“The cuatro” musical soul of the popular venezuelan culture.

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2018-05-25 02:19

^{Private collection “Bigott Fundation” Caracas-Venezuela}

Hello my dearest Steemians, in this post I will try to synthesize, the best possible I can, the story of the Cuatro. A four string instrument, which is the soul of every musical genre in Venezuela.

Here we go. My intention to related the story of this amazing instrument it is not mere chance. I have, approximately, 15 years linked with the popular culture of Venezuela and, since I was a child, I felt a spellbinding an indescribable gladness when listening the tunes of this inherited instrument.

^{Private Collection “Biggot Fundation” Caracas-Venezuela}

But, we need to come back to the story. Product of the invasions of the Moros to Spain, the Láud came. Arabian u Oud, ethat was in the XIII century with four orders or strings. Of this instruments derives a series that are, commonly, called “enguitared”. However, recently, in the XV century appears the most popular instrument in the renaissance Spain. In that moment the Vihulea and, afterwards in the same century, the guitar that we know nowadays with six strings and even seven. It is probable that the background or origin of the guitar be it from the XVI century where became popular in the Baroque period. . One of their highest exponents was the poet and musician Vicente Espinelwho is attributed for add the fifth and sixth order in what we know today as Baroque guitar , either knowing as the creator of the décimas that appears in the compilation of his work. Volume diverse rhymes, where we can appreciate almost every meter that existed until then.

^{Illustration of cristian monk playing a Láud}

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The guitars and Vihuelas arrive to the Canary Island and for 1492 they must to come in the caravels that were going in the wrong direction, considering that Cristopher Columbus, actually, went to the India for demonstrated or proved that the world was not flat.

^{Illustration of a young renaissance playing a Vihuela}

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Now that we know the origin of the Cuatro in Spain, we need to check how was assimilated for the culture of the misnamed new world.

In Venezuela, the cuatro arrived for imposition of the catolic royalty, who command to the settlers to pleach the cristian faith through music.

^{Workshop of fabrication of instruments}

Once that instrument arrives in Venezuela and is taken by enslaved groups, it started like that our musical story. In this way, they took over of the tenth.

Juan Liscano Velutini, a great writter and essayist is, is who define in his contenst two groups of tenth. Tenth to the divines and tenth to the human. Given the characteristics of the development. They played the cuatro accompanied of the tenth that were guided to the cristian deities as the case of the music called “Aguinaldos” (Not bonuses) and the various appearances of the virgin María and the cross. All that, group the tunes cycle toward the religious side. On the other hand, the sing to love, the flowers, the satire, the dead and the popular tales as a inspiration source.

^{Fabrication detail of a Cuatro}

Among the most representative genres we have as first in the list the Joropo our national dance; then we hace the Zulian Bagpipes, Callao Calypse, Christmast Carol, Aguinaldos and Pageant, The Galerón, The Polo and Jota, The Malagueña, valls, The merengue of Caracas, Gunboat music,Country music, Two step, The fulía, lThe tune, Polka dance Among others popular venezuelan rythms.

Construction of the cuatro

Without underestimating to all the artisans that have callaborated with the construction of the cuatro in Venezuela, there is one of them that stands out among the rest because the way of the structure of the modern cuatro. He is Cruz Quinalthe king of the mandolin. Born in Sucre state he is self-taugh, and learned by himself the way to fabricate instruments, reaching the right way to construct the amazing number of 10 000 cuatros and more than 50 types of instruments.

^{Short documental about life of Cruz Quinal}

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Bigott Fundation and their manufacturing workshop of instruments

^{Caracas-Venezuela/ Sculpture by Cruz Quinal}

Since 1981, Bigott Fundation is in charge to impart the continuous training in the fabrication área of popular venezuelan instruments. This afternoon, I was walking in the headquarters and I could appreciated some parts of the construction phases of the cuatro.

^Toolbox

^{Queen’s accuracy with the fabrication of a Cuatro}

The fabrication is totally handmade. There’s not used electric saws, drills, jigsaws or electric brushes.

^{The saws are tolos really important to cut the Wood of the cuatro}

The fundamental idea is to keep the fabrication as close as possible attached to the origins.

^{The press used to join together the pieces with white glue}

Build a cuatro take between 3 and 6 months

Nowadays, due to the situation that the country faces, it is really complicated to find the materials.

The teacher Luthier Carmen Rosa Diáz has 15 years working with this, but is an artisan since she was a child. She always loved the musical instruments, even she built them, because she wanted to remember it. Also, she builts nativity and mangers.

^{Teacher Luthier Carmen Rosa Díaz}

Bigott Fundation it’s been ten years teaching about the fabrication of instruments. They have manufactured guitars, cuatros, mandolins, bandolas, three, fice, six. Instruments that are part of the Tamunanguera drums, one of the genres and dances more representatives of the popular Venezuelan culture.

^{The clases teaching by the Bigott Fundation are totallly free}

The most used Wood for the cuatros’ fabrication is the cedar and pine

The first pieces to fabricate are the harmónica cover, who it is given the form of characteristic 8. In turn, the harmonic cover is make up by two pieces: the beater and the sketcher.

^{Harmonic Cover Detail}

On the top of the harmonic cover is a hole called ‘Boca (Mouth)’, and it’s added other piece, the support of the mouth.

^{Support of the mouth}

The back cover it’s called ‘Fondo’ (Depths), and is responsable of the resonance and then, is the harmonic bar for the stronghold.

^{Fondo and Harmonic bar}

Then we prepared the rib, that is the wood that goes to the side of the cuatro and it’s added for the resistance of a piece called ‘Taco’.

^{The peculiar way in number 8 of the ribs it’s made with hot tempering, managing to mold the wood and give it curves.}

In other phase it’s fabricated the Flagstaff where is going to be prepared the strings once finished the fabrication process.

^{Flagstaff production}

^{For the fabrication of the Flagstaff we used a press and a saw}

Also, there’re fabricated other elements, as a bridge, where we can tie the strings. Also, the pegs, the arch and the molar, which is the nerve that gives strength and allow that the assemble pieces stay fastened.

^{Not one millimeter more, not one less}

^{Luthier Carmen Rosa and her student}

^{Luthier Carmen Rosa and her student}

^{The brush has a powerful blade with which you can reduce the thickness of the wood depending on the cas}

^{Pegbox’ s detail}

^{Material’s brushed}

^{Removing details of the final phase of production}

^{Sand down the Cuatro}

^{Thorough review to find imperfections}

^{Once removed the imperfections proceed to paint with sealer or varnish}

^{Cuatro’s detail}

^{Cuatro’s detail}

^{completed construction}

^{once ready, they are available for music classes at the Bigott Foundation}

^{in all of venezuela they are built}

^{The older the wood of the Cuatro. more sound properties will have the four}

Undoubtedly this inherited instrument is perfectly adapted to the cultures that were formed due to the cultural exchange of Spain, Africa and Venezuela, a bit forced the exchange and will not go into detail all the scourge received by the native inhabitants and the other groups that were enslaved and treated like animals in the beginning, because it said the Christian belief imparted at the time that the "Indians" (Venezuelan aborigines) and African slaves had no soul.

The most important of this cultural exchange is all the rhythmic and poetic wealth that was built from that moment. the great and sublime that makes us proud as a people.

Finally, I want to leave you this incredible group C4 trio, where you can appreciate the musical wealth playing by this quartet. Representing two genres Periquera and six for right.

source

I hope this publication has been of your liking. until a next meeting

Iván Andrés Montti Larrea ®

Arrozymango photo ®

Original Material

“The cuatro” musical soul of the popular venezuelan culture.