Félix Pérez Cardozo
Encyclopedia
He was born on the November 20, 1908 to Teodoro Pérez and Cándida Rosa Cardozo in the small town of Hyaty in the state of Guairá
in Paraguay
. This town currently carries his name. Pérez Cardozo died on April 8, 1973 in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
.
music
. As is common in Paraguayan music of the countryside, he learned the basics of playing from other harpists, so making him self taught with no known music masters.
He was part of a paradigmatic trio consisting of one harp and two guitars, along with Ampelio Villalba and Diosnel Chase. He received support from the poet Pedro José Carlés, with whom he traveled to the capital city of (Asunción
) in 1928. During this time they would play at folk music festivals organized in the “Teatro Granados” by Aristóbulo “Nonón” Domínguez as well as in night clubs.
In 1931 he and his band left for Buenos Aires
, Argentina
, where most of his artistic career took place. They were the first of a long list of Paraguayan musicians that would consequently succeed in the Argentine capital for more than half a century.
area. His success was such that a street in Mendoza
was named after him.
He recorded numerous LP’s immortalizing all of his songs but one in particular, became internationally known, his version of “Guyra campana” (“Pájaro campana
”),.Even though this master piece is mentioned as a traditional country tune in encyclopedias and history books of Paraguayan music, there is no doubt that the recompilation and the final arrangement of this masterpiece were due to the talent and genius Pérez Cardozo.
His contribution to the evolution and popularization of the Paraguayan harp was of great value since it developed new technical aspects such as the widening of the sound effects through the implementation of extra chords, the independent use of the hands, the accompaniment of broken chords for the Paraguayan Polka and the increasingly technical use of the right hand (chords and melodies with five fingers, tremolos, glissandos and other effects).
He gave music to various verses of distinguished poets such as Víctor Montórfano (“Tetagua sapukai”, a true anthem in which “grito del pueblo” (the shout of the people) claims better days for Paraguay) Antonio Ortiz Mayans
(“Burrerita”, “Pasionaria”, “Puntanita”, “Asunceña” y “Taperé”), Félix Fernández
(“Rosa”), Rigoberto Fontao Meza
(“El arriero”), Andrés Pereira (“Mariposa mi”), the Argentine Hilario Cuadros (“Los sesenta granaderos”, known throughout Argentina as a very popular Anthem.), also the most important poet of Paraguayan history Emiliano R. Fernández
, whose piece is seen as a pillar of Paraguayan epic music due to the rhythmic power, melodic beauty and patriotic content of the following texts (“1º de Marzo”, “Che la reina (Ahama che china)”, and the lovable song (“Oda pasional”, “Oñondiveminte”), (“Desde la selva” y “Primavera”).Likewise “Caaguy ryakua”, “Isla Pukú”, the recompilation of “Jaha che ndive”, “Lui ryevu”, “Misiones”.
, Argentina
, on the 9th of June in 1952. Atahualpa Yupanki, a fundamental icon of inspirational folk music and poetry in this century in Argentina, sang “Canción del arpa dormida” in his honor (set to music by Herminio Giménez
): “...En ese misterio de sol y de selva / de agreste romance de india y mensú / llegaron tus manos a mi tierra gaucha / tejiendo armonías, ¡oh! mita guazu./ Acunando ensueños se nos va la vida / y el viajero parte para no volver. / Hoy el arpa india se quedó dormida / como una guarania que no pudo ser”.
Guairá Department
Guairá is a department in Paraguay. The capital is the city of Villarrica.It covers a surface of , with a population of 178130 inhabitants .You can get there through the Road nª8 Blas Garay...
in Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. This town currently carries his name. Pérez Cardozo died on April 8, 1973 in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Beginnings
He is the most representative icon as regards the interpretation, development of technique and composition of harpHarp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. As is common in Paraguayan music of the countryside, he learned the basics of playing from other harpists, so making him self taught with no known music masters.
He was part of a paradigmatic trio consisting of one harp and two guitars, along with Ampelio Villalba and Diosnel Chase. He received support from the poet Pedro José Carlés, with whom he traveled to the capital city of (Asunción
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
) in 1928. During this time they would play at folk music festivals organized in the “Teatro Granados” by Aristóbulo “Nonón” Domínguez as well as in night clubs.
In 1931 he and his band left for Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, where most of his artistic career took place. They were the first of a long list of Paraguayan musicians that would consequently succeed in the Argentine capital for more than half a century.
Career
In a short period of time, his individualistic style of interpretations of various compositions, mostly created for the harp, quickly gained him wide public recognition. He was a member of several bands until in 1945 he formed his own group. He enjoyed huge fame in Buenos Aires and throughout all the Río de la PlataRío de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
area. His success was such that a street in Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
was named after him.
He recorded numerous LP’s immortalizing all of his songs but one in particular, became internationally known, his version of “Guyra campana” (“Pájaro campana
Bare-throated Bellbird
The Bare-throated Bellbird is a species of bird in the Cotingidae family. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay....
”),.Even though this master piece is mentioned as a traditional country tune in encyclopedias and history books of Paraguayan music, there is no doubt that the recompilation and the final arrangement of this masterpiece were due to the talent and genius Pérez Cardozo.
His contribution to the evolution and popularization of the Paraguayan harp was of great value since it developed new technical aspects such as the widening of the sound effects through the implementation of extra chords, the independent use of the hands, the accompaniment of broken chords for the Paraguayan Polka and the increasingly technical use of the right hand (chords and melodies with five fingers, tremolos, glissandos and other effects).
Family
He married the Argentinian Victoria Sanchez - with whom he had three children: Angela Rosa, Bienbenida y Victor.Works
Among his greatest harp compositions are found:- “Guyra campana”,
- “Carreta guy”,
- “Jataity”,
- “Llegada”,
- “Mi despedida”,
- “Angela Rosa”,
- “Che valle mi Hyaty”,
- “Che valle mi Yaguarón”,
- “En tí hallé consuelo”,
- “Tren lechero”,
- “El sueño de Angelita”.
He gave music to various verses of distinguished poets such as Víctor Montórfano (“Tetagua sapukai”, a true anthem in which “grito del pueblo” (the shout of the people) claims better days for Paraguay) Antonio Ortiz Mayans
Antonio Ortiz Mayans
Antonio Ortiz Mayans was born in Asunción, capital of the republic of Paraguay, on June 20 , 1908 and according to his own words, his first work was the poem, “Los Amigos”, published by the magazine of the Students Center of the Colegio Nacional de la Capital, where he studied and which had a...
(“Burrerita”, “Pasionaria”, “Puntanita”, “Asunceña” y “Taperé”), Félix Fernández
Felix Fernández
For the Puerto Rican track and field athlete see Félix Omar FernándezFélix de Jesús Fernández Christlieb is a retired Mexican football goalkeeper...
(“Rosa”), Rigoberto Fontao Meza
Rigoberto Fontao Meza
Rigoberto Fontao Meza was one of the most outstanding poets of the Paraguayan native song-book. His highly descriptive and elegant rhymed poems enriched the Paraguayan literature history in Guaraní, Spanish and jopara....
(“El arriero”), Andrés Pereira (“Mariposa mi”), the Argentine Hilario Cuadros (“Los sesenta granaderos”, known throughout Argentina as a very popular Anthem.), also the most important poet of Paraguayan history Emiliano R. Fernández
Emiliano R. Fernández
Emiliano R. Fernández was born on August 8, 1894, in Yvysunu, Guarambare, Paraguay. His parents were Silvestre Fernandez and Bernarda Rivarola.-Childhood and youth:He is the author of more than 2,000 poems...
, whose piece is seen as a pillar of Paraguayan epic music due to the rhythmic power, melodic beauty and patriotic content of the following texts (“1º de Marzo”, “Che la reina (Ahama che china)”, and the lovable song (“Oda pasional”, “Oñondiveminte”), (“Desde la selva” y “Primavera”).Likewise “Caaguy ryakua”, “Isla Pukú”, the recompilation of “Jaha che ndive”, “Lui ryevu”, “Misiones”.
Later years
The great “mitá guazú” (big boy) the nickname by which he was known died suddenly in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, on the 9th of June in 1952. Atahualpa Yupanki, a fundamental icon of inspirational folk music and poetry in this century in Argentina, sang “Canción del arpa dormida” in his honor (set to music by Herminio Giménez
Herminio Giménez
-Life:At the early age of 11 he was already part of the Paraguarí music band and two years later he was hired to be part of the Asunción marching band. While at the marching band he made his first successful song, a polca named Jasy Morotí, in 1918. He was the first person to record Paraguayan...
): “...En ese misterio de sol y de selva / de agreste romance de india y mensú / llegaron tus manos a mi tierra gaucha / tejiendo armonías, ¡oh! mita guazu./ Acunando ensueños se nos va la vida / y el viajero parte para no volver. / Hoy el arpa india se quedó dormida / como una guarania que no pudo ser”.