Hello steemians and communities in general, already culminating the week long wishing you all and all the best positive vibes to move forward. In this opportunity I come to give you a little music, through a very peculiar instrument in Venezuela.
The Cuatro comes from the Arabs, through the return that they had to pass in Spain, from the Lute, the guitar arrives, it is said that they were of 5 strings and 6 strings and the Renaissance guitar where the history of this emblem instrument begins that has reached a nation to give it a cultural and folkloric expression in all its surroundings. The cuatro is still a guitar, because all instruments in the form of number 8 and flat top are officially a guitar.
When we talk about this instrument, we will always be short, because there is no possibility of covering the whole extension of its past, of following each of the threads that link it with the different races and cultures that intervened in the formation of the country. As old as Venezuela itself, where so many roots have emanated that it has become a National Heritage, its history begins then, where the renaissance guitar finishes.
The cuatro has a very noble sound, from there it is stamped on persistence, both in moments of sadness and loneliness, as well as happiness and joy within the Venezuelan criollismo. The cuatro becomes very sensitive for those who execute it, in this sense not only the 4 notes that make it up are expressed (LA-RE-FA # -SI), but the Venezuelan sound expresses itself with great pride. through 4 strings.
This instrument has spread throughout many parts of the world, an example of this is in Aruba where the anthem is played with this precious instrument. The kinship that the cuatro possesses is very frequent with other string instruments, such as the Charango, the Tres de Cuba or the Tiple in Colombia, it is the primordial base where most Venezuelan traditional genres are accentuated, in addition to 90% of Venezuelan music the rhythmic, harmonic, melodic and percussive base is present in the cuatro.
The Venezuelan cuatro par excellence has always been an accompanying instrument in any type of folk music, however in my country Venezuela there have been many personalities playing this instrument as soloists, highlighting its versatility in the center of the scene, making this interpretation a thing incredible and monumental.
The performers of this instrument as soloists, always have to explore about improvisation, the evolution of Venezuelan music, as they come across an instrument that is willing to offer authentic sounds, new sounds, contemporary sounds at an advanced level, to the point of imagining it as the instrument of the future.
Being an indispensable instrument for Venezuelan music, it takes on the obligation to cope with a main scene, becomes a solo instrument capable of speaking on its own, thus becoming the main instrument in any scene of Venezuelan musicality.
The cuatro has also been a harmonic instrument for the simple fact that it is accompanying the melodies; an example of this is when the singer is playing a song, for the singer the musical harmony will always be the accompaniment of the instrument harmonically. This instrument in particular to be so endowed with melodic elements, harmonics and rhythmic elements make this instrument evolve over the years, inserting new rhythms and genres through its sonority. The cuatro will always be in evolution, always exploring new rhythms, it is one of the great virtues of the instrument, it reflects the evolution of our country, evolution as a nation, evolution as a culture and as original sound.
The cuatro as musical fusion
Due to its constant evolution, the cuatro is forced to merge different genres without leaving the meaning of Venezuelan music, as a reference of this fusion in the country there is the group C4Trio, a group formed by 4 excellent musicians, 3 are cuatro players and one bassist They provide an essential role with the beautiful Venezuelan instrument, merging genres both from the country and beyond, satisfying millions of people who take delight in listening to this music originated by these young people through this magnificent instrument.
The cuatrista determines, acts, proposes and is always maintaining the harmony within the musicians, because it is in the middle of the sounds of the traditional music of Venezuela; a very significant example of these sounds is in the middle of a bag Zuliana, if the four does not start can not be bagpipes, the same happens with the llanera music if the cuatro is not present in this genre can not be given the musicality you want to transmit.
The inclusion of the Venezuelan Cuatro in schools and in education
The instrument is very important in the inclusion of schools, it is necessary for education, for the promotion of cultures, so much so that in Japan a student was created for Venezuelan music, generating great interest as an instrument of execution for all people who are not Venezuelan.
In Venezuela since 2004, an initiative emerged from the teacher Cheo Hurtado, which he named The Sowing of Cuatro, an initiative that was born to strengthen knowledge and dissemination in the country for the training of new cuatristas and provide permanence over time. our four Venezuelan. The idea is strengthened in the way of inserting in the Venezuelan education everything related to the Four in all its levels, serving as support to facilitate the musical teaching by all the participants that support this important project, in turn creating schools of trainers or instructors to systematize the instrument in classrooms and find initial methods to put into practice all the necessary knowledge.
