I had the good fortune of meeting composer, Frederic Rzewski in Edmonton, AB in 2008. He spoke passionately about the theme for his composition, “The People United will Never Be Defeated.” I was impressed with his musical borrowing of both the Chilean folk song and form from J. S. Bach’s, Goldberg Variations. Instead of using the canon on every three variations as in Bach's composition, Rzewski utilizes this technique on every sixth variation. For the listening student and improviser, I think this format offers endless opportunities. Within a social and historical context, this work speaks volumes on the power of music.
Quilapayún, Inti-Illimani, Victor Jara, and Violeta Para often collaborated with one another and performed each other’s songs. Violeta Para was very much a mentor to Victor Jara in the early stages of his career. Suni Paz, originally from Argentina, has spent the bulk of her career performing and promoting Latin music for children in the United States of America. She has published her childrens songs through the Smithsonian Folkways Collection, which are a resource for teachers wishing to introduce young students to an authentic, Latin American aesthetic.
El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido, “The People United will Never Be Defeated,” was written by Sergio Ortega (music) and Quilapayún (text) but was also performed and recorded by Inti-Illimani. Both groups would become major forces in the Nueva Canción movement, but from afar, as they were exiled for 15 years. El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido was written in June 1973 and became a popular slogan of President Salvador Allende’s party. Following the September 11, 1973 coup and Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship, the song became a cry of resistance.
The songs listed under the Song & Videos tab may be taught by rote, in solfa, with movement, or as a listening exercise. The guiding question for students may be, “How does music bring people together?” This can be discussed within the context of their own lives, but also in relation to politics, and importantly, Chile’s context. Although a difficult and sad subject, the music explored on these pages was so powerful, artists lost their lives, or were exiled. “What does this mean? Why? What threat did they pose?”
The melodies offer rich teaching material in terms of improvising and composing additional variations, exploring antecedent and consequent, or using the text but varying tempo, mood, or character to discover new meanings within the poetry. Chilean folk music often uses a pentatonic scale. This is an ideal tone-set for improvising, for any combination of notes sounds harmonious to the ear. Alongside the music is an opportunity for students to learn about the traditional instruments and costume. Within Rzewski’s composition, students may explore the complexities of resistance and how that is communicated to the audience within the frame of extended tonality.
This website was designed to bring certain music together within a theme, but is by no means an exhaustive list of important Chilean artists from 1960-1973. I hope this is a useful resource and a spring-board to a greater discussion on the power of music and resistance.
Allison Luff, MMus (Ed.), MMus (Perf.), BMus (Perf.), Diploma in Kodaly Education (Kodaly Institute, HU)