Maracatú-Mangue

Maracatu/Mangue is a two-song medley. We always play these two songs together.

Maracatú is a genre of Brazilian percussion music. The song we simply call "Maracatú" is in that style. We also play another Maracatú we informally refer to as Shortpants, officially known as Nininho Maracatú.

This piece uses no chocalho, repenique, or tamborim. It does use chekere and has two distinct bell patterns, one ideally played by a gonguê. The parts we play on surdo are traditionally played on alfaia.

Surdo/alfaia players hold and strike their mallets differently for maracatú, compared to how we hold mallets for most of our songs. The right mallet is held normally; the left mallet is thinner (sometimes a drumstick) and is held with the palm facing up and the stick protruding from the back of the hand. See the source videos.

Form

 * 1) Maracatu
 * 2) Introduction
 * 3) Main Ride
 * 4) Breaks (decided by leader)
 * 5) Mangue
 * 6) Segue to Mangue
 * 7) Introduction
 * 8) Main Ride (Ride 1)
 * 9) Other Rides
 * End

Chart - Maracatu
( = Rim shot)

Introduction
The song starts out with a single Gonguê (or cowbell, or low bell of the Agogô) playing:

|: -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- :|

This pattern continues throughout the entire piece, except for during the "Maracatú Rural" break.

A singer sings this phrase, and then is joined by the ensemble singing:

'''Nagô, Nagô! Nossa rainha já se coroou!''' (Pronounced: Na-GO, na-GO, NO-sa ha-YEEN-ya ja say ko-ru-OH)

(The melody/rhythm can be seen in the source video.)

Main Ride
This eight-bar phrase is repeated until a break is called, and all breaks return to this ride. The last bar of this ride is referred to as the "turnaround".

Gnge: | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- | Surd: | R--- l-R- lR-- lR-- | R--- l-R- lR-- lR-- | R--- l-R- lR-- lR-- | R--- l-R- lR-- lR-- | Caix: | RlrL ll RZzl RZzl | RlrL ll RZzl RZzl | RlrL ll RZzl RZzl | RlrL ll RZzl RZzl | Chek: | D-UD U-DU D-UD U-DU | D-UD U-DU D-UD U-DU | D-UD U-DU D-UD U-DU | D-UD U-DU D-UD U-DU | Bell: | L-H- L-H- L-HH L-H- | L-H- L-H- L-HH L-H- | L-H- L-H- L-HH L-H- | L-H- L-H- L-HH L-H- | Timb: | S--S S-O- S--S S-O- | S--S S-O- S--S S-O- | S--S S-O- S--S S-O- | S--S S-O- S--S S-O- |

Gnge: | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- | Surd: | R--- l-R- lR-- lR-- | R--- l-R- lR-- lR-- | R--- l-R- lR-- lR-- | --R- l-R- lR-- lR-- | Caix: | RlrL ll RZzl RZzl | RlrL ll RZzl RZzl | RlrL ll RZzl RZzl | --- R-- RZzl RZzl | Chek: | D-UD U-DU D-UD U-DU | D-UD U-DU D-UD U-DU | D-UD U-DU D-UD U-DU | D-UD U-DU D-UD U-DU | Bell: | L-H- L-H- L-HH L-H- | L-H- L-H- L-HH L-H- | L-H- L-H- L-HH L-H- | L-H- L-H- L-HH L-H- | Timb: | S--S S-O- S--S S-O- | S--S S-O- S--S S-O- | S--S S-O- S--S S-O- | S--S S-O- S--S S-O- |

Hammer ("Martelo")
This break is signaled with a hammering motion with the hands: The break is 16 bars long. Only the surdos and caixas change; the other instruments continue their patterns from before.

The same four-bar phrase is played four times, except for the last bar the last time through, which is the turnaround back into the main ride.

