Mauricio Cardozo Ocampo
Encyclopedia
Mauricio Cardozo Ocampo was the main reference of the so called “golden generation” of the Paraguayan popular music and a strict studious of the Paraguayan folk music.
on May 14, 1907, son of Crescencia Cardozo Caballero.
He started his music education with the flute player Eloy Martín Pérez, in his home town.
He continued his studies with Juan J. Rojas and the first instruments that he played were the flute and the guitar.
In Asunción, he joined the Police Band of the Capital, working under the direction of the masters Nicolino Pellegrini
and Salvador Dentice.
He made artistic tours around countries and cities of the region, finally stopping in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
, where he settled to live and continue his studies with the greatest masters of harmony and compositions and instrumentation, Isidro Maistegui and Gilardo Gilardi
. With the Argentinian folk specialist Juan Alfonso Carrizo he began his studies of folk science.
During the time of his military instruction he met Eladio Martínez
, who he played with a duet “Martínez-Cardozo”, which recorded an important quantity of discs for Odeon
studios of Buenos Aires
where he also performed many presentations at theatres, radios and cultural centers. In 1932, due to the beginning of the Chaco War
between Paraguay
and Bolivia
, the duet “Martínez-Cardozo”, together with other artists, made successful acting in order to gather money for the Paraguayan Red Cross.
At the end of the war, in Buenos Aires, the Paraguayan Circle is founded, and the “Martínez-Cardozo” are active members, and little by little Cardozo Ocampo begins “Ñandé Rogá”, an important music work which later will end up being the foundation of “Guaraní Folk Group” and then “Folk Club Rincon Guaraní“.
He wrote and directed radio cycles about Paraguayan music and culture by the Radio Argentina of Buenos Aires (between 1948 and 1952). He was the creator of “Banda Ocara” (1954–1957) in Asuncion
. He organized several Paraguayan music concert cycles leading the Orquesta Estable of L.R.1, Radio Splendid, in the Argentinian capital, for two seasons (1961–1962). He was Folk teacher of the Institute of Fine Arts Romaro, Buenos Aires, between 1959 and 1965.
He was one of the founders of the Argentinian Society of Authors and Composers, having been a member of the Authors and Composers Circle, and from the fusion of both the SADAIC appeared in 1936. This group named him as delegate before the President of the Paraguayan Republic in order to deal the issuing of a protectionist law of the intellectual properties; the Decree-law number 94 was a result of this, inscribed by the President Federico Chávez
.
. Since 1961 he gave speeches and conferences on subjects such as “La música paraguaya y sus ramificaciones”, “El arpa paraguaya”, “Nombres genéricos de la música paraguaya”, “La fiesta de la galopa”, “El origen de la música paraguaya”, “Músicas y danzas paraguayas”, “La música paraguaya y su influencia en el Río de la Plata”, “Música y danza paraguaya y la voz espúrea de litoraleña”,
“Leyendas y costumbres del Paraguay”, “6x8, signo musical de América Latina”, “Folklore paraguayo”, “¿Qué es folklore?”, “El tirteo verde-olivo: Emiliano R. Fernández
”, “Instrumentos musicales del Paraguay
”, “Músicos, poetas y artífices de la cultura artística paraguaya”, among others .
When he came back to Paraguay he formed the “Conjunto Folklórico Perú Rimá”, whose work in the paraguayan music hierarchy , which is greatly recognized by the quality and artistic rigor as well as its aesthetics .
inspiration on Paraguayan rhythms. His work, of great value, stands out for the popular feeling understanding of the country man, as well as for the sensitivity of the melodic and harmonic treatment, which for the Master, according to his own saying, was “ a musical honor matter “.
Biography
He was born in YbycuíYbycuí
Ybycuí is a Paraguayan rural community of the department of Paraguari, located 120 km away from Asunción,and 40 km from the Ruta una .- Demography :...
on May 14, 1907, son of Crescencia Cardozo Caballero.
He started his music education with the flute player Eloy Martín Pérez, in his home town.
He continued his studies with Juan J. Rojas and the first instruments that he played were the flute and the guitar.
In Asunción, he joined the Police Band of the Capital, working under the direction of the masters Nicolino Pellegrini
Nicolino Pellegrini
Nicolino Pellegrini, was an Italian musician that arrived in Paraguay in 1893 as a product of the reconstruction of the country after the War of the Triple Alliance, which forced the government to bring European professionals....
and Salvador Dentice.
He made artistic tours around countries and cities of the region, finally stopping in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, where he settled to live and continue his studies with the greatest masters of harmony and compositions and instrumentation, Isidro Maistegui and Gilardo Gilardi
Gilardo Gilardi
Gilardo Gilardi was an Argentine composer, pianist, and conductor who was the eponym of the Gilardo Gilardi Conservatory of Music in La Plata, Buenos Aires....
. With the Argentinian folk specialist Juan Alfonso Carrizo he began his studies of folk science.
During the time of his military instruction he met Eladio Martínez
Eladio Martínez
Eladio Martínez was born in Paraguarí, Paraguay, on May 19, 1912, son of Lorenzo Martínez and Nicolasa Benítez. He belonged to a family of musicians...
, who he played with a duet “Martínez-Cardozo”, which recorded an important quantity of discs for Odeon
Odeon Records
Odeon Records was a record label founded in 1903 by Max Straus and Heinrich Zuntz of the International Talking Machine Company in Berlin, Germany. It was named after a famous theatre in Paris, whose classical dome appears on the Odeon record label....
studios of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
where he also performed many presentations at theatres, radios and cultural centers. In 1932, due to the beginning of the Chaco War
Chaco War
The Chaco War was fought between Bolivia and Paraguay over control of the northern part of the Gran Chaco region of South America, which was incorrectly thought to be rich in oil. It is also referred to as La Guerra de la Sed in literary circles for being fought in the semi-arid Chaco...
between Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, the duet “Martínez-Cardozo”, together with other artists, made successful acting in order to gather money for the Paraguayan Red Cross.
