HATUN CHARANGO - Sirena - Sikuri Adapt. Cesar Aguilar Alcedo

Adaptation from Italaque Sikuri Music by Cesar Aguilar Alcedo
Hatun Charango created by Federico Tarazona
Sirena (Mermaid) model built by Christian Mena
Recorded & Mixed by Matias Kuronen
Camera 1: Hector Montes
Camera 2: Daniel Casani
Edition: Cesar Aguilar
www.hatuntenaz.com
What is a HATUN CHARANGO? Technically speaking is but a bigger charango, the largest standard size is approximately 60 cm. A expanded charango, with two bass strings, as to say a seven-stringed charango tuned in the following order: E on the first string, A on the second, E an octave lower on the third, C on the fourth, G on the fifth, D on the sixth and finally A on the seventh string. With this addition of two strings, Federico Tarazona expanded the harmonic possibilities of the charango by allowing a similar tuning as that imposed by Raúl García Zárate in the Ayacuchan guitar accompaniment. While becoming an experimented luthier, Tarazona promotes the instrument. But there will always be detractors those guardians of tradition that destroy it while preaching to keep it alive they predicted a short life to the Hatun Charango wanting to see it disappear. But despite of them, it has rooted and started to be made by Peruvian and Bolivian luthiers and to be played by several musicians. César Aguilar, who uses the stage name of Más Tenaz, is one of them.
Born in Chosica, Lima,Peru and mostly based in Helsinki, Finland, this versatile musician has opted for the new string instrument offering a recording that takes as laconic title the mere name of the instrument: Hatun charango, that is, Big Charango. For Más Tenaz it has been a repertoire ranging from sikuris songs from Puno’s great tradition and one of the musical centers of charango in Peru, up to folk music and some other modern pieces, all with arrangements of his own. The arrangements and playing of César Aguilar are not portentous, they are rather minimal. However, with them he achieves the creation of a very Andean and personal atmosphere. It is because Aguilar does not vow to the sensationalism of virtuosity, but rather shows a fine and calm playing, taking a distance from those other performers that conveys a sense the narcissistic flamboyance, so in vogue nowadays. Showing a good command of the sonority, Más Tenaz offers us some beautiful melodies in two octaves, which he always mingles with bass accompaniment. The result is a charming album from start to end made with the essence that portrays every good musician. I'm sure the Hatun Charango from César Aguilar, “Más Tenaz”, will be one of those recordings to which one returns, not for being one of the first recordings made with this elder brother of the charango, but because of the clear testimony that gives us a restless spirit and want for musical innovation.
Julio Mendivil
Ethnomusicologist