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Misa Criolla
By Ariel Ramírez
Written in 1963 by Ariel Ramirez, Misa Criolla has become one of the most well-known and oft-performed South American choral works throughout the world. A product of the composer's long study of Argentine folk music, the piece synthesizes popular and liturgical styles, drawing on the rhythms and melodies of Argentina and other South American cultures.

The first recording of the Misa Criolla took place in 1964, sung by the choir of the Basílica del Socorro and the folkloric male quartet 'Los Fronterizos', who sang the soloist parts either one by one or together.

The first live performance took place in Colón Theatre in Buenos Aires in 1965, the first European performances were in March 1967, when Philips organized a tour of Ramírez and his musicians in 7 European countries, starting in Amsterdam.

The score was edited in 1965 in Buenos Aires, together with the score of the Christmas cantata Navidad Nuestra. The Misa Criolla became extremely popular. It was sung all over the world and its recordings were sold in huge amounts. Almost 25 years after its birth, millions of CD's of the piece were sold when the famous classical tenor José Carreras recorded it (1988).

Producciones Lastra is proud of its long association with José Carreras, since he recorded the famous Argentinean masterpiece Misa Criolla which has encompassed a huge range of high profile projects around the world over many years.

Highlights from the most recent seasons include:

JOSE CARRERAS MISA CRIOLLA – DUOMO DI MILANO JULY 2010, ITALY
JOSE CARRERAS GALA CONCERT – LLAGOLLEN JULY 2007, WALES
CONCERTO DI NATALE DI LA RAI – ASSISI OCTOBER 2006, ITALY
LOS CALCHAKIS AL BUSTAN FESTIVAL - LEBANON TOUR, 2005
JOSE CARRERAS MISA CRIOLLA - JAPAN TOUR, OCTOBER 2005

In Memorian - The Washington Post

"Misa Criolla," widely regarded as a stunning artistic achievement, combined Spanish text with indigenous instruments and rhythms. Its effect is that of a reverent carnival, and it has sold millions of albums and been performed countless times across the world by artists including opera star José Carreras and Latin American folklore singer Mercedes Sosa.

For all its verve, "Misa Criolla" had its origins in a post-Holocaust visit to Germany. "I felt that I had to compose something deep and religious that would revere life and involve people beyond their creeds, race, color or origin," the composer told the Jerusalem Post. He added in another interview that the song was a tribute to human dignity, courage and freedom, with a distinct message of "Christian love."

Mr. Ramírez's career spanned seven decades and reportedly hundreds of compositions, many like "Misa Criolla" in collaboration with the late Argentine author, diplomat and lyricist Félix Luna. They worked together on "Mujeres Argentinas" (Argentine Women), an ode to women active in the country's liberation and later cultural development, and "Cantata Sudamericana" (South American Cantata), both of which were hits for Sosa in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The popular success of "Misa Criolla" established Mr. Ramírez's name in concert halls around the world, and he told the New York Times that he felt pressured by "the church, my friends and the public" to write a second mass in the same spirit. The result was "Misa por la Paz y la Justicia" (Mass for Peace and Justice), with liturgical texts by Luna and Osvaldo Catena.

By Adam Bernstein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, February 21, 2010
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