Page "Merengue music" Paragraph 11

One important figure in early merengue was Francisco " Ñico " Lora ( 1880 – 1971 ), who is often credited for quickly popularizing the accordion at the turn of the 20th century.

Lora was once asked how many merengues he had composed in his lifetime and he answered " thousands ", probably without much exaggeration, and many of these compositions are still a standard part of the típico repertoire.

He was a skilled improviser who could compose songs on the spot, by request.

But he has also been likened to a journalist, since in his precomposed songs " he commented on everything with his accordion " ( Pichardo, in Austerlitz 1997: 35 ).

His compositions discussed current events such as Cuban independence, World War I, the arrival of the airplane, and US occupation of the Dominican Republic.

Among Lora's contemporaries are Toño Abreu and Hipólito Martínez, best remembered for their merengue " Caña Brava ".

This popular song was composed in 1928 or 1929 as an advertisement for the Brugal rum company, who were then selling a rum of the same name.

Brugal paid Martínez $ 5 for his efforts.