Luis Bordón

Luis Bordón was a musician and composer of Paraguay and interpreter of the Paraguayan harp.^[1]

Childhood and Youth

Luis Bordón was born in the city of Guarambaré Central Department, Paraguay on August 19, 1926, and from a very early age he was fanatical with the art of musical performance, supported and promoted by his father.

He began his studies with the Paraguayan harp and soon after his virtuosity made him play it like few others, imposing a delicate and particular style that it was "impossible to be imitated by anyone," according to comments from people who heard him.

Since 1950 and for several years he joined the orchestra of Julián Rejala, Paraguayan folk music band, which conducted tours around the country and then to the neighboring country of Brazil, highlighting their participation in the group as the most celebrated musician and asked for in each of their presentations.

Interpreter of the Paraguayan harp, along with his colleagues Félix Pérez Cardozo, Digno García, Albino Quiñónez, Cristino Báez Monges and others. He settled with his art for a long time in Brazil where he developed most of his career, being considered in the decades of the '70s and '80s as an artist of greater success in presentations and record sales throughout the Brazil. In the neighboring country, he recorded 34 albums, won 8 gold discs, broadcast compositions for Paraguayan harp and popularized the instrument's repertoire which expanded to all kinds of music.

His compositions have won widespread popularity and are constantly played at various points of the globe. "Indian Harp" was the name this instrument (harp) received because it was played by several national interpreters. But with the arrival of Luis Bordón, who made other sounds achievements applying innovative techniques, it was definitely renamed to Paraguayan harp.

Luis Bordón was an incomparable stylist of Paraguayan harp, and therefore, he now appears as one of the greatest soloists in the entire history of this instrument to the ears of anyone who listens.

Artistic career

He following dissociated from the band to further improve his technique as soloist.

He entered the field of recordings record in 1959, when he produced his first job in LP, called "Paraguayan harp in Hi Fi" (Paraguayan harp in High Fidelity). This material very soon became an international success, even achieving that the instrument’s name of Indian harp was changed to Paraguayan harp. The success was such that it led him launch other discs, successively, adding so far 32 volumes, not taking into account the countless discs recorded on 8 and 45 rotations.

Throughout his career developed in Brazil he recorded about 34 discs of long length, which had spread and reached around the world and lovers of Paraguayan harp have included them in their private collections as high artistic value materials.

His activity as a composer and performer of the Paraguayan harp continued until his last days and recorded 14 more discs, CDs, with works that are important parts of the Paraguayan history of music, specially composed for this unique instrument, so cherished to affections and tastes of all Paraguayans.

The success achieved with their work record has made him creditor of several awards, including eight gold discs that decorated the home shelves of this Paraguayan citizen, whose interpretations, throughout his long career, have traveled the world several times, carrying the message of fraternal harmony and beauty, Paraguay message in conjunction with the universal music.

Awards

The following decorations reflect his artistic career:

• Ministry of Public Work and Communications of Paraguay.
• Sesquicentenary of the Military Police of São Paulo Brazil.
• Gold Key City Texas, United States.
• And medal "Semper Altima," U.S. Army's Fort Hood.

He won 18 artistic trophies throughout Brazil and the United States as well as being honored with the degree of "Commentator" by the State Governor of São Paulo, for having met with numerous cultural programmes. In 2001 Unesco gave him the medal Orbis Guaraniticus, coined in the house of Monagas Paris, specially designed for the personalities of art and culture, plus many other prizes.

His discs were launched at special events held in Brazil, USA, France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Japan, Venezuela Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and other countries.

He settled for 3 years in the United States, with a special visa granted by the government of that country to whom he demonstrated an extraordinary talent in the field where he flourished. He was special guest of a famous Japanese airline to make presentations in the land of the rising sun, and in the Netherlands he was specially convened to interpret his Paraguayan harp at the inauguration of a television channel.

In Paraguay

He returned to his homeland and continued dedicating to the career that he loved: the composition and interpretation of the Paraguayan harp. He made very applauded duet with his son Luis Bordón Junior, who accompanied him with the guitar, the ideal complement to harp executions of both native and international repertoire.

Luis Bordón earned a prominent place in the history of Paraguayan music, for the quality of his compositions and for the warmth of an exceptional human and an eminent interpreter of Paraguayan harp.

Recent history

In February 2006, he received a tribute—and at that time he expressed his desire to conduct a large harp concert. This desire was cut short, but the unmistakable sound of his harp will continue to ring throughout the world.

He died in 2006 at the age of 80.

Works

Bibliography

• Sound of my Earth.

References