Rafael Antonio Nazario / Raf Nazario: CDs, Scores, Music

• MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)

'La Calle del Cristo' is a narrow cobblestone street in old San Juan, Puerto Rico. It runs through the old city and ends at the 400 year old 'Chapel of Christ' (''Capilla del Cristo') from whence the well known street takes its name. (Behind the chapel is the old city wall, and behind the wall, the San Juan Bay.)

On the cover of Patria Añorada (my vocal CD) there is a picture of a boy looking over a wall. That photo was taken of me by my father, at Parque de Las Palomas, (Park of the Pigeons) right next to the ancient chapel, now an iconic symbol of Old San Juan.

While I originally wrote a song for a Trio with a 'Cuatro'--in the tradition of Puerto. Rican folk music–– (posted in the vocal demo section, under "Soñador" http://www.rafnazario.com/music-27.html), this arrangement is more akin to a neo-classical Danza*, a more formal setting for the song than I originally concieved.  I hope to orchestrate the piece in the near future.

Lastly, I originally wrote this song in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, at Casa Los Rapidos, on the Cuale River, while staying there with my dear friends Greg and Selena Soucy. I would later live in that house with my 3 children, and it was during one of those years that I re-arranged the piece.

 

*Danza: Predominant musical form in Puerto Rico (and Cuba) in the 19th century. Danza was melodically rich, piano music in the European classical tradition and later, ensemble music for dancing and inexorably, courting. Danza is to Salsa music what Ragtime is to Jazz. There is sentimental attachment, yes, but the form is still revered for its lyricism and purity of expression, as it predates the United States’ occupation, appropriation and eventual cultural takeover of the island.