Music From and Inspired by Spain and Latin America

Music in Spain has a lengthy history. It had a significant impact on Latin American music and was crucial in the evolution of Western music. Flamenco and classical guitar, two traditional styles of Spanish music, are commonly associated with the country. While these genres of music are common, the regions also have a diverse spectrum of music and dance traditions. The northwest’s music, for example, is primarily reliant on bagpipes, while the jota is popular in the country’s center and north, and flamenco originated in the south. Spanish music played an important influence in the early development of western classical music from the 15th to the early 17th centuries. Composers like Tomás Luis de Victoria, genres like Spanish opera’s zarzuela, Manuel de Falla’s ballet, and Francisco Tárrega’s classical guitar work all illustrate the breadth of musical invention.

The origins of Latin American music may be traced back to the 16th-century conquest of the Americas by the Spanish and Portuguese when European settlers brought their music from abroad. Latin American music also includes African music from enslaved Africans carried to the Americas by European colonists from West and Central Africa. As well as music from the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Latin American music encompasses various styles, including cumbia, bachata, bossa nova, merengue, rumba, salsa, samba, son, and tango.