Videos: Misa Criolla (Kyrie) - Ramirez, Ariel - Feldman, Evan; Neumark, Dominic
Optional vocalists- and choirparts included. Born in Santa Fe, Argentina, Ariel Ramirez (1921-2010), was a fervent champion of Argentinian folk music. His "Misa Criolla" (1964), using Spanish instead of the traditional Latin, was one of the first masses to use a vernacular text after the Second Vatican Council lifted its ban on this practice in the early 1960's. The composition of the mass was inspired by a visit to Germany in the 1950's after which he met a group of nuns who had secretly protected German Jews during the Holocaust. Ramirez intended the mass to be a tribute to human dignity, courage, and freedom. "Misa Criolla" was recorded by Philips Records in 1964 but not publicly performed until 1967 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Its name means "folk mass" or "Creole mass," referring to a combination of European and indigenous traditions. This is reflected in Ramirez' fusion of the European mass with the language of Argentina, its musical rhythms, and its instruments. The "Kyrie" borrows the tempo and rhythmic style of the Argentinian vidala-baguala, often characterized by the use of the caja (box). The "Misa Criolla", originally scored for male or female soloists, chorus, and orchestra, features several other Andean folk rhythms, including chacarera, carnavalito, and estilo pampeano. Recordings of the work with the solo voices of Jose Carreras, George Dalarus, and Placido Domingo, have sold millions of copies worldwide. This wind band arrangement may be sung with or without vocalists. If vocalists are used, the possibilities include solo men, solo women, two-part men's chorus, or two-part women's chorus. Note that the form of the original is slightly modified. It may be restored through omitting the repetition of the opening phrase by taking the optional cut (m. 29). Two versions of the arrangement are provided, each with a different scoring for the Da Capo. Version 1 simulates female soloists; Version 2 simulates male soloists.
