GO FOR BAROQUE IN SOUTH AMERICA

Hardly a day goes by without fresh evidence that my ignorance is boundless. The most recent lacuna in my intellectual data base concerns South America. Let's see, I know that there are a bunch of countries in South America. The most common language spoken are Spanish and Portugese, although I am aware the people of Guyana speak English, and the people of Suriname speak Dutch. (I've known people from those two countries.) I also know there are a bunch of people who speak Italian and German. I once listened to a conversation in an airport where the mother spoke German to her son who replied in Spanish, while the boy's sister was reading a magazine in English.

What do I know about South American music, however? Samba, bossa nova, tango, of course. The greatest South American composer was probably Heitor Villa-Lobos, and I know a tiny bit about the tango composer Ástor Piazzolla. It came as a total surprise to me, then, as I listen to "Morning Edition" on NPR and hear about the tradition of baroque music in Bolivia. In the late seventeenth century Jesuit Priests established missions among the Chiquitano people of what is now eastern Bolivia. They used music as an evangelization tool, but the people embraced it and made it their own. Thousands of manuscripts exist and are being restored. Evidently there are several youth orchestras now that play this old baroque music as part of their past.

I should have known about South American baroque music since I have played an organ work by Domenic Zipoli, an Italian baroque composer who eventually went to South America where he continued to write music. And I knew there was a good bit of baroque music written in Mexico, not something most people pay attention to. I listen to some of the clips of these Chiquitano orchestras playing and was impressed by their skill. I hope to find some affordable recordings one of these days.

I am always moved by people who rediscover their own traditions whether it be music, art or literature. It's a shame when any culture loses part of its heritage. It especially delights me when young people find their roots. People should take pride in not only who they are but who their people were.

Americans seem regrettably blind to their own heritage. For example, I'd venture to say that most Floridians have forgotten that the first city established in what is now the United States was here in Florida–St. Augustine. Or that the first European language spoken here was Spanish, not English. I wonder what kind of music they played in Spanish St. Augustine? I'll have to investigate that some time.

Speaking of music from one's heritage, I don't have any polka recordings in my collection even though polkas were a big part of my musical experience growing up. Every wedding had a three-piece combo that played polkas. Sometimes when I'm out driving on a Sunday I can pick up "Polka Party" on the radio. Problem is, I much prefer Polish polkas to German ones. They're livelier. German polkas always tend to sound a little like a military march, sort-of "Let's Polka in and Take Over the Sudetenland."

Well, whatever music stirs your heart. As Martin Luther said, "Next to the Word of God, only music deserves to the be governor of human emotions."

May the Lord God bless you in your way and greet you on your arrival.

Wayne

Picture from NPR

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