas, brief words from the manager of the telephone company J. T. Quinn, followed by musical selections which included a soprano and pianist interpreting danza music. [2]
​
Relatively few people and places in the early twentieth century had access to radio receivers. The process of global transmission was long and experimental. In the early years of radio, broadcasts were initially raw, unedited and transmitted live. Over time, radio gradually converted into a grand instrument for transcultural communication, which enabled the possibility for immigrants to integrate this new sociocultural aspect. It deserves mention that fifty people listened to the initial radio transmission in Argentina, the number of owned radios in the country at that time. Radio evolved rapidly that, by 1923, Argentina had sixty-thousand radio receivers. That same year, radio stations began creating names by combining letters and numbers under the direction of the Ministry of Marina.[3] Taking these factors into consideration, radio in Argentina arrived and expanded to public audiences in 1926. In Puerto Rico, radio aficionados transmitted phonographic discs to entertain their friends. By the 1930s on the island, the availability of radios grew to four thousand and an audience of twenty-five thousand people.[4] 

In Argentina, radio continued to expand; several radio stations were created within mere days of each other, like Radio Argentina and Radio Cultura. The following is a list of many of the radio stations established: Radio Nacional LRA, Radio Paris, Radio Belgrano LR4 Radio “Splendid.” The first Puerto Rican radio station, WKAQ in 1922, was followed in 1934 by WNEL as the second radio station in San Juan, which specialized in radio show productions. Later, other radio stations formed on different areas of the island: like, WPRP Ponce in 1936 y WPRA Mayagüez in 1937.[5]
Even though people did not originally perceive radio as a commercial institution, Argentina inaugurated the radio station LV10 Radio Cuyo in 1931. It was the first Argentine commercial radio station, specializing in sales and entertainment. This radio station transmitted prerecorded music and announcements, as well as invited musicians to perform in the studio. The station WNEL in Puerto Rico implemented radio theater. It was the first radio station to subscribe to an agency of news outside of Puerto Rico and to bring foreign musical artists to present themselves on programs as invited international guests (eg., Jorge Negrete and Pedro Vargas from Mexico).[6]   
 
Receivers
 
The new technology of radio allowed for neighbors to create a sense of camaraderie when they gathered to hear their favorite programs for entertainment: music, comedy, drama, and broadcasts of sporting events. The ability of owning a radio receiver in those times (the 1920s and 30s) often proved difficult. The crash of the Stock Market and global economy in 1929, natural disasters and political turmoil complicated matters concerning social living in both Puerto Rico and Argentina.[7] For example, the weekly compensation for a worker in Puerto Rico amounted to ten to twelve dollars. When the cost of radio receivers fluctuated between thirty and seventy dollars, this device was often considered a luxury item.
   
One consequence of the new radio technology in Puerto Rico stemmed from the necessity for receiver repairmen: a common problem with radios sold on the island. Courses were developed for the purpose of teaching aspiring radio technicians. By taking these courses, students received diagrams, plans and guides as part of their instruction.[8] As a result, this enabled people to construct their own radios: many of which were noticeably secondhand quality and deffective. Receivers could be purchased at furniture stores, like La Casa Sánchez Morales, which dedicated part of its business to selling receivers for more than twenty years. From 1945 to 1950, one could find different brands of radio receivers like Zenith, Philco and RCA.[9]

The Governments and Radio Programming
 
The consequences of economic crises and governmental reform created a sense of restlessness in the cities and towns, affecting the media and forms of deriving information and communication, like the Press and radio. As part of this form of governance in Argentina, those in power enforced censorship and strict rules. In 1933, the Argentine Government established Regulations for Radio Communication, which went into effect until May 1946. In that year, Edelmiro Farrell presented another decree and manual of instructions for radio broadcasting: a compilation of the rules written in 1933. Reasoning and motivations behind governmental censorship of music on the radio ranged from politics, language, paranoia, and ridiculousness.[10]