4-bar phrase:

Surd: |: lR-R l-R- lR-R L--- | lR-R l-R- lR-R L--- | lR-R l-R- lR-R L--R | l--R l-R- lR-R L--- :| Caix: |: rRlr ll rRlr ll | rRlr ll RZzl RZzl | rRlr ll rRlr --- |   --- :|   (4x)

The turnaround leading back into the main ride (played instead of the fourth bar the last time):

Surd: | --R- l-R- lR-- lR-- | Caix: | --- R-- RZzl RZzl |

Batwing
This break is called with an elbow in the air:

The break is 8 bars long. Only the surdos/alfaias and caixas change; the other instruments continue their patterns from before.

The same two-bar phrase is played four times, except for the last bar the last time through, which is the turnaround back into the main ride.

Surd: |: R--- -R-R lR-R | l---    :| Caix: |: RlrL ll RZzl RZzl | R---   :|   (4x)

The turnaround leading back into the main ride:

Surd: | --R- l-R- lR-- lR-- | Caix: | --- R-- RZzl RZzl |



"Tú Maraca!"
Hand signal: Triangle formed with index fingers and thumbs

After break is called in, surdos, caixas, and bell drop out (gonguê or whoever is playing gonguê part continues). Players click sticks on the beats.

Then there is a vocal call and response. The rhythm is very similar to the rhythm played in the Gongue. After the call and response begins, the break last eight bars. The vocal part is done seven times, after which the turnaround brings us back into the main ride.

Gnge: |: -X--  X- X-  -X--   X-X-   :| Lead: |: -Tu-Ma Ra-Ca-      :| Band: | |:    -Tu-Ma Ra-Ca-  | Tu--- :|    (7x)

Turnaround:

Surd: | Tu-R- l-R- lR-- lR-- | Caix: | Tu-- R-- RZzl RZzl |

Maracatu Rural
After the call of four whistle blows, all instruments play a downbeat and then rest.

At about 140-170 BPM, a single caixa plays and then is joined by the surdos: Caix: | R--- R---  | RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL |: RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL :| Surd: |    |     |: 2--- 1--- 2--- 1--- :| Then all players run around the stage and/or among the audience, hitting their instruments will-nilly, singing: ''Ole, ole ole ola, ole, ola, ole, ole ole ola, ole, ola. Samba Ja!'' (2x)

The band then plays the following, leading into the turnaround, which leads back into the main ride:

(coming soon)

Transition from Maracatú
After the end of Maracatú is whistled, all instruments play a final hit on the downbeat, and the gonguê continues at an immediately faster tempo, alone until the introduction to Mangue is called.

All Agogôs play the Gonguê part on the lower bell. If there are multiple bells, some can rest here.

Gnge: | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- |: -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- :| Band: | X---   |

Introduction
These four bars repeat until the Main Ride is called:

Gnge: |: -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- | -X-- X-X- -X-- X-X- :| Caix: |: R---  R--- |  R---  R--- |  R---  R--- | --R- R--L -L-L RLRL :| Surd: |: R-R-   | R-R-    | R-R-    | R-R- ---R LR-R  :| Timb: | ????

Main Ride (Ride 1)
The main ride is called in with four whistle blows.

Note that The surdos and gonguê play two-bar phrases, and the caixa plays a four-bar phrase.

Gnge: |: X-X- -X-- X-X- -X-- | X-X- -X-- X-XX :| Caix: |: rlrl RlrL rlrl Rlrl | rlrl RlrL rlrl Rlrl | rlrl RlrL rlrl Rlrl | rlRl RlrL rLrL RLRL :| Surd: |: R-R- LR-- LR-- | R-R- ---R LR-R  :| Timb: Chek:

End
The end is called with four whistle blows. Everyone plays in unison:

Band: | X-X- |

Practice Videos/Recordings
Batwing break

Martelo break

Source
This video illustrates the melody and rhythm of the lyrics, and how they segue into the main ride. One can also see how alfaia players hold their sticks.



At Honk Fest West 2014


0:00 - Main ride

1:01 - "Tu Maraca" break

2:28 - Martelo break

2:43 - 3:08 - video error

3:08 - transition to Mangue