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 Kyrie adopts the rhythm of the vidala-baguala, a music characteristic of northern Argentina; it reflects the loneliness of life on a high deserted plateau. The rhythm of the carnavalito, also from northern Argentina, appears in the Gloria, and is meant to invoke the spirit of rejoicing implicit in this movement. The sections of the Gloria are separated by a recitative (yaravi) which renders the return of the carnavalito even more joyous. The chacarera trunca, a folk theme of central Argentina, is the basis of the Credo. Its obsessive rhythm accentuates this profession of faith, even to its final words reaffirming the triumph of everlasting life. The carnaval cochabambino, used in the Sanctus, is an unusual Bolivian rhythm with a marked yet subdued beat. The Agnus Dei, written in a style typical of the pampas (estilo pampeano), depicts the solitude and vastness of the grasslands. Its simple recitative expresses the universal longing for peace. The Misa Criolla, an example of faith conveyed through a popular medium of expression, has won the admiration of South American critics and public for its use of indigenous musical forms.

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 (you can read a critic about this concert on the Ariel Ramirez website), 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).

JAPAN TOUR
PROGRAMME RECITAL PIANOFORTE

I

Già il sole dal Gange - Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725)
O cessate di piagarmi - Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725)
Era de Maggio - Mario Pasquale Costa (1858-1933)
Chanson de l'adieu - Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846 – 1916)
Sogno - Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846 – 1916)
L’Ultima Canzone - Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846-1916)
Reliquia - Pier Adolfo Tirindelli (1858-1937)

II

O Primavera - Pier Adolfo Tirindelli (1858-1937)
Alfonsina y el mar - Ariel Ramírez (1921-2010)
La rosa y el sauce - Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000)
Andaluza - Enrique Granados (1867- 1916)
O Marenariello - Salvatore Gambardella (1873-1913)
Na sera 'e maggio - Giuseppe Cioffi (1907 - 1976)
Misa Criolla - Ariel Ramírez (1921-2010)