Music from Peru: "La LLuvia"
Hi everybody,
For my first post, I am sharing a song titled "La Lluvia" which translates to "the rain". It is an example of music from the Andes and is performed by a group named Alpamayo, who performs and records music from Peru and Ecuador. In the recording, you hear a combination of instruments that create the unique sound of the piece. The percussion section establishes a lively rhythm pattern. This main instrument used is probably the cajon. It produces a strong beat, like a bass drum, but can also adjust its percussive timbre. String instruments such as the charango, the national instrument of Peru, and the violin are used. Wind instruments such as Peruvian panpipes and flutes play the main melody. Finally, vocals are heard on the recording through exclamation and trills.
For my first post, I am sharing a song titled "La Lluvia" which translates to "the rain". It is an example of music from the Andes and is performed by a group named Alpamayo, who performs and records music from Peru and Ecuador. In the recording, you hear a combination of instruments that create the unique sound of the piece. The percussion section establishes a lively rhythm pattern. This main instrument used is probably the cajon. It produces a strong beat, like a bass drum, but can also adjust its percussive timbre. String instruments such as the charango, the national instrument of Peru, and the violin are used. Wind instruments such as Peruvian panpipes and flutes play the main melody. Finally, vocals are heard on the recording through exclamation and trills.
I really enjoyed this piece because of its joyous melodies and rhythms. For me, this piece was aesthetically pleasing because it sounded so happy. These are my perceptions as someone from outside the culture who has different views and experiences that shape how I perceive music. Ethnomusicology is important because it informs how outside listeners like myself, and possibly students, may perceive a piece of world music from outside our culture. According to Wade (2013), the ways people define and value music vary greatly from society to society. This piece was easy for me to enjoy because it had elements that were familiar to my previous experiences of music. A different piece may have had a different impact if it did not share as many elements. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of Peruvian culture and attitudes towards music would make these experience of listening to "La LLuvia" more meaningful. It is important to explore these aspects with students when studying world music so that they learn to appreciate the different ways and motivations for why humans participate in music. Hope you enjoy "La Lluvia"!
References:
Wade, B. C. (2013). Thinking musically. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Hi Kristine,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed "La Lluvia." Like you, I found the piece to be very aesthetically pleasing due to its quick melody and frequent changes in timbre. I like the lulling nature of the piece, which definitely evokes the flow of rain during a storm.
I also agree with your comments about ethnomusicology, especially about shaping our perceptions about music that is not our own. In your piece specifically, there are so many different instruments used that are not pervasive in the US musical culture. I've always been astounded by how many types of percussion and wind instruments there are. In the US, I think we utilize a very select set of instruments regularly, when so many other timbres and techniques could be explored through a broader lens. In this sense, that's why ethnomusicology is so important, as it expands our horizons to experience sounds and instruments from other cultures, make connections to our own, and gain a broader world perspective.
Thanks for sharing!