A Listening guide for performers of MOMENTOS PERUANOS
MOMENTOS PERUANOS is a set of four original pieces written in traditional musical styles of Peru. My intention while writing these movements was not to break free from Peruvian traditional musical styles, but to indulge in their delicious flavors - to “bathe” in the peculiar rhythmic, melodic and harmonic “quirks” that make each one of these genres unmistakeably Peruvian. Side note: the last two thirds of the second movement are an exception, as they are a free-style development inspired by the scissor dance style of the movement’s first section.
Since my first experiences with musical performance were in the realm of Peruvian traditional music (the first instrument I learned how to play was the Peruvian cajón), writing in Peruvian traditional styles feels more natural to me than writing in pretty much any other style. But I understand that many performers encountering and wanting to play MOMENTOS PERUANOS do not have previous experience listening to or performing Peruvian music, and the rhythmic aspects and other features of this music can often be tricky if experienced only on paper.
This is why I’ve put together a little listening guide for performers, with examples of songs composed in the same genres that I engage with in MOMENTOS PERUANOS. Listening to these examples can help performers get a more intuitive sense of the “groove” and the feeling of each traditional style of music. In some cases, watching the dancers (in the videos) will also give a bit of very useful context on how this music works in a larger context. Similar to Baroque instrumental suites (Bach’s Orchestersuiten or Partitas, for example), each movement in MOMENTOS PERUANOS is modeled on a particular genre that is traditionally danced to, even if the more “stylized” concert pieces are not meant to be danced to directly.
Enjoy!
I.(LANDÓ)
About the landó
II. (DANZA DE TIJERAS, or scissor dance)
About the scissor dance.
III. (HUAYNO)
About the huayno.