The Role of Music During and After Puerto Rican Migration to the United

The Role of unison During and After Puerto Rican Migration to the United States For Puerto Ricans, music served infinite purposes. It allowed for the formation and reformation of cultural views and opinions, through the lyrics in the songs. These views were constantly changing, which in turn fed into the forever evolving identity of the Puerto Rican people. As a vehicle of expression it stimulated image and provided a method of communication for the community. In The Puerto Rican community of New York city the increasing popularity of music indicated a desire for Puerto Rican based and oriented fun but more importantly for national unity. For the musicians themselves music served as an departure for creativity while doubling as a secondary lineage of economic growth.In Puerto Rico music became the major avenue for genial acceleration. Musicians on both the island and the mainland looked to music as a career resource that would eventually lead to amassed wealth . This opinion, however, was not universal as the upper classes axiom music as simply a hobby. The white and more plenteous populations... did not see music as a step up the social or economic ladder (Glasser 32). Many musicians migrated to the mainland in see of a musical career that would reap fame and fortune. For b insufficiencys and mulattos from an impoverished background, music could be a means of upward mobility (31). Within the confines of their economical point there was a dire necessity for improvement that was readily for sale in the music industry or so they thought. Unfortunately the testament and desire of the people did not suffice in a ball club where the mere color of the skin automatically closed many doors. This construction of American soc... ...an era. For the Puerto Rican community music created an outlet for their pain and sorrow as seen in Lamento Borincano. Also it established a much needed nationwide recognized identity based on a common cultiva tion as opposed to the pigmentation of the skin. Glassers loose interpretation of race channeled the readers oversight more onto the issue of race and what it should mean. For Glasser race is equated with color. Although I disagree with the statement, it is a viable one. The ambiguity of the word creates the problem. Her inconsistency with her price shows a lack of preparation. This problem could have been easily remedied with a brief explanation of the terms used and her stance on the issue.Bibliography Glasser, Ruth. My Music is my Flag Puerto Rican Musicians and their New York Communities 1917-1940. (University of atomic number 20 Press Berkeley, 1995).