THE INCA HARP
Laments and Dances of the Tawantinsuyu the Inca Empire
Lyrichord, 1980, LLST 7359
This is one of the very few albums that are not part of Lyrichord's catalogue anymore.
Recorded in Peru by Ronald Wright this LP presents three harp players : two from Cuzco, Gabriel Aragon and Maximo Mendoza and Antonio Sulca from Ayacucho. Aragon and Sulca were blind and old enough at the time of the recording while Mendoza was only eighteen. Sulca is also on two other albums on the same label and available on line. He was a leading exponent of the Ayacucho harp style and was nicknamed ''Stealer of Heart''.
Wayno and harawi (yaravi) are dominant as usual.
The harp in use in Peru has no pedals and is diatonically tuned. The bass strings are quite powerful and can be heard in a band of several violins, kenas and mandolins hence its importance
It is said that the harp was brought first by Irish jesuits priests and used to accompany the singing of religious songs. Whatever the origin, Peruvian people have mastered and integrated the harp into their culture over the centuries producing one of the most beautiful music in the world.
This a copy of an album I borrowed somewhere and I don't have the back of the cover. For details and titles see the scans.
Many thanks Herve for the music and for your comments!! Have a perfect weekend!!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your regular support; are you getting ready for Christmas ?
ReplyDeleteNot so cold here, but we decorated our christmas tree. We are already in christmas mood since yesterday :)
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