Music In Evangelical And Pentecostal Hispanic Churches

As in every worshiping tradition, music in Hispanic churches today represents a blend of the old and the new and of indigenous and imported musical styles. This article describes this interplay in Hispanic churches, observing the main genres and accompaniment styles involved.

In the past, music in the traditional Hispanic evangelical church was of two types. Part of its hymnody consisted of Spanish translations of traditional songs imported from the United States and England. Since the worship service of the past was patterned after the North American model, the use of these hymns was a logical and natural outcome. Such hymnody, though not indigenous to the culture, served a major purpose of communicating doctrine and meaning to the church. European hymns are steeped in doctrine that helps to establish the believers in the faith. Popular hymns, like "?At the Cross,?" "?The Old Rugged Cross,?" "?How Great Thou Art,?" "?Holy, Holy, Holy,?" and many others comprise a large portion of Hispanic evangelical hymnody. Latin Americans have also contributed their portion of hymns patterned after the North American style. The other type of Hispanic music is the popular choruses or coritos, as Hispanics call them. These are usually short spiritual songs played to lively music, usually music that is Hispanic in flavor. These coritos are extremely popular since they are easy to memorize and are what are called "?heart songs.?" They speak of the Hispanic experience of suffering, persecution, and the cost of discipleship. A personal love for Jesus Christ is a popular theme. Being set to local melodies further adds to the popularity of these songs. Since many churches cannot afford standard hymn books, these coritos are set to memory or condensed into small paperbacks, which individuals purchase for themselves. The ballad or corrido is also found in Hispanic hymnology. The corrido is an indigenous style of communicating a story via music. Storytelling is quite popular among believers, as among unbelievers. The gospel lends itself naturally to this style of music. The basic instrument of the Hispanic church is the Spanish guitar, which is used to play both hymns and coritos. It is unsurpassed in its versatility, convenience, popularity, and ease of mastery. The piano is also quite popular, limited by its cost and the lack of skilled accompanists. Some Hispanics have developed a new style of accompaniment characterized by the repetition of key chords. This approach produces a lively style, which fits in nicely with the culture. Most churches prefer the "?playing by ear?" approach over the "?playing by note.?" The organ is not very popular for the obvious reasons of the cost and the lack of skilled musicians. Some churches include a number of other musical instruments that are peculiar to Hispanics, such as the tambourine, the bongos, maracas, and different types of guitars. The accordion is also a popular and adaptable instrument, which combines the range of a piano with the rhythm of a guitar. It is not unusual to see the people accompany the song leader with hand tambourines, beating them against their legs or against the palms of their hands over their heads. Maracas are used in the same manner. Putting all these instruments into any size congregation naturally makes for a lively and exciting song service. Hispanic evangelical and Pentecostal churches also make use of church choirs, ensembles, and solos. Very few church choirs approach the polished style of North America with their range of voices. Hispanic choirs exist more for encouraging participation in music than for an exhibition of personal or corporate talent. The same is true of quartets and ensembles. Soloists are sought out and are in great demand. Congregational participation is very important since Hispanics are a music-loving people. A typical worship service has lots of music, not only solos and duets, but congregational singing. It is not unusual for a congregation to stand and sing continuously for fifteen to twenty minutes. The singing is usually loud, emotional, and accompanied by hand-clapping, tambourines, and hand raising. Some songs make provision for congregational interaction, which adds a special dimension to the worship service. Singing really becomes an expression of the human soul. There are significant trends today in music. More and more congregations are using electric guitars and electronic synthesizers. This reflects the impact of modern music upon the culture. There is some resistance to this trend, but it is not as vehement as in past decades. There is also a greater use of special choruses that reflect the new emerging subcultures and the blending of cultures. The American music movement is having a profound impact upon Hispanic artists, especially when some of the music is bicultural. The trend is refreshing and continues to enhance traditional melodies and styles of worship. Still other churches have grown in sophistication and are making ample use of the organ and piano, mimicking North American expressions. A recent worship experience in a Hispanic service revealed a special style, which reflected the old and the new coming together. Temple Calvario of Santa Anna, California makes use of guitars, electric guitars, a piano, a synthesizer, a set of bongo drums and percussion drums, three lead singers, and trumpets. In a unique blend of old coritos and new choruses, the worship team leads a bilingual audience in a song service in both English and Spanish. The song leader uses an overhead projector to lead the congregation in singing the hymns. Here is an example of the latest combination of the traditional and the contemporary technical approach. The traditional style of worship still prevails among many of the Hispanic evangelical churches. The closer one is to North American influence, the greater the similarities in worship. There is a refreshing wind, however, blowing across the churches, an indigenous, uplifting, God-honoring expression of Hispanic devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ.