- El Cóndor Pasa (play)
"El Cóndor Pasa" ("The Condor Goes by") is a Peruvian "
zarzuela ", or musical play, and its more famous title song El Cóndor Pasa.In 2004 the piece was declared "Patrimonio cultural de la Nación", an official part of Peru's cultural heritage. [cite web |url=http://www2.noticiasdot.com/publicaciones/2004/0404/1304/noticias130404/noticias130404-4.htm |title=Canción "El Cóndor Pasa" fue declarada patrimonio cultural de Perú |accessdate=2007-12-28 |last= |first= |date=2004-04-13 |work= |publisher= ] The music was composed in 1913 by
Daniel Alomía Robles and the libretto byJulio Baudouin under the pseudonym "Julio de La Paz". It was published in 1933.The story is set in a mine in
Cerro de Pasco , and deals with a tragic conflict between Indians and "Sajones" (Saxons), their European bosses. The exploitative Mr. King, owner of the mine, is killed by Higinio, but is soon replaced by another owner, Mr. Cup, and the fight continues. The condor of the title symbolises the ideal of freedom.The song appears in the finale. Originally it was wordless. The tune is a "
cashua ", a kind of Andean dance similar to ahuayno . It was inspired by traditional Andean songs.The words are in
Quechua , the language of theInca Empire , which is still spoken by the indigenous people of Peru. The singer calls on the mighty condor of the Andes to take him back to the old Inca kingdom ofMachu Picchu .Sources
See also
*
Music of Peru
*Andean music
*El kondor pada External links
* [http://www.runasimi.de/y-kuntur.htm Sheet music and translations of the original text]
* [http://www.epdlp.com/clasica.php?id=1127 Excerpt from the original version of El Condor Pasa]
* [http://www.latinoamerica-online.info/cult04/musica06.04.html "El cóndor pasa" declarada Patrimonio Cultural de Perú]
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