The Paraguayan polka is a genre of popular dance music, which is interpreted as instrumental or singing. Folk type, origin gave way still unknown in the Paraguay of the early years after its independence.

He had a great diffusion in the country mainly since the 19th century, and then in the region of the Río de la Plata.

Etymology

The name was taken over by the Paraguayans of European Polka, but bears no relation of rhythm, harmony, counterpoint and melody to it. Therefore, to differentiate it from the "Paraguayan" Word is added to the name.

Although the word polka can also write with "c" (Polka), lately preferred the first way mainly because there is only the letter "k" for this sound in Guarani.

Guarani style is called purahéi, meaning also song, chant or song.

History

The style has similarity with music practiced by the indigenous Guarani in the pre-colonial era, but also in the Jesuit missions, and the popular songs of the colonial era. The earliest references to the genre dates back to the century XIX.1

It is unknown to the authors of the first Paraguayan polkas, as: camp Cerro León, MOM che Mose, Alfonso Loma, London Karapé, alone, Che lucero aguai´y, Ndarekói fault, cart guy and Guaivî pysapê.

Most of the compositions are sung, although there are a number of instrumental polkas, mainly between the folk and ancient.

In the third decade of the 20th century, the young composer José Asunción Flores from the Paraguayan polka believes a new style of music popular, very similar but slower and melancholic hata, called guarania. This became a genre subsequently practiced by a large number of the interpreters of polkas and also with common creators.

In the 1970s, the creator Oscar Nelson Safuán, exiled in Brazil, and inspired by the Paraguayan polka and indigenous instruments and rhythms, the guarania created the advanced, popular and widely accepted in the dance style.

Features

Instruments frequently used in performances are the guitar and the Paraguayan harp, but many musicians also do so with other wind and percussion (trombone, trumpet, clarinet, drum, drumroll, dishes, etc.), as well as from the second half of the century XX electronic instruments. Also in the style and with symphonic instruments have made versions, concerts and recordings, as for example the of the Orchestra Symphony of the city of Asunción.

From a similar rhythmic pattern, but with different character, are various subgenres or variations of the polka, among them: the galopa, polca the syryry, the kyre´y, la polca popo, chamamé, polka song, the valseada polka, polka jekutu purahéi jahe' or, etc.

Likewise, the length and breadth of the Paraguay there is a large number of public and private dance schools in which students (mainly children and women) learn dancing polkas, along with other Latin styles.

Popular Music

Their genders are the advanced and the guarania. The latter characterised by a style of slow song which was developed in the early 20th century by José Asunción Flores, some examples are: "India", "Memories of Ypacarai", "My faraway Bliss", etc.