The conjunto de arpa grande, or the "big harp ensemble," is the style of
mariachi
music
Grupo Arpex
play on this album. It's a form that was incubated in the Tierra Caliente region of western Mexico, and distinguished above all from other forms of
by the prominent harp. Containing three dozen or so strings, the harp adds a mellifluous quality to a sound also featuring two guitars, two violins, and male vocals so high-pitched they can sometimes be mistaken for those of women, though they're not sung in falsetto. The harp also functions as a drum of sorts, with the flat front of the soundbox getting struck by the open hands of other members of the group.
Mariachi
is by its nature an upbeat music, but the 17 songs on this album bear an even more joyous quality than much other
due both to the harp and the buoyant singing, as well as the clear recording quality. Liner notes in both English and Spanish document the musical style, the group, and the specific songs selected for this CD. ~ Richie Unterberger