Wayna Picchu / Takirari / Tinku – Folk Music from Peru (Arc Music EUCD 2675, 2016)
“In Peru, I met and knew him as the biggest rogue on Earth / For in sin and crime, he’d wallowed, since his mother gave him birth / And they called him ‘El Mestizo,’ no one knew his mongrel race / There were traces of four nations on his evil-looking face.”
from “El Mestizo,” by Randolph Henry Atkin, 1914
It is relatively simple to determine which parts of modern “mestizo” Andean music come from the Spaniards and their descendants and which belonged to the indigenous people of the region. There were no stringed instruments in the Americas in pre-Columbian times. Therefore, a listener’s ear can easily separate, with a high level of accuracy, the elements with obvious guitar-ish origins from those birthed from wind instruments and drums.
Most world music fans can quickly divide melodies into New World and Old World origin, as well. Thus, Andean music makes most of us happy, armchair ethnomusicologists, and that is always fun. Within these generalities, this Peruvian folk anthology gives one the strong impression that the Inca were oppressive conquerors, perhaps not on the level of the Spanish settlers, but definitely suppressive of the earlier regional cultures they suppressed two and a half centuries earlier. The song titles and themes all refer to either Inca or Hispanic Christian issues. As to how much of a cultural, aural stew existed when the Spanish arrived, we have little idea.
What is captured here is the beautiful, magical sound we associate with Peru and the Andes. The deep, rich, large flutes immediately bring the Andes to mind. The bass drums are mountain echoes, and the higher percussion and wind instruments are avalanches, streams and birds. As for the Old World instruments and influences, guitars are incorporated for song intros, outros and modulations. They season, and they translate for ears descended from Europe. Vocals on this release are more instrumental than narrative, chants more than songs. It is a good addition to one’s world music collection.
Author: Arthur Shuey
Arthur has been reviewing music for publications since 1976 and began focusing almost exclusively on world music in 2012.
His musical background includes past presidencies of the Cape Fear Musicians Association and Blues Society of the Lower Cape Fear, founding membership in nine other blues societies, service on 17 music festival planning committees, two decades of teaching harmonica to individuals and groups, operating a small recording studio and performing solo and in combos for 30 years.
Arthur has written professionally since 1975, pieces ranging from short fiction to travel articles, humor to poetry, mainly for local and regional entertainment media. His blog,” Shuey’s World,” is featured at www.accesswilmington.com.
