Peruvian/Andean music - Essay Example

Peruvian/Andean Music The religious traditions of the Incas are linked with the spirits of their creator, and these in turn are linked with the natural elements around them: the earth, the air, the moon, the trees etc. Archeologists have studied what remains of their magnificent ceremonial buildings and artefacts, including the famous site at Machu Picchu, and they have concluded that ritualized religious dancing was part of their culture. Stringed instruments are not common on the South American continent and instead there is an abundance of percussion and wind instruments.

Traditional percussion instruments were mainly drums: ranging from a big drum called Wankar and a smaller one called Tinya.1 The deeper Wankar sound was played mainly by men, and the higher Tinya was reserved for women. Both drums were made from materials readily available in the surrounding countryside, namely wood and the skins of local animals such as llama or alpaca, and even occasionally for special instruments, jaguar or cougars which were accorded very special admiration. The most well-known sound of the incas in the modern mind is the breathy music of the pan-pipes or “Antara” as it is called in the local language.

These were made of various materials, again with ordinary version in cheaper materials like reeds and wood, while more expensive ones for special occasions were made in silver and gold. There is also evidence of a kind of Inca flute – a single tube with five or six holes in it and mouthpiece carved at the top. Again there is a larger one, called the Quena, and a smaller one, called the Picullo. Another form of wind instrument that was also used to send messages across long distances, was the horn.

These were sometimes simply sea shells through which air was blown and sometimes specially constructed trumpet shaped instruments. Music has always been a very important part of social life for the people of Inca heritage and the modern population of Peru. Original inca melodies have a smaller range than Western music, using only five tones. This makes their melodies simpler, but the practice of drum accompaniment adds interesting rhythms to the melodies carried by human voice and wind instruments.

The traditional occasions for the use of music include wartime preparation, where songs were used to build up confidence and team spirit for the forthcoming hostilities, religious occasions when the gods were worshipped, and solemn occasions like funerals where laments for the dead were sung. There was also a period of grieving in which families and friends celebrated the life of the deceased in music. In modern times music is very much linked with national culture and identity, and it plays a big part in the attractiveness of historic locations for tourists.

There is a big worldwide market for Inca style music, and it provides a living for many families and groups who are proud to pass on the traditions of their heritage and history. References “Inca Music” Retrieved from: http://www.peru-travel-confidential.com/inca-music.html