The Andean anacrusis? Rhythmic structure and perception in Easter songs of Northern Potosí, Bolivia

Abstract

This paper is the result of a collaboration between an ethnomusicologist (Henry Stobart) and music psychologist (Ian Cross). It examines the interaction of a variety of processes underlying the rhythmic structure and perception of a song genre of the Bolivian Andes: these include linguistic prosody, movement patterns, perceptual constraints and the dynamics of the culture's musical aesthetics. The “Easter songs “ which form the focus of this study, present particular problems of rhythmic perception for outsiders to the culture (such as the authors), who often tend to misperceive these songs as anacrustic. This phenomenon is addressed through an exploration of the unequal proportions and accent placement in the charango accompaniment, and an analysis of stress patterns of Quechua (and Aymara), the languages in which these songs are sung. It is shown that the first syllable of a phrase is treated as a functional “downbeat” and, despite outsiders’ perceptions, the anacrusis appears to be absent from the Quechua and Aymara musical genres of the region. The paper questions whether these findings might be relevant to other musical genres of the Andes, and considers the problems of perception in the transcription and analysis of Andean music.