"MEETING WITH LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC:
REPERTOIRE, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF ITS RHYTHMIC - MELODIC ASPECTS"
San Candido (Bz), Joseph Resch Hall 28th, 29th, 30th June 2001

Programme


ESTRELLITA DEL SUD (Perù) Neil A. Kjos Music Co. (8900)
HANACPACHAP (Perù) Neil A. Kjos Music Co. (8786)
E MARIPOSA (Caribe) Schola Cantorum de Caracas
BALIA DI SEHU (Caribe) Schola Cantorum de Caracas
EL ULTIMO CAFE' (Argentina) Editorial Lagos (Warner - Chapel)
SE EQUIVOCO' LA PALOMA (Argentina) Neil A. Kjos Music Co. (8788)
LIBERTANGO (Argentina) Neil A. Kjos Music Co. (8929)
MANCHAI PUITO (Argentina) Neil A. Kjos Music Co. (8758)
LA CHAPARRITA (Venezuela) Neil A. Kjos Music Co. (8801)
TANGUEANDO (Argentina) Lawson - Gould Music Publishers (52729)
CANDOMBLE' (Uruguay) Neil A. Kjos Music Co. (8802)
VERANO PORTENO (Argentina) Neil A. Kjos Music Co. (8774)


THURSDAY, JUNE 28th, 2001

In the workshop opening day, M° Escalada introduced latin-american music, fruit of fusion of three different cultures: the european one, the african one and the local one of the three great precolombian cultures: Maya, Aztech and Inca. The synthesis among languages styles, rythms created a unique result.

A particular space was dedicated to rythmic aspects: the origin of musical instruments, particolarly of drums, and their organological and idiomatical characteristics are the basis of the richness american rythms, built on combination of binary rythms (of african origin) and ternary ones (from Europe).

Questions related to choral conduction were illustrated with references to specific praxis and etnomusicological studies.
The first piece analyzed was "Hanacpachaq", first polyphonic work published in the New World.
A particularly interesting choice: included in the "Ritual Formulario e Institucion de Curas", was published in 1631 for the first time, to be performed when entering the church. Written in a polyphonic reinassance style and in Quechua language it's an example of cultural coexistence.
The course went on in the afternoon with the listening and the analysis of other pieces in programme, among which "Estrellita del Sur" and "E mariposa".

M° Escalada underlined the difference between what's written and how to perform, the combination of different rhytms between bass and elody, the usage of instruments, most of all drums and idiophones not written but clearly part of the praxis andimplicitly due to the character of the piece, especially as for as it regards rythm, evident when expressed with body motion, essential in folk music.


FRIDAY, JUNE 29th, 2001

Attenzione particolare è stata rivolta a due brani argentini ispirati alle colombe: "Se equivocò la paloma" e "Manchai Puito".
The first piece is a great example of fusion of poetry and music.
M° Escalada introduced Carlos Guastavino, fine and prolific author from Argentina, well-known and often performed in Argentina's Academies. His romantic-nationalistic style, even if devoid of strongly folk connotations, expresses a clear argentine influence. The poem, by Rafael Alberti, tells us of a dove missing the way; Guastavino, through his music, exalts the poem, underlining its beauty and tenderness.
The second one describes the woe of two doves hurted; the coordinator analyzed the relashionship between the soloist and the choir, the development of the parts end the performance.

Different kind of rythms were examined, together with their origins and styles. M° Escalada faced also the question of esthetic and cultivated music and popular music, whose goal is social participation.

Listening to works by Escalada, Guastavino and traditional ones made srtongly evident those characteristics of latin-american music examinated during the workshop: influence of different cultures, the relationships with the ancient continent, ancestral rythms of Africa, envolving the body, the popular origins and cultivated developments.


SATURDAY, JUNE 30th, 2001

In this last day, a great space was dedicated to Tango: M° Escalada explained various theories and studies on the origin of this dance, and the influences characterizing it.

The word comes from the black slaves in the atlantic coast of America; for long associated to low social classes, this dance slowly conquered the ears of cultivated classes. The rythm, as said in previous lessons, is on common with different dances (Blues, Habanera, Candombe, Milonga, Maxixe, Raggae...), but underwent a long evolution.
Accents, sincope e vivacity make them different.

Various types of Tango were listened to: "El ultimo Cafè", "Tangueando" to leave then space to Piazzolla's Tango.

"Verano Portueno" by A. Piazzolla, is part of a collection dedicated to the four seasons; the analysis of this piece put in evidence its double structure and the deep melancoly as a fondamental element of Tango.

Piazzolla's tango, which reveals itself as harmonically complex, with a melodic bass, with a counterpoint development of the parts and with an original rythm, was the subject of an accurate work with the choir "Santa Cecilia" from Battipaglia, which performed "Libertango", a title that match together two words of great importance to Piazzolla.
The great rythm revolution made by Piazzolla consists in the change of rythm from 4/4 in 3+3+2 (two crotchet with dot and two quavers).

Arangements for choir makes usage of syllables evocating instrumental sounds, specially drums (pam, vam) in which vowels are to be just suggested, exalting consonants.


Giordana Castillett

From CD "OSCAR ESCALADA: LATIN AMERICAN CHORAL MUSIC"
Dir. Oscar Escalada, Coro del Nuevo mundo - Neil A. Kjos Music Company KCD3

This piece is probably the firts example of polyphonic composition in the New World; written in Quechua language, it was part of the "Ritual Formulario e Institucion de Curas"in the city of San Pedro de Antahualla in Perù. Published in 1631 for the first time, was sang during the mass, while going in the church.
We do not know anything about the composaer, who is thought to be a young indian Quechua student.