OK, a lot said. First let me point out that Bill's comment on the tribes subservient to the Aztec doesn't apply to South America, the Aztec are considered to be of North America. That isn't nit picking really, it does have to do with the music. I can't speak of the "latin American" vihuela, but I know a bit of the harps. But neither are a part of the music of the Andes (as it is now being expressed). Please separate the music of Central America and Mexico (N.A.), and that of the Atlantic coastal S.A. from that of the Andes (which has become alive in every NYC subway station, but particularly Times Square). The Andean (Bolivia, Peru, etc.) is mainly played on end blown flutes, pan pipes and drums, and is an infectious sound. The Central American and Mexican is heavily the guitar, a modified Spanish style. In between are the Paraguayan harp (which is basically a 17th or 18th century harp - no chromatics) and the Vihuela, instruments taken from the European, but played with a native influence. (And not developing, at least as far as the harp is concerned, physically in the way the European did).
This is obviously not definitive, I am speaking from the "top of my head", as usual. But it is clear that the music of the Andes, where the conquistadores amputated the culture of the Inca, has returned to some extent. Whereas the music of Brazil has the African influence along with the Spanish, and has little of the native. I can say nothing of the Central American and Mexican as I have no idea what Aztec or Mayan sounds were. Are the Central American sounds a mix of native and Spanish, or merely a modification of the Spanish. Those cultures were almost totally wiped out, whereas the Andean culture was retained to some extent. The music of the Appalachians bears a strong resemblance to that of the Scot's/Irish ancestors - but none to the native Indians. Is the music of Central America, and Brazil (etc.) entirely a derivation of the Spanish of that time? Or does it have a native component - I don't know. But the Andean is heavily native. Best, Jon ----- Original Message ----- From: "bill" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "lute society" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2004 2:56 PM Subject: Re: a rose by any other name > > from what i've read about the conquistadors in south america i think > they were savage to the "alpha" indigenous people who put up resistance > but were considered as a god send by the "b" and "c" tribes who > suffered under them. some tribes subservient to the aztec were treated > more or less as a "crop" to be harvested when ever blood sacrifice was > required for an up-coming religious festival. > > re music - i think the delicate sound of a vihuela would bring anyone > around, especially if it - or any other stringed instrument - had never > been heard before. > > anyone care to speculate about the various tunings that are found in > south america? > > the people who first exposed western music and musical instruments to > the south americans were "folks" such as sailors, soldiers, rustic > priests and farmers. i don't imagine there's much documentation on > what music they played or how they played it, but should the vihuela or > charango tuning and it's subsequent variations be considered as imports > or do you think they evolved in the new world? > > regards - bill > > > > > > > >
