Landaeta studied music theory. His approach to the curatro was extraordinary, making what is generally a strummed, folk instrument into a highly developed virtuoso instrument equivalent to both the Spanish guitar and the harp. He taught stringed instruments for 30 years at the Academia de Música Monjosé in Los Teques.
Of the four scarce LPs he made, one playing harp and three playing cuatro, this one, comprised entirely of original compositions, was produced by the songwriter Oswaldo Oropeza (b. Aug. 5, 1937; d. Dec. 3, 1998). It was apparently his first, recorded around 1973 when Landaetra was about 30 years old.
None of his recordings have previously been reissued or circulated online to the best of our knowledge. Around 1990, he received a vision and became a faithful Christian, and dedicated himself to devotional work. In 2016, he characterized himself as a researcher and told a local news organization:
"We are experiencing difficult times in our country. The message for children and young people is that they should know the culture, learn from the instruments. God gives each human being a faculty. We need to create, investigate. The cuatro is an extraordinary instrument, just like the harp. Anyone who wants to learn, I can teach him" -Canary Records
Ali Landaeta / Foto: Alejandra Ávila
https://diarioavance.com/
Personaje de la ciudad que ha dado aportes musicales a más de 3 generaciones
Nació el 14 de febrero de 1943 y su amor por la música la conoció a los 9 años de edad cuando se encontraba con un grupo de amigos en el que uno de ellos enseñaba a los demás a tocar el cuatro, “a mi nadie me lo quería prestar, yo lo tome por las malas y lo toque, así conocí mi sentido del oído y mi atracción por los sonidos que emitía este genial instrumento”, desde entonces, con el pasar de los años se ha convertido en el mentor de grandes figuras musicales.
“Desde ese momento comencé a buscar instrumentos, un cuatro, una guitarra, el gran Eusebio Oropeza, padre de Oswaldo Oropeza, compositor del tema “faltan 5 pa´ las 12, me regaló un arpa y yo dije que no quería tocarla porque no tenia la tonalidad completa, este comentario lo hice sin saber de música, aprendí por mis propios medios, no había nadie que me enseñara”.
Se crío en el Barrio Nuevo de Santa Eulalia y los alrededores del Cabotaje. A pesar de que sus padres no estaban de acuerdo con su vocación, continuó luchando por cumplir su meta, todo por su iniciativa propia ya que le era difícil asistir a una escuela de música, por su corta edad y la larga distancia que le quedaba la capital, para un niño esto era un desafío “mi papa me dijo que la música era para gente mala, yo igual seguí mi investigación y la práctica, para cada día aprender más”, cabe destacar que estudió en el Liceo San José, lo que eran las escrituras musicales (teoría y solfeo).
Precursor del arpa doble
Alí, con una carrera que lleva más de 55 años ha definido su trayectoria con la palabra “investigación”, pues cada instrumento que llegaba a sus manos lo estudiaba detalladamente para conocer a fondo como era fabricado, de allí nace su interés por crear e inventar.
“Entre parrandas y serenatas en Los Teques y otros estados del país fui creciendo como artista, pero para mi no era suficiente, yo necesitaba crear, inventar, construir, y como estudiaba los instrumentos decidí buscar madera, cuerdas, un taladro y fabrique mi arpa”
Su primer invento que aun conserva, fue en el año 1973 cuando construyó lo que ahora es el arpa doble diatónica, luego fue el arpa doble cromática, después la politónica, politonal y aun se encuentra en la fabricación del arpa doble electrónica.
De maestro a fiel creyente de Dios
Luego de pasar 30 años dando clases de arpa, guitarra, mandolina, bajo, cuatro, y teclado en la academia de música Monjosé, grabar 4 discos en Long Play, entre ellos 1 en arpa y tres discos en los que el cuatro era el instrumento protagonista, bajo la producción de Disco Moda, participó en la autoría y producción del tema faltan 5 pa´ las 12, junto con los hermanos Oropeza, creo