Félix Pérez Cardozo (20 November 1908 – 9 June 1952) was a

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

harpist The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual string (music), strings running at an angle to its sound board (music), soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing ...

and composer. Pérez Cardozo died on June 9, 1952, in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

Beginnings

Pérez Cardozo was born to Teodoro Pérez and Cándida Rosa Cardozo in the small town of Hyaty in the state of Guairá. As is common amongst musicians of the Paraguayan countryside, Pérez Cardozo learned the basics of playing from other harpists, without seeking tutelage from any one master. He was part of a paradigmatic trio consisting of one harp and two guitars, along with Ampelio Villalba and Diosnel Chase. He received support from the poet Pedro José Carlés, with whom he traveled to the Paraguayan capital city

Asunción Asunción (, ) is the capital and the largest city of Paraguay. The city stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the Pilcomayo River. The Paraguay River and the Bay of Asunción in the north ...

in 1928. During this time they would play at folk music festivals organized in the "Teatro Granados" by Aristóbulo "Nonón" Domínguez, as well as in night clubs. In 1931 he and his band left for

, where most of his artistic career took place. They were the first of a long list of Paraguayan musicians that would consequently succeed in the Argentine capital for more than half a century.

Career

In a short period of time, the individualistic style of Pérez Cardozo's interpretations of various compositions quickly gained him wide public recognition. He was a member of several bands until in 1945 he formed his own group. He enjoyed huge fame in Buenos Aires and throughout all the

Río de la Plata The Río de la Plata (; ), also called the River Plate or La Plata River in English, is the estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River at Punta Gorda, Colonia, Punta Gorda. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean and ...

area. His success was such that a street in Mendoza was named after him.

Family

He married the Argentine Victoria Sanchez - with whom he had three children: Angela Rosa, Bienbenida and Victor.

Works

He wrote music for various verses of distinguished poets such as Víctor Montórfano ("Tetagua sapukái", a true anthem in which "grito del pueblo" (the shout of the people) claims better days for Paraguay) Antonio Ortiz Mayans ("Burrerita", "Pasionaria", "Puntanita", "Asunceña" y "Taperé"), ("Rosa"), Rigoberto Fontao Meza ("El arriero"), Andrés Pereira ("Mariposa mi"), the Argentine Hilario Cuadros ("Los sesenta granaderos", known throughout Argentina as a very popular Anthem.), also the most important poet of Paraguayan history Emiliano R. Fernández, whose piece is seen as a pillar of Paraguayan epic music due to the rhythmic power, melodic beauty and patriotic content of the following texts ("1º de Marzo", "Che la reina (Ahama che china)", and the lovable song ("Oda pasional", "Oñondiveminte"), ("Desde la selva" y "Primavera"). Likewise "Caaguy ryakua", "Isla Pukú", the recompilation of "Jaha che ndive", "Lui ryevu", "Misiones". Among his greatest harp compositions are found: *"Guyra campana" *"Carreta guýpe", (debajo de la carreta) *"Jataity" *"Llegada" *"Mi despedida" *"Los 60 Granaderos" *"Angela Rosa" *"Che vallemi Hyaty" *"Che vallemi Yaguarón" *"En tí hallé consuelo" *"Tren lechero" *"El sueño de Angelita"

Later years

The great "mitá guazú" (big boy) died suddenly in

, on 9 June 1952.

Atahualpa Yupanqui Atahualpa Yupanqui (; born Héctor Roberto Chavero Aramburu; 31 January 1908 – 23 May 1992) was an Argentine- Spanish singer, songwriter, guitarist, and writer. He is considered one of the most important Argentine folk musicians of the 20th cen ...

, a fundamental icon of inspirational folk music and poetry in this century in Argentina, sang "Canción del arpa dormida" in his honor (set to music by

Herminio Giménez Herminio Giménez (February 20, 1905 – July 6, 1991) was a Paraguayan composer. Life At the early age of 11 he was already part of the Paraguarí Department, Paraguarí music band and two years later he was hired to be part of the Asunción ...

References

Centro Cultural de la República El Cabildo
* Diccionario Biográfico "FORJADORES DEL PARAGUAY", Primera Edición Enero de 2000. Distribuidora Quevedo de Ediciones. Buenos Aires, Argentina. *Lorenzo Manlio Paris (2008) "Félix Perez Cardozo, su vida y su música" Editorial ServiLibro, Asunción, Paraguay *Luis Szaran (2007) Diccionario de la Música Paraguaya" Edicción de la Jesuitenmission, Nuremberg, Germany {{DEFAULTSORT:Perez Cardozo, Felix Paraguayan harpists 1908 births 1952 deaths People from Guairá Department Paraguayan composers Paraguayan expatriates in Argentina

Beginnings

Career

Family

Works

Later years

See also

References