LINK BETWEEN ANDEAN & EUROPEAN MUSIC? HOW CAN THAT BE???
Have you ever wonder whether a Peruvian song such as El Cóndor Pasa can have any links with a sophisticated Italian song like Con te Partiro? Me neither. In this page, you will see what these two songs have in common, or what separates them from each other.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
El Condor PasaEl Cóndor Pasa is an Andean folk tune. It is one of the most well known Andes music in the whole world. The Peru government classified this song as a part of their national cultural heritage, showing the popularity of this song in South America [4].
In most Andean music, the pan flute is the signature instrument used. The pan flute has come to represent ancient Incas music even until today. Andean music was derived from Incas music, which was a compilation of musical traditions from Bolivia, Peru and the surround area. Archaeologist discovered that the pan flute dates back to before the birth of Christ [3]. For El Condor Pasa, the most important instrument is obviously the pan flute, since it is the signature instrument of the Andean music, and it is the only original instrument from the Inca civilization. The accompaniment varies with time, since there are a lot of versions of the song. |
Con Te PartiroCon te Partiro is an Italian operatic pop song written by Francesco Sartori and Lucio Quarantotto. It was famously performed by Andrea Bocelli. It was released in the year 1995. Con te Partiro remains one of the most widely known operatic song in the world thanks to the combination of popular music with opera singing techniques.
Operatic pop/popera is a style of music that originated from the 1960’s England, in London. It is a genre where the simple structure of a vocal pop song is mixed with a Classical era Opera style of the 16th Century with an extremely powerful and high vocal pitch, string orchestra accompaniment, solo singer and also including common themes and motifs of Opera songs of that time period [2]. For Con te partiro, the most important instrument is both the strings and the vocal. The strings plays a crucial role in the accompaniment of the vocals. It also plays the main melody towards the end, as well as the short instrumental introduction in the beginning. The vocal "plays" the main motif of the song |
SO WHAT LINKS THESE TWO SONGS TOGETHER?
Motif/Theme
Both songs show a motif/theme in the chorus of the song, each of them in the same direction and movement with the same importance within the song. In Con te partiro, we can find the motif/theme in measure 16 to 20 of an accurate transcription:
As the main motif/theme of the song (found in the chorus) progresses, the singer starts to sing higher notes with higher pitch, even jumping an octave in measure 19 of the song. This motif is well developed with slow and graceful notes combined with the mellow string accompaniment, making it easily recognizable throughout the world. The fact that this motif is repeated multiple times throughout the song makes it even more noticeable.
In El Condor Pasa, the motif can be found in the part of the song illustrated in this excerpt:
In El Condor Pasa, the motif can be found in the part of the song illustrated in this excerpt:
The motif in El Condor Pasa consist of mostly ascending notes, creating a ladder-like movement within the notes. It is followed by longer notes that repeats itself in different pitches. And if we look at the full score or listen to the audio, we can observe that this motif is repeated multiple times, just like the motif in Con te Partiro. The motif in El Condor Pasa is what made this song very recognizable throughout the world, similar to Con te Partiro as well. We can say that the ostinato within these two songs are what made these songs well known by a lot of people.
Texture
The texture of these two songs are the same even though they are separated greatly geographically and chronologically.
In Con te partiro, we can see that the texture of the song stays homophonic throughout the whole song. There is one dominant voice in the vocal, and the other voices are all the accompaniment part (strings, timpani, etc.). Thus we can say that Con te partiro is a homophonic song.
El Condor Pasa is also homophonic in that the pan flute plays the main tune for the whole song, accompanied by some guitar chords and bass instrument. We must note that there are a lot of versions of this song and that the original dates back earlier than the birth of Christ, making it near impossible for us to get a recording of the song (since there are no recording methods back then).
We can see that homophonic songs can unite songs that are thousands of years apart. The homophonic texture also allows one voice to dominate and play the main melody, creating a more simplistic tone within the song, making it easier to listen to for the audience.
In Con te partiro, we can see that the texture of the song stays homophonic throughout the whole song. There is one dominant voice in the vocal, and the other voices are all the accompaniment part (strings, timpani, etc.). Thus we can say that Con te partiro is a homophonic song.
El Condor Pasa is also homophonic in that the pan flute plays the main tune for the whole song, accompanied by some guitar chords and bass instrument. We must note that there are a lot of versions of this song and that the original dates back earlier than the birth of Christ, making it near impossible for us to get a recording of the song (since there are no recording methods back then).
We can see that homophonic songs can unite songs that are thousands of years apart. The homophonic texture also allows one voice to dominate and play the main melody, creating a more simplistic tone within the song, making it easier to listen to for the audience.
Structure
The following table will explain the structure of these two songs.
El Condor Pasa
El Condor Pasa can be illustrated as being an AABBAABB structure. We can somewhat classify this as a strophic form, where the main theme alternates with the variation of the theme until the end of the song, creating a modified strophic form where it is ABAB. The difference is that this song plays the A or B section twice before changing to the variation/returning to the main theme. The difference between the A section and the B section will be explained more thoroughly below:
AIn this section, the pan flute plays the main motif of the song. This can be found in minute 0:38 - 0:58 of the audio (see appendix).
The ostinato of the whole song can be found in this section. The motif consist of ascending notes, followed by long notes that are repeated multiple times. There are a lot of eighth notes in sequences, followed by some minims and crotchets. This creates a smooth and relaxed texture to the music as the song is quite slow, and the eighth notes are played quite slowly with some variations in the rhythm made possible by the special characteristic of the pan flute which enables smooth slur-like sound. |
BIn this section, the pan flute plays the second less significant motif of the song. We can classify this part as another motif as it is repeated throughout the song in the AABBAABB form.
We can say that there exist two ostinatos within this song. There are a lot of accidentals in this part, making a minor modulation within the B section. This is illustrated in the excerpt: |
Con te Partiro
The song structure in Con te Partiro is quite typical of most Classical songs. The chorus is followed by a verse , which leads to the chorus again, and back to the verse again, and it keeps on alternating until the end of the song. The song follows an ABACA-like form where the A is the chorus of the song. This resembles the strophic form (chorus form). We can classify this as a modified strophic form, where the A and B section alternates between each other until the end of the song. The difference between the A and B section will be highlighted in the chart below:
AIn this section, the chorus/main theme of the song is played.
The vocalist sings the main motif of the song that can be found in measure 16 - 20 of the transcription (see appendix). The word painting in this section can be found in the lyric "Time to say goodbye" where the rhythm is quite slow and separated by the long minim. The use of the E minor scale also contributes to the sad mood within this section. There are a lot of imitations as well, with the strings imitating the vocal part exactly.This can be heard in minute 1:11 - 1:56 of the audio (see appendix). The imitations emphasizes the smoothness and sorrow within the song.The first A section is played only by the orchestra, creating an instrumental introduction. |
BIn this section, there are some rapid notes as a result of the use of sixteenth notes. The rapid notes creates a recitative format, which will be discussed further below. For now, take a look at the excerpt below:
This rapid flow of notes makes this section somewhat of a accompagnato recitative, where the vocalist recites the text with orchestral accompaniment.
|
We can see that El Condor Pasa follows a modified strophic form that is modified even further. This allows some variations in the repeated section of the song, giving the pan flute player more freedom in the song. Con te partiro follows a more orthodox Classical modified strophic form. In both of these songs, we can see that the chorus and verse alternates between each other a lot.
Register and Harmony
There is a difference in the use of the register of the different instruments within these two songs. The key used in this song also contributes to the difference between these two songs.
In El Condor Pasa, the accompaniment stays within the mid range of the song (between tenor and alto in terms of vocal). The pan flute moves within a huge range of pitches, made possible by the big range in the instrument itself. We can hear throughout the song that sometimes the pan flute plays a note that is lower than the accompaniment. It can also play a note much higher than the accompaniment. Thus the register within this song is not fixed; the ostinato can move from tenor to soprano in an instant. A mix between major-pentatonic key is used in this song, and it creates the happy mood of the song, depicting a condor soaring through the sky.
In Con te partiro, the register of the two different instruments (vocal and strings) is quite straightforward. The vocal covers a wide range of pitch, ranging from the low to high register, while the strings accompaniment mainly plays in a lower register compared to the vocal. We can listen to this throughout the whole song. The use of the E minor key in this song creates the sorrowful and solemn mood in this song, creating a sense of separation from saying "goodbye".
We can see that El Condor Pasa gives more freedom for the pan flute player as he/she can play through all of the possible register without being restricted by the register of the accompanying instruments. The hybrid major-pentatonic scale contributes to the happy and triumphant mood of the song. On the other hand, the register of the instruments in Con te partiro is fixed from the beginning, with the vocalist singing in a higher register than the accompaniment most of the time.
In El Condor Pasa, the accompaniment stays within the mid range of the song (between tenor and alto in terms of vocal). The pan flute moves within a huge range of pitches, made possible by the big range in the instrument itself. We can hear throughout the song that sometimes the pan flute plays a note that is lower than the accompaniment. It can also play a note much higher than the accompaniment. Thus the register within this song is not fixed; the ostinato can move from tenor to soprano in an instant. A mix between major-pentatonic key is used in this song, and it creates the happy mood of the song, depicting a condor soaring through the sky.
In Con te partiro, the register of the two different instruments (vocal and strings) is quite straightforward. The vocal covers a wide range of pitch, ranging from the low to high register, while the strings accompaniment mainly plays in a lower register compared to the vocal. We can listen to this throughout the whole song. The use of the E minor key in this song creates the sorrowful and solemn mood in this song, creating a sense of separation from saying "goodbye".
We can see that El Condor Pasa gives more freedom for the pan flute player as he/she can play through all of the possible register without being restricted by the register of the accompanying instruments. The hybrid major-pentatonic scale contributes to the happy and triumphant mood of the song. On the other hand, the register of the instruments in Con te partiro is fixed from the beginning, with the vocalist singing in a higher register than the accompaniment most of the time.
SO, THE MAIN POINT IS?
We can see from the five elements above that even though these two music comes from a completely different time period and place, they share quite a lot of things in common, but they also have some contrasting difference. The motif is similar in these two songs in that they became the ostinato of the song, repeated multiple times throughout the song. The texture of these songs are both homophonic, where the vocal and pan flute plays the main melody for their own respective songs, accompanied by the orchestra/band. The structure is what separates them, as El Condor Pasa follows a modified modified strophic form (AABBAABB), whereas Con te partiro follows the normal modified strophic form (ABAB). The use of the register of the instruments also separate these two songs. El Condor Pasa gave no restrictions to the pan flute, allowing it to play through multiple register, while Con te partiro fixed the register of the strings and vocal. The harmony of these two songs are also different: El Condor Pasa uses a hybrid major-pentatonic key, whereas Con te partiro uses the normal E minor key.
This shows that from the ancient times to the present day, a song where the motif is repeated over and over throughout the song remains a popular structure as it makes the song easy to remember and more recognizable by many people. The homophonic texture is also quite popular throughout the ages, where one voice stands out with the multiple accompaniment supporting the melody. The difference is that ancient music gives more freedom in register and structure of the main melody, while songs based on the Classical era are more rigid and organized in the flow of the song. This is what separates a formal concert music from traditional folk music.
Now, do you believe that ancient Andean music can have a healthy relationship with a Classical-esque pop music?
You should.
This shows that from the ancient times to the present day, a song where the motif is repeated over and over throughout the song remains a popular structure as it makes the song easy to remember and more recognizable by many people. The homophonic texture is also quite popular throughout the ages, where one voice stands out with the multiple accompaniment supporting the melody. The difference is that ancient music gives more freedom in register and structure of the main melody, while songs based on the Classical era are more rigid and organized in the flow of the song. This is what separates a formal concert music from traditional folk music.
Now, do you believe that ancient Andean music can have a healthy relationship with a Classical-esque pop music?
You should.
appendix
El Condor Pasa music Score
Con te Partiro English Music Score
El Condor Pasa audio
Con te Partiro audio
work cited
1. "Urban Dictionary: Popera." Urban Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2013. <http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=popera>.
2. "Con Te Partirò." Wikipedia. N.p., 17 Sept. 2013. Web. 23 Sept. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Con_te_partirò>.
3. "Music History." Music and Instruments from the High Andes. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2013. <http://andeannation.com/music-history/>.
4. "Inca Music Video: El Condor Pasa by "Espiritu Andino" in Machu Picchu and Cuzco."GoGeometry.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2013. <http://gogeometry.com/incas/video_condor_pasa_music.htm>.
Transcription "Con te partiro"
Carcel, Fabio. "Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye - Original)." Scribd. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2013. <http://www.scribd.com/doc/15247636/Con-Te-Partiro-Time-to-Say-Goodbye-Original>.
Transcription "El Cóndor Pasa"
http://capotastomusic.blogspot.com/2011/10/el-condor-pasa-free-trombone-sheet.html
Audio "Con te partiro"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcrfvP11Hbo
Audio "El Cóndor Pasa"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CtUZzCe6-bk
2. "Con Te Partirò." Wikipedia. N.p., 17 Sept. 2013. Web. 23 Sept. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Con_te_partirò>.
3. "Music History." Music and Instruments from the High Andes. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2013. <http://andeannation.com/music-history/>.
4. "Inca Music Video: El Condor Pasa by "Espiritu Andino" in Machu Picchu and Cuzco."GoGeometry.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2013. <http://gogeometry.com/incas/video_condor_pasa_music.htm>.
Transcription "Con te partiro"
Carcel, Fabio. "Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye - Original)." Scribd. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2013. <http://www.scribd.com/doc/15247636/Con-Te-Partiro-Time-to-Say-Goodbye-Original>.
Transcription "El Cóndor Pasa"
http://capotastomusic.blogspot.com/2011/10/el-condor-pasa-free-trombone-sheet.html
Audio "Con te partiro"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcrfvP11Hbo
Audio "El Cóndor Pasa"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CtUZzCe6-bk