About the Paraguayan Harp
The Paraguayan nation was born out of a combination of Spanish and Guarani people, and Paraguayan music is an artistic expression of the new culture that developed in the heart of South America. The Spanish brought guitars, harps and other musical instruments with them to the Americas. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Jesuits used music to evangelize the people and probably showed them how to make and play musical instruments, resulting in today’s rich examples of Paraguayan craftsmanship and musical expression. Over the years, the Paraguayan harp has become established as the national instrument of Paraguay. Its distinct construction, style and performance techniques have been passed down from generation to generation and have been refined to make it a more sophisticated instrument. It is played with the fingernails as well as the finger pads. |
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It stands about 1.5 metres (5 ft) high and is very light and portable. The sound box is made of cedro (a type of mahogany) and pine. It is played either in a sitting position, or standing up when it is fitted with extending legs. The harp has 36 strings, which go into the centre of the neck making it identical from either side, this being a unique characteristic of the Paraguayan harp. The lower strings were once made from the leather of the belly of horses and the upper strings of steel but now they are all made of nylon. The original wooden pegs have mostly been replaced by mechanical pegs like those on the guitar, making them easier to tune.
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It has no pedals and is a diatonic instrument, which limits much of the traditional music to a major key and its related minor. There are however several methods of making semitones. One is to shorten the strings at the lower end by pushing a small peg between the strings. Another method is to shorten the strings at the top end by means of a metal key which is held between the fingers of the dominant hand. However, more recently, harps have begun to be constructed with the addition of levers to overcome this limitation, and many players are now using levered harps, as shown to the left. Arpeggios, glissandi, chords in octaves, thirds, sixths, etc are readily executed on these harps. There are sounds unique to the Paraguayan harp, which are produced by damping the strings in different ways or sometimes almost strumming them like a guitar. Also, the beautiful trino technique is often played using the fingernails of the dominant hand to bring out the melody. |
Although there is a vast repertoire of Paraguayan music, the two best-known rhythms being the polka (or galopa) and the guarania, very little was written down until recent years. Most of the harpists develop their own arrangements and many are masters of improvisation. Most professional Paraguayan players have learnt initially by ear and play extra notes and use techniques never written down in theory books. Nowadays harp lessons are given at the Music Conservatoire in Asuncion that also include music theory. This is led by Professor Dionisio Arzamendia Parriz, who in 2003 published a harp teaching theory book covering a seven year course.
One of the greatest and best known Paraguayan harpists was Feliz Perez Cardozo, who died in 1952. He is the composer of some favourite tunes like Tren Lechero, Mi Despedida, and many others. He is credited with the ingenious arrangement of Pajaro Campana, one of the oldest and best-known folk songs of Paraguay. Digno Garcia is another great composer who was inspired by a waterfall to compose the popular piece Cascada. Santiago Cortesi composed among others, Cajita Musical and Isla Saca. He is also the first professional instructor of the harp in Paraguay.
Guitar and harp-making is a craft industry and it is possible to visit the small private factories in and around Asuncion. Several are found on the way to Asuncion airport and in the town of Luque, from where Paraguayan harps are exported all over the world. There are probably more in Japan than any other country. Sadly there are many brilliant Paraguayan harpists whose talent is barely recognised. However in February 2003 and 2004 two large concerts were organised in Asuncion for new young harpists to perform. As a result talented musicians such as Kike Pedersen, Diego Vera, Marcelo Rojas and Sixto Corvalan are emerging. New techniques are being developed and a new generation of composers, such as Ismael Ledesma, are creating new styles and sounds for the Paraguayan harp with new pieces that are very different from the traditional polkas and guaranias. |
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