From 1930 to 1943, the period which many Argentine historians refer to as “The Infamous Decade” (“La Década Infame”), Argentina suffered a series of instability and outrage in the workforce. In his retrospective book from 1945 The Infamous Decade (La Década Infame), the journalist, author and politician José Luis Torres expressed his views on the electoral fraud and corruption of the times.[11] Several of the stringent rules for implementing censorship in radio came in the form of banning certain words. according to Enrique Fraga in his book, La prohibición del lunfardo en la radiodifusión (The Prohibition of Slang in Radio Broadcasts); this included words like “broadcast,” “national,” “thug,” and “milonga.” According to the author, the definition of “milonga” (in terms of censorship) meant directly crossing out emblems and popular worldviews. This restrictive situation arrived at a point where some radio stations either had to shut down or change their name so that they could continue transmitting content.[12] One descriptive model divulging the matters at that point in time is the tango canción “Cambalache.” Looking at this song from the point of view of the past, one notices that during  “The Infamous Decade,” this tango survived for eight years without undergoing censorship.
        
In the period from 1943 to 1949, the decree of the manual of instructions for radio transmission became systematically put into practice. The Ministry of Education in that era, after carefully analyzing the lyrics to “Cambalache,” censored the tango for promoting acts of Sedition and what they understood as bad interpretation of the Argentine language through slang. In 1976, “Cambalache” underwent new censorship: that time, under the military dictatorship of the time. Approximately eighty-three years have passed since the composition of this tango canción, and it is still adapted to the present times and offers a predominantly pessimistic reflection on the future. It is for this reason that Gegorio Selser uses “Cambalache” in 1981 to analyze and criticize another period of crisis in Argentina.[13]
​    
Meanwhile, on the island of Puerto Rico, the government developed a complementary project designed to educate listeners called, “La Escuela del Aire.” (“School on the Airwaves”). This program began in 1935, and it consisted of a time slot dedicated to all of the main radio stations on the island: San Juan, Ponce y Mayagüez for retransmitting educational programs, in addition to a night program dedicated to entertaining the general public and educating adults. The purposes behind these programs served to combat illiteracy, contribute to socialization in the rural areas, providing information relate to economic affairs, civic social problems, and agriculture among others. This project formed a model for educational radio programming for promoting teaching and activities for the population of youths and adults.[14] Among the people who assisted in this programming, one encountered authors like Enrique Laguerre and Julia de Burgos and actors like and actors like Lucy Boscana and Leopoldo Santiago Lavadero. This served as the base for what would later lead to the governmental public radio station WIPR. Ernesto Ramos Antonini initiated this program.[15]
         
 
 
  


[1] Mdz, “Historia cronológica de la radio en Argentina.” https://www.mdzol.com/nota/232937-historia-cronologica-de-la-radio-en-la-argentina/ (accessed March 12, 2018); Héctor Benedetti, “4. Problemático y febril: Un camino ascendente entre dos crisis de expresión,” en Nueva historia del tango: De los orígenes al siglo XXI (Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI Editores, 2016), 124-128.

[2] Tinta digital, “La radioafición en Puerto Rico,” http://www.qsl.net/kp4md/rcprsp.htm (accessed March 12, 2018); “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico,” http://tintadigitalpr.com/blog/comienzos-de-la-radio-en-puerto-rico/ (accessed March 12, 2018).

[3] Héctor Benedetti, “4. Problemático y febril: Un camino ascendente entre dos crisis de expresión,” en Nueva historia del tango: De los orígenes al siglo XXI (Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI Editores, 2016), 124-128.

[4] Mdz, “Historia cronológica de la radio en Argentina.” https://www.mdzol.com/nota/232937-historia-cronologica-de-la-radio-en-la-argentina/ (accessed March 12, 2018); “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico,” http://tintadigitalpr.com/blog/comienzos-de-la-radio-en-puerto-rico/ (accessed March 12, 2018).

[5] “Historia cronológica de la radio en Argentina”; “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico,”

[6] “Historia cronológica de la radio en Argentina”; “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico,”

[7] “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico”

[8] “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico”

[9] “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico”

[10] Juan Pablo Bertazza, “Si se calla el cantor,” Página 12, https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/suplementos/radar/9-4990-2008-12-14.html (accessed April 18, 2018).

[11] Gregorio Selser, “Prohíbese el tango ‘Cambalache,’ escrito en 1935. Molesto espejo.” El Dia, 26 de octubre de 1981, 55.

[12] Mdz, “Historia cronológica de la radio en Argentina.” https://www.mdzol.com/nota/232937-historia-cronologica-de-la-radio-en-la-argentina/ (accessed March 12, 20182018): Enrique Fraga, La prohibición del lunfardo en la radiodifusión (Argentina: Lajouane, 2006).

[13] Gregorio Selser, “Prohíbese el tango ‘Cambalache,’ escrito en 1935. Molesto espejo.” El Dia, 26 de octubre de 1981, 55.

[14] Tinta Digital PR, “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico,” http://tintadigitalpr.com/blog/comienzos-de-la-radio-en-puerto-rico/ (accessed March 12, 2018).

[15] Tinta Digital PR, “Comienzos de la radio en Puerto Rico.”

My last post concentrated on the basics for how composers can set up their Casting Call Club profile. Today, I am talking about some of the significant points of auditioning for a given project. Like scoring for podcasts, there are rules that composers must follow (and mistakes to avoid) to properly attract the attention of the director.

Auditions

1. Carefully read the directions for each “Composer” role in a project. Sometimes, the director wants a specific type of music. Most of the time, though, they just require that you send a sample of your work that is readily available online (as a link) for them to access and check.
2. Submitting auditions in Casting Call Club should be treated like an “elevator pitch” for job interviews because that is practically what the process is. It is a chance for the composer to showcase a sample of their work to the director in the hopes of landing a music scoring opportunity. It also demonstrates their level of professionalism by communicating with the director in writing, because sending a link is not enough.
3. It really helps to include brief details about yourself to give the director some context. Specify who you are, where you are based, and the kind of music that you write. Also, indicate the link that you have provided in your submission and where it leads. Talking about yourself in these contexts does not mean expressing narcissism and acting like a jerk to everyone. Approaching an audition that way will almost certainly guarantee that the director will find someone else who is more capable for their project.
4. Demonstrate wanting the opportunity without coming off as desperate. Saying things like “Here’s my work. Hire me!” is considered unacceptable in the entertainment world (or any profession, for that matter), because it gives the impression of looking for attention. Instead, offer your professional contact e-mail and show interest in communicating with the director about the specifics of the project… if chosen.
5. Wait for the results for the project audition that you submitted by applying for more projects, because the process does not stop after one audition.
6. If cast for a project, remember to wait for the director to respond and provide instructions.

Keep in mind that these guidelines, while helpful, should not be perceived of as the only ways of doing things when auditioning for a project that requires music. These are just some of the basic rules to establish professionalism so that your work can be considered. There is also no guarantee that following these rules works all the time (Refer to “Rule No. 5”). Sometimes, carefully following audition submissions can still lead to the director picking someone else, because it is a matter of luck. For situations like that, I refer to what I said in my post about scoring for podcasts. Composers should never, ever publicly complain about or harass the project director and production team because that means getting banned from the Casting Call Club community (because someone will eventually see the outburst and report the profile for violating guidelines). It is best to just stop, calm down and move on to something else.

In my last post, I discussed some key steps that composers can follow if they want to compose music for podcasts. Allow me to expand upon that post and talk about a website that I frequently use to locate opportunities in entertainment. I primarily use Casting Call Club. This site offers paid and unpaid working opportunities for people in multiple facets of entertainment projects: from screenwriting and animation, to voice acting, audio engineering, and music composition.It is a good resource for composers who want the experience of networking with people in different entertainment backgrounds. The site currently offers paid courses for those interested in learning more, but I want to go over some of the basic rules for how composers can properly use it to their advantage. This discussion will be divided into two parts.

Profile Etiquette

1. Include your educational background and links to previous relevant projects that you have worked on in the past: things like music for podcasts, animations, live action videos, comedies, or dramas.

2. Specify the gender, type of language fluency (if collaborating with people from overseas), type of audio equipment, and music software that you use. This helps to get your “Composer” profile noticed by others, because it demonstrates your experience in the field.

3. Indicate price ranges and quotes for the kind of music that you create. Remember to be reasonable with the pricing and be willing to negotiate the price range with whoever is interested in commissioning music from you our collaborating with you.

4. Take into consideration the extreme socioeconomic circumstances of a given situation, like a global pandemic that has left most people broke. Although it is generally considered a bad idea in the professional world to do free work all the time, sometimes that may the only available option. In situations like that, composers must take the opportunity regardless and adapt.

5. If necessary, add a disclaimer or set of disclaimers explaining the kind of work that you will not compose for. It is usually a good feeling when a composing opportunity arises, because that usually means another project that can be added to your resume or CV. However, composers should also exercise caution and have some limits to what they do. In my case, I try to avoid composing music for material that would be considered “NSFW,” or “Not Safe for Work” (See “Contact”): especially in this era where practically everything on social media is scrutinized.

The next post will focus on what to do in the "Audition" phase of applying for a Casting Call Club opportunity. Some parts might wound similar to what I mentioned about composing for podcasts. I assure you, though, that there are some differences between the processes. 

​With the release of the Sticks Shift Incorporated podcast soundtrack (see News), I would like to take some time to share with you some advice that I have regarding composing for podcasts. This information is based primarily on my personal experience with scoring for this medium and is not meant to be definitive. This is more like an extension of the Musochat forum discussion that I gave in July 2018 about “Commissioning and Collaboration Etiquette,” in that I will talk about what composers should expect when collaborating on podcasts and how they can exercise common sense to maintain professionalism:

1. Scoring for podcasts is mostly similar in scope to writing music for film, television, and video games. The process usually involves collaborating with a director or production team. The key difference with podcasts, when compared to the other media that I just mentioned, is that podcasts lack visuals and rely more on aural aspects to guide the programming.
2. As with most other forms of media, collaborating on a podcast as a composer requires a bit of creative restraint. That might sound strange on the surface. However, it is a necessary step, because the process relies more on group effort than on individual ego. The composer must learn to write the music that is being asked of them by the director or production team. This means that the composer must pay attention to the overall tone or genre of the podcast so that they can create music that matches. I decided to use eerie electronics with the Reaktor 6 Player when working on the music for Sticks Shift Incorporated: music that matched the suspenseful, sci-fi atmosphere of the podcast drama.
3. Because podcasts do not include a visual element. It is important for composers to adhere to aural cues or moods based on what the director or team want. This process frequently involves reading and studying the podcast script (if given access to one) and coming up with possible musical themes or ideas based on that script or specified mood.
4. Follow “Non-Disclosure Agreements,” or NDAs. Collaborating on a podcast as a composer means becoming a vital part of a team, which means that everyone on that team needs to follow the same rules at the outset of the podcast production. Composers are no exception. They must not reveal any crucial plot points for a new podcast episode or program before it is released. Violating a NDA spoils the podcast for everyone and comes off as unprofessional, because it sends the wrong message to the rest of the team that the composer cannot be trusted… which can either lead to the composer getting fired or the production halted.
5. Adapt and become flexible when scoring for podcasts. Learn to compose the required music for the podcast within a limited schedule (about several weeks, to one month). Expect to edit your music when, or if, the director wants changes. Arguing with the director at that stage in the process does nothing, which brings me to my next point: perhaps, one the most important points in this discussion and what composers should avoid at all costs.
6. No badmouthing the director or production team. Ever. Directors and production teams help composers by commissioning them for work. This should go without saying, but composers who work in any form of entertainment media should never publicly complain about their current project or their employer/commissioner. It does not matter if the project is paid or unpaid. That kind of attitude implies that the composer is incapable of working together with others, which reflects poorly on the rest of the team. It also decreases the chances for possible future employment by other podcast production teams because the composer could be rejected or banned from public online spaces offering work in entertainment.
7. Be prepared for anything. What I am talking about here is anticipating moments when podcasts suddenly stop mid-production. This can happen for several reasons. The director or creator chose another composer, or their main idea for the program did not fully come to fruition. Whatever the circumstances are, refer to the previous tip. Getting angry does not solve the problem. The best thing to do in situations like that is to accept that it happened and move on by searching for another project.

Some of you might be wondering how it is possible for composers to find opportunities scoring for podcasts and entertainment: especially in this unexpectedly long and unpredictable period brought on by COVID-19? I must reserve that discussion for another post. Until then, I hope that everyone stays safe.