José Asunción Flores
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José Asunción Flores (born August 27, 1904 – May 16, 1972) was a Paraguayan composer and creator of the Guarania music genre.
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[edit] Early life
Flores was born in the poor neighbourhood of La Chacarita, in Asunción. As a kid, he had to work as a paperboy and shoe shiner in order to help his mother with food and other necessities. At the early age of 11 he already joined the Capital Police marching band and was a student of composer Félix Fernández and the director Salvador Déntice. In 1922 he made his first composition, a polka song named "Manuel Gondra".
[edit] The birth of the Guarania
In 1925, after experimenting different arrangements with the old Paraguayan song Maerãpa Reikuaase he managed to create a new genre, which he called Guarania. His first Guarania song was Jejui. The purpose of this new genre was to identify the feelings of the Paraguayan people with music. Later Flores would comment on his creation as:
| “ | The Guarania is from my people, written for and by my people. [1] | ” |
In 1928 he met the Guairá-native poet Manuel Ortiz Guerrero, and soon after the two started working together to create the most beatiful Guaranias songs to date such as India, Cerro Corá and Panambí Verá.
In 1932 he enrolled to the army to fight for Paraguay in the Chaco War. After the war, political instability ruled in Paraguay and Flores moved to Buenos Aires. While he was living in Argentina his songs were diffused throughout Paraguay and the Guarania genre became a success, confirming the originality and creativity of Flores' work. In 1944 the song India was decreted by the Paraguayan government as a "national song". While living in Buenos Aires, Flores also worked on classical music and wrote twelve symphonies in his lifetime. [2]
[edit] Exile, death and legacy
Because of his work and contributions to Paraguayan music and culture, Flores was to be awarded the National Order of Merit in 1949. However, he decided to not accept the award in protest of the killing of a student that occurred in a manifestation against the government. Because of that, he was considered "a traitor" by the government and when Alfredo Stroessner became the president of Paraguay in 1954 Flores was never allowed to return to Paraguay. His wish to return to his home country was even negated in the latter years of his life when he was ill and wanted to see his homeland and people one more time before his death. Even though the government banned his songs, they were still being played by the radio stations and the people, who had already identified with the Guaranias. Flores died in 1972, in Buenos Aires.
In 1991, after Stroessner was outed, Flores' remains were brought back to Paraguay, and they rest in a plaza that has his name.
Flores is regarded today as one of the best composers and one of the most influential music personalities of Paraguay. With his creativity he managed to shape and link the way of life and feelings of the Paraguayans with music.
[edit] List of works
José Asunción Flores most important works include:
- India
- Nde Rendape ajú
- Panambí Verá
- Paraguaýpe
- Buenos Aires, Salud
- Kerasy
- Nde Raty Py Kuá
- Obrerito
- Gallito Cantor
- Purahéi Paha
- Mburicao
- Ñasaindype
- Ñande Aramboha
- Cholí
- Musiqueada Che Amape
- Ka´aty
- Arribeño Resay
His most important symphonies are:
- Pyhare pyte
- Ñande Ru Vusu
- María de la Paz
[edit] References
- ^ Hecho de sueño y musica, Musica Paraguaya.
- ^ José Asunción Flores, Johannes Gutenberg University.
