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Masterpieces and history of folklore: An introduction to traditional music of the South American Andes

Traditional music of the South American Andes, known as “folklore.” The delicate tones of the quena and charango—woven by virtuosos such as Argentina’s Ariel Ramírez and Bolivia’s Ernesto Cavour—carry the region’s timeless history and rich culture into the present.

From the wistful “El Cóndor Pasa” to the passionate “Sin Ti,” masterpieces born of the Andean land continue to move hearts around the world.

We present these gems of music, alive with the heart and soul of South America.

Playlist

Masterpieces and history of folklore: An introduction to traditional music of the South American Andes
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1Maidens of the SunRosu Chyakosu
Maidens of the SunRosu Chyakosuplay_arrow
Folklore depicting a priestess of the Inca Empire
2HumahuacañoEdamundo Sarudibāru
HumahuacañoEdamundo Sarudibāruplay_arrow
Introduction to Andean folk music
3On Beni’s beachArehando ro Kamara
On Beni’s beachArehando ro Kamaraplay_arrow
Romance on the Banks of the Mamoré River
4Coffee RumbaŪgo Buranko
Coffee RumbaŪgo Burankoplay_arrow
Introduction and features of Coffee Rumba
5Blanca RosaFerunando Himenes
Blanca RosaFerunando Himenesplay_arrow
Blanca Rosa is a melancholic Andean folklore
6Mi BoliviaSakanbaya
Mi BoliviaSakanbayaplay_arrow
Andean traditional music of Sakanbaya
7while cryingRosu Karukasu
while cryingRosu Karukasuplay_arrow
A Bolivian song was plagiarized by Kaoma
8imilitaryRosu Karukasu
imilitaryRosu Karukasuplay_arrow
Andean traditional love song by Los Kjarkas
9Soul of the PlainsPedro Eriasu Gutieres
Soul of the PlainsPedro Eriasu Gutieresplay_arrow
The Soul of the Venezuelan Plains Holoropo
10From the plateau to the jungleErunesuto Kabūru
From the plateau to the jungleErunesuto Kabūruplay_arrow
A masterpiece that expresses the nature of Bolivia through the charango
11CharyaErunesuto Kabūru
CharyaErunesuto Kabūruplay_arrow
A masterful performance by Ernesto, the Bolivian charango player
12I want to be your shadow.Rosu Romerosu
I want to be your shadow.Rosu Romerosuplay_arrow
A guitar quartet gracefully performs South American music
13La MailleRosu Karuchakisu
La MailleRosu Karuchakisuplay_arrow
Heartwarming music with Andean folk instruments
14Gray EyesUnya Ramosu
Gray EyesUnya Ramosuplay_arrow
Composed by Uña Ramos, a classic of folklore
15Mountain flowersNaueru Hofure
Mountain flowersNaueru Hofureplay_arrow
Fusion of Argentine traditional music and acoustic guitar
16Blue starPītok o Kyarabajaru
Blue starPītok o Kyarabajaruplay_arrow
A song sung by Peteco Carabajal about his beloved daughter
17Cueca of the Coya peopleAntoniō Pantōha
Cueca of the Coya peopleAntoniō Pantōhaplay_arrow
The traditional Andean dance Cueca
18Churu ChurusErunesuto Kabūru
Churu ChurusErunesuto Kabūruplay_arrow
A gem of a piece of traditional Andean music performed on the charango
19Amorosa PalomitaRosu Chorosu Andīnosu
Amorosa PalomitaRosu Chorosu Andīnosuplay_arrow
A melancholy melody of Andean folk instruments
20AmigoGurūpo Femenīno Boribia
AmigoGurūpo Femenīno Boribiaplay_arrow
A song about the friendship and bonds of a female Andean folklore group
21EncountersGurūpo Wara
EncountersGurūpo Waraplay_arrow
Encuentros Encounters
22Romance of the Wind and the QuenaHose Ramirezu Toresu
Romance of the Wind and the QuenaHose Ramirezu Toresu
A classic folklore song originating from Bolivia
23Two Little DovesRosu Inkasu
Two Little DovesRosu Inkasuplay_arrow
A lively folk tune of Andean music
24Flowers by the watersideSabia Andīna
Flowers by the watersideSabia Andīnaplay_arrow
Explain the famous quena piece “Flowers by the Water.”
25unglazed pottery jarGuroria Haro
unglazed pottery jarGuroria Haroplay_arrow
A song wishing to be buried in a jar like one’s ancestors
26The Road to San FranciscoDanieru Fereira
The Road to San FranciscoDanieru Fereiraplay_arrow
A film theme song with a sense of speed in the trotte style
27San BenitoGuran Kokiibakoa
San BenitoGuran Kokiibakoa
Song of the San Benito Festival of Bolivian folklore
28Misioneradesuperutaru
Misioneradesuperutaruplay_arrow
Introduction to Argentine folk music works
29Carnival in the ValleyZa Abarosu Burazāzu
Carnival in the ValleyZa Abarosu Burazāzuplay_arrow
Traditional carnival of Andean folk music
30El Condor Pasa (The Condor Flies Away)Saimon & Gāfankuru
El Condor Pasa (The Condor Flies Away)Saimon & Gāfankuru
El Condor Pasa (The Condor Flies Away)
31Ben SeremosInti Irumani
Ben SeremosInti Irumaniplay_arrow
Inti-Illimani's left-wing support song
32blue-and-white flycatcherPitagua
blue-and-white flycatcherPitaguaplay_arrow
The Paraguayan standard song: The Legend of the Chogui Bird
33Festival of the AndesUnknown
Festival of the Andes不明play_arrow
An Andean folk song was made into teaching material in Japan.
34Misa CriollaArieru Ramiresu
Misa CriollaArieru Ramiresuplay_arrow
Mass based on South American rhythms
35Elegy of the Vanishing IndiosKurisutina & Ūgo
Elegy of the Vanishing IndiosKurisutina & Ūgoplay_arrow
Folklore that sings of the sorrow of the Indios
36a large green treeRusu deru Ande
a large green treeRusu deru Andeplay_arrow
Traditional Andean music performed by a Bolivian folklore group
37El Humo HuaqeñoRosu Atauruparasu
El Humo HuaqeñoRosu Atauruparasuplay_arrow
Sharing Andean traditional music with the world
38My homeland, BoliviaUnknown
My homeland, Bolivia unknownplay_arrow
A Bolivian folk dance, loved by the people.
39Como AcechoGurūpo Andīno
Como AcechoGurūpo Andīno
The masterpiece Como Acecho by Grupo Andino
40Viva TrinidadSabia Andīna
Viva TrinidadSabia Andīnaplay_arrow
Representative works of Bolivian traditional music groups
41Thank you, life.Bioretta Para
Thank you, life.Bioretta Paraplay_arrow
Chilean musicians’ desire for social change
42IllimaniWARA
IllimaniWARAplay_arrow
A La Paz-style tango that sings of Mount Illimani
43Shin Tiayopayaman ta
Shin Tiayopayaman taplay_arrow
Afro-Uruguayan folk dance
44Offering to GodErunesuto Kabūru
Offering to GodErunesuto Kabūruplay_arrow
Ernesto Cavour’s charango: tradition and innovation of the Andes
45Reino VerdeErunesuto Kabūru
Reino VerdeErunesuto Kabūruplay_arrow
Representative work of the charango player, “Green Great Tree”