At the end of the war, in Buenos Aires, the Paraguayan Circle is founded, and the “Martínez-Cardozo” are active members, and little by little Cardozo Ocampo begins “Ñandé Rogá”, an important music work which later will end up being the foundation of “Guaraní Folk Group” and then “Folk Club Rincon Guaraní“.
He wrote and directed radio cycles about Paraguayan music and culture by the Radio Argentina of Buenos Aires (between 1948 and 1952). He was the creator of “Banda Ocara” (1954–1957) in Asuncion
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
. He organized several Paraguayan music concert cycles leading the Orquesta Estable of L.R.1, Radio Splendid, in the Argentinian capital, for two seasons (1961–1962). He was Folk teacher of the Institute of Fine Arts Romaro, Buenos Aires, between 1959 and 1965.
He was one of the founders of the Argentinian Society of Authors and Composers, having been a member of the Authors and Composers Circle, and from the fusion of both the SADAIC appeared in 1936. This group named him as delegate before the President of the Paraguayan Republic in order to deal the issuing of a protectionist law of the intellectual properties; the Decree-law number 94 was a result of this, inscribed by the President Federico Chávez
Federico Chávez
Dr. Federico Chaves Careaga was a Paraguayan politician and soldier who served as President of Paraguay from September 10, 1949 to May 5, 1954. He was a member of the Colorado Party....
.
Positions in favor of art
Among his many activities in the musical work, the Folk science and the union work in favor of musicians, we can also mention his work as a secretary of APA (Paraguayan Authors Association) member of the Paraguayan Musicians Association, member of the Guaraní Language and Culture Academy, member of the Paraguayan Indian Association, chief of the Folk department of the Paraguayan General Tourism Direction, folk advisor for the Town Hall of Asuncion, honor president of APROFON (Paraguayan Association Phonograms Producers), folk advisor of IFAP (Paraguayan Folk players Association).Cultural support
As a lecturer, his work was great, presenting many scientific gatherings of the folk specialty, festivals, congress, seminars and symposiums in more than twenty cities of Argentina and UruguayUruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. Since 1961 he gave speeches and conferences on subjects such as “La música paraguaya y sus ramificaciones”, “El arpa paraguaya”, “Nombres genéricos de la música paraguaya”, “La fiesta de la galopa”, “El origen de la música paraguaya”, “Músicas y danzas paraguayas”, “La música paraguaya y su influencia en el Río de la Plata”, “Música y danza paraguaya y la voz espúrea de litoraleña”,
“Leyendas y costumbres del Paraguay”, “6x8, signo musical de América Latina”, “Folklore paraguayo”, “¿Qué es folklore?”, “El tirteo verde-olivo: Emiliano R. Fernández
Emiliano R. Fernández
Emiliano R. Fernández was born on August 8, 1894, in Yvysunu, Guarambare, Paraguay. His parents were Silvestre Fernandez and Bernarda Rivarola.-Childhood and youth:He is the author of more than 2,000 poems...
”, “Instrumentos musicales del Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
”, “Músicos, poetas y artífices de la cultura artística paraguaya”, among others .
When he came back to Paraguay he formed the “Conjunto Folklórico Perú Rimá”, whose work in the paraguayan music hierarchy , which is greatly recognized by the quality and artistic rigor as well as its aesthetics .
His artistic style
He dedicated specially to the music composition of folkTraditional music
Traditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
inspiration on Paraguayan rhythms. His work, of great value, stands out for the popular feeling understanding of the country man, as well as for the sensitivity of the melodic and harmonic treatment, which for the Master, according to his own saying, was “ a musical honor matter “.
Marriage and children
He was married to Fidelina Fleitas (Doña Fide), all of his children followed his passion for music: Oscar, director and orchestra fixing, well known pianist and composer was internationally recognized by his work in the Argentinian capital; Aníbal, a music critic and Mauricio(h) (Pinchi), noted guitarist, composer and fixer and Sonia Amambay, singer.Music
Among his more than 300 compositions, we can name "Galopera" ( it has the merit of being among the three most widely spread plays of the paraguayan music history),- “Pueblo Ybycui”,
- “Las siete cabrillas”,
- “Añoranza”,
- “Mi destino”,
- “Paraguaya linda”,
- “Guavirá poty”,
- “Che morenamí”,
- “Regalo de amor”,
- “Ondina del Plata”,
- “Canto a Itacurubí”,
- “Morena”,
- “Rincón guaraní”,
- “Se que te perdí”,
- “Amambay”,
- “Estrellita”,
- “Que linda es mi bandera”,
- “La carreta campesina”,
- “San Baltasar”,
- “Cambá la mercé”,
- “Chokokué kera yvoty”,
- “Noches blancas”,
- “Luna de mi Asunción”,
- “Marizza”,
- “Punta porá”,
- “Mombyry guive”,
- “Chokokue purahei”,
- “Yo soy purahei”,
- “Josefina”,
- “Mansú resay”,
- “Mi amor guaraní”,
- “Corazón”,
- “Arroyito del sendero”,
- “Volverás a soñar”,
- “Solita estoy”,
- “Soledad”,
- “Mi retorno” y
- “En una noche azul”, just to mention the most representative ones.
Books
- Mis bodas de ORO con el folklore-Memorias de un pychaí
- Mundo Folklórico paraguayo