Zamba en Berlin Salamanca

The Zamba is generally considered the –œlove dance– from the folk music of north-West Argentina. It is a kind of ritual which seems to be a love dance for doves. For me, the Zamba speaks about the hills and forests, which are a part of my life, and a part of my dreams. –œDe un sueño lejano y bello, viday, soy peregrino - of a far and beautiful dream, viday, I am a pilgrim–, said Atahualpa Yupanqui. With a such a delicate and elegant economy of words, Yupanqui was able to describe the deep nostalgia inherent in this music. I composed Zamba en Berlín in the –œmood– of a Zamba, to catch its atmosphere, the waves of its movements; but, not strictly adhering to its form or dance choreography. At the very end of the piece a Vidala is introduced, a song originating from the same northwest region, but closer to its Indian sources than the Zamba. Salamanca means much more than a name in Spanish of a famous university town. In Argentina it means the place where dancers and musicians receive special knowledge and power from the forces of evil. In this sense there exists a sort of hierarchy of the so called –œsalamanqueros–. However, there is also quite another meaning to the word, generally less known, a meaning concerning neither –œpower–œ nor –œevil–. For some other country folk of Argentina, Salamanca is the –œspirit of nature–, which manifests itself equally through all animals, plants, winds, nights, daylight, stars, seasons and tides, with no hierarchy, the dance of life–˜s mystery ... this is what I mean: Salamanca, baila el monte!