Instrument information: Mexican Vihuela

Subject: Mexican Vihuela
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 12:38 PM

Arhoolie CD 7012; Mariachi Tapatio, de José Marmolejo refers to an instrument called a vihuela which Marmolejo used to play. I know that a Spanish vihuela is a plucked stringed instrument of the guitar family, but I gather there is also a Mexican version which is markedly different, and is presumably the one played on the record.

Could anyone explain what the differences are ?

Many thanks,

Fred McCormick.

Subject: RE: Mexican Vihuela
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 02:30 PM

The Mexican vihuela is five-stringed, full-bodied guitar of guitarron type.
Picture at bottom right in the picture- www.minermusic.com/cc/wonder.htm
Mexican stringed

I was glad to find that illustration. That gigantic guitarron ('guitar') used as the base in mariachi bands intrigues me; I have often wondered why it has not been adopted into other small orchestral groups. I have never heard its tone imitated on a plucked base.

Subject: RE: Mexican Vihuela
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 02:34 PM

(iwonder, not wonder- ah, me!)

Mexican stringed

Subject: RE: Mexican Vihuela
From: Don Firth
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 03:07 PM

The historical vihuela and the modern Mexican vihuela, here.

Luis Milan composed a whole bunch of stuff for the vihuela de mano back in the sixteenth century, along with a bunch of other composers. It's good stuff and has been absorbed into the modern classical guitar repertoire (but it sounds really neat when played on historical instruments). The vihuela is guitar-shaped and has six "courses" (double strings) like a 12-string guitar, but each pair of strings was tuned in unison (like a lute) and were made of gut.

Other than being a guitar-like stringed instrument, the Mexican vihuela is not related.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Instrument information: Mexican Vihuela
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 03:58 AM

Thanks for the info. Presumably the instrument "Q" refers to is the one at the bottom right hand corner of the Minermusic Home Page illustration. Inconveniently, it's turned the wrong way round but no matter. I've at least got an idea of what I'm looking for