By Benn Lunn
Post-colonialism in music, is an interesting discussion point, firstly by its very nature it should produce a multitude of answers given each specific post-colonial situation that exists on this planet, but secondly and most importantly is that it is a move forward. Though each culture around the planet, which suffered at the hands of colonialism (and still suffers at the hands of imperialism) needs a period of rediscovery of its lost/disappearing past, the intent should never be about returning to some idealised historical point.
One ensemble and composer who I think truly embody this fact is Cergio Prudencio and the Bolivian ensemble Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos. Their album Antología 1: Obras para la Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos, released earlier this year, is an incredible snapshot of this.
Cergio Prudencio (1955*), born in La Paz, has dedicated a large proportion of his artistic work (which covers a wide variety of fields, including composing, poetry, research, and conducting) to the question of identity and interculturality, not just within Bolivia, but across the whole of Latin America. Beyond his musical creations, the establishment of the Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos (OEIN) is quite the remarkable feat.
OEIN was founded in 1980 and is an orchestra consisting of traditional Andean instruments. But in juxtaposition to the many traditional/folk orchestras that exist globally, what makes the OEIN stand out is their commitment to not only explore repertoire traditionally used by the Aymara or Quechua communities (with whom these instruments originate), but to also be an ensemble which creates contemporary work, exploiting the incredibly unique colours to expand what is musically possible. To draw on a quote from the orchestra’s own press release:
“Traditional music serves as the pillar supporting the technique and philosophy of the OEIN, while contemporary music expresses the identity of our times.”
Antología 1, released by Buh records, consists of five works, and demonstrate a composer who is a master of the medium he is working with. At no point in listening does one feel ‘fatigued’ by the sound of the ensemble as they are continuously pushed to limits in numerous ways which are both fascinating and striking.
To focus on personal favourites: Cantos insurgentes (2012) though the title implies something militaristic, the musical material comes from the 2011 film Insurgents which Prudencio wrote for. In the programme notes, the composer describes this focus on a pre-Hispanic sound, which is mostly imagined as a creative tool than an ‘accurate recreation’. The work evolves through multiple blocks, which either explore timbral or rhythmic qualities leading to profoundly mighty moments as well as engrossing fragile moments.
La ciudad (1980) which is the first work Cergio Prudencio ever wrote for the ensemble, and draws inspiration from Blanca Wiethüchter’s poetry. Prudencio describes the piece as being an homage to his home city. The clash of traditional music with contemporary urban life is an embodiment of the very dialectical relationship within which Prudencio and OEIN currently work. The interaction between this modernising and remembering brings up questions of history and socio-political questions, and the simple question of identity.
Cantos Funerales (2005) is simply my favourite work on this album. The piece is an exploration of how the Aymara reflect upon death, looking at their rites, theological ideas, and considerations of the realm of the living and the realm of the dying and how they interact. Prudencio has composed a sort of ‘requiem’ in an Aymara tradition that could have been. The airy sounds of the sikus juxtaposed with the various percussive instruments conjure up a powerfully reverent space, and the sudden unleashing of the largest drums is a powerfully transcendental moment, which stuns me every time I listen to it.
There are many other works on the album which are just as enticing, however I am aware of word counts – so to describe why I am so enamoured by each individual piece would take too much time. And ultimately, the only way to really engage with the music is listen to it and witness for yourself.
Coming back to the original point, this album and how the Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos embody post-colonialism, is not only successful but also gives creative individuals of all nations a question of how they can counter the current global hegemony. Namely, drawing out what makes your region unique and using it to build truly contemporary art – not a retreat, but an advance, showing how the ideas of people are as valuable as the art valued in our current globalised society, not as unique exotic sounds, but art.
Cergio Prudencio, Antología 1: Obras para la Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos. Buh Records.
Ben Lunn is a Liberation member who has forged himself a unique position within the new music landscape. As a composer, Lunn’s music reflects the material world around him, connecting to his North-Eastern heritage or how disability impacts the world around him or his working-class upbringing. Alongside this, he has become renowned for his championship of others, which have seen him creating unique collaborations with musicians from across the globe and developing unique concert experiences and opportunities for others. Ben also regularly contributes to the Morning Star and Culture Matters.
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The views expressed in the articles published on this website do not necessarily represent those of Liberation.
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