[Detail] The Upper Penitente Morada Chapel, Taos County, NM 
About this image
Collection Overview
Hispano Music & Culture of the Northern Rio Grande documents the religious and secular music of Spanish-speaking residents of rural Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. In 1940, Juan Bautista Rael of Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico, recorded regional alabados (hymns), folk dramas, wedding songs, and dance tunes. In addition to these recordings, the collection includes manuscript materials and publications authored by Rael. The collection provides insight into the rich musical heritage and cultural traditions of this region.
Special Features
These online exhibits provide context and additional information about this collection.
- Juan Bautista Rael, 1900-1993: Pioneer Hispano Folklorist
- Juan Bautista Rael 1900-1993: Folklorista Hispano (in Spanish)
- Nuevo Mexicanos of the Upper Rio Grande: Culture, History, and Society
- Los Nuevo Mexicanos del Río Grande del Norte: Cultura, Historia y Sociedad (in Spanish)
- La Musica Nuevo Mexicana: Religious and Secular Music from the Juan B. Rael Collection
- La Música Nuevo Mexicana: Tradiciones Religiosas y Seculares de la Colección de Juan B. Rael (in Spanish)
- Hispano Folk Theater in New Mexico
- El Teatro Popular Hispano de Nuevo México (in Spanish)
Historical Eras
These historical era(s) are best represented in the collection although they may not be all-encompassing.
- The Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945
Related Collections and Exhibits
These collections and exhibits contain thematically-related primary and secondary sources. Also browse the Collection Finder for more related material on the American Memory Web site.
- Buckaroos in Paradise, 1945-1982
- California Gold: Folk Music from the Thirties
- Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920
- The South Texas Border, 1900-1920
- Voices from the Dust Bowl, 1940-1941
Other Resources
Recommended additional sources of information.
- Glossary of Spanish Terms from The Juan B. Rael Collection
- Map of the Region
- What is an Ethnographic Field Collection?
Search Tips
Specific guidance for searching this collection.
Search for recordings and transcriptions (in Spanish) and manuscripts (in English) using the keyword search. Or, browse a List of Performers and a List of Titles. For help with search words, go to the Synonym List. For help with search strategies, see Finding Items in American Memory.
Last Updated: 06/12/2009