MUSIC OF COLOMBIA – ANDES
Andean Region: Música Andina Colombiana
The traditional music of Colombia’s Andean region, particularly Bogotá and the surrounding highlands, is primarily represented by genres such as Bambuco (waltz or polska)
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Guabina (dancing)
and Torbellino (rapid sounds)
These styles have deep historical roots through the fusion of Indigenous, Spanish and to a lesser extent, African musical traditions.
Bambuco is one of the more important Andean rhythms, becoming popular during the colonial era. Scholars debate its exact origins, but many trace its roots to Africa. As it evolved and blended with indigenous music, Spanish elements gradually shaped it into what we now know as Bambuco.
Dancers created a popular group dance for Bambuco music, which features a distinctive 6/8 time signature. This creates a distinctive, syncopated rhythm, often described as melancholic and poetic.
The unique landscapes of the Andes have profoundly shaped the evolution of Bambuco. The lyrics more often than not muse about themes of love, nature and the remoteness of rural life high up in the Andes.
Two other popular traditional Andean genres are those of Guabina and Torbellino. The former is noted for its slower, more succinct rhythm, often featuring mournful melodies and themes of passion.
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Torbellino, on the other hand, is a very lively and fast-paced dance pattern, typically played during festivals, times of joy and celebrations.
These styles reflect the remote and rural nature and traditions of the highland communities. More often than not, they are accompanied by traditional dances.
The instruments used in Andean music reflect the cultural habits of the region. Indigenous flutes such as the quena (flute) and the zampoña (panpipes) combine with European string instruments, for example, the tiple (12-string chordophone from the guitar family) and the guitar itself.
The bandola, a pear-shaped, stringed instrument derived from the lute and related to the mandolin, also features prominently in many pieces. High-pitched melodies and intricate string instrument arrangements express the music.
During the last century, Andean music evolved to become a symbol of national identity and solidarity. Famous writers, among whom were Luis Antonio Calvo, a celebrated Colombian composer and Gentil Montaña, a classical guitarist and composer, helped immensely to propel these genres into what they are today.
Bambuco, in particular, is now a beloved symbol of Colombian heritage, oftentimes performed at important national events.
FAMOUS COLOMBIAN SINGERS AND THEIR MUSIC
María Mulata
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A well-admired Colombian singer and composer, Maria grew up singing the music of her native highlands around Bogotá. By the age of 20, she had won recognition at the most important music festivals within Colombia, graduating in Music from the Universidad Javeriana.
Best known for blending Andean music with jazz, her music features soulful melodies and intricate arrangements. Songs like Canción de Amor and Sueño de Amor showcase this unique style.
Her musical passion has led her through the ancient highlands of Colombia, researching the music of the different ethnicities, traditions and cultures that make up the country’s musical landscape.
She has contributed to the soundtracks of films and has toured the world. Her four most notable albums include Itinerario de Tambores, Crónicas del Caribe, Los Vestidos de la Cumbia and De Cantos y Flights.
María Mulata sings in Spanish, San Andres Creole, Palenquera and some indigenous languages.
Jorge Velosa
A Colombian folk music composer, his music is from the Andean region of the country, centered on Bogotá. Velosa created a new musical style called carranguero music, which represents the dreams, hopes, words and soul of popular art.
Musically, this genre is part of Colombian popular music, with its roots in the Andean region. Many small musical groups, families and aficionados keep this music alive through playing the music and dancing to it.
The inspiration for this music comes from travelling all over Colombia, visiting small pueblos where the campesinos (farmers) cultural expression comes to life. This music genre is highly regarded and has received widespread recognition throughout the country.
Carranguero songs are full of humor, tenderness, proverbs, satire, storytelling, and dance. These are expressed through various rhythms, including rumba, merengue, torbellino, bambuco, and guabina, among others.
The instruments used include the tiple (Colombian 12-string guitar), requinto (small four-string guitar), guacharaca (slotted board played with a metal fork), and sometimes the harmonica.
One important contribution of carranguero music is the love of traditional campesino (farmer) culture, rescuing of old Spanish words and proverbs and the love of nature and the land.
One particular album, En cantos verdes (Enchanted Green Songs) includes some themes that are a reminder of what is happening to the planet, to the environment and therefore to the livelihood of all campesinos in Colombia and throughout the world.
Velosa put together a group called Los Carrangueros as homage to the indigenous people, using a playful, daring name.
Julio Gentil Montaña
Montaña was, without a doubt, one of the most important exponents of classical guitar in Colombia, both as a performer and as a composer. He has contributed significantly to the preservation and promotion of Colombian Andean music. He is best known for adapting traditional Andean rhythms like pasillo and bambuco into complex guitar compositions.
Montaña’s work stands at the intersection of classical and folk music, bringing Colombian Andean styles to international audiences. Author of many arrangements, he moved through the realms of popular sounds, emphasising Colombian Andean music.
Growing up in the midst of a family that loved bambucos and pasillos, which were part of the repertoire of Los Trisónicos, a trio that he formed with his brother Raúl and Kiko Bejarano.
Among his most famous pieces are the sonata Canto al Amor for two guitars, pasillos, danzas and bambucos, and his famous, fabulous Guabina Viajera.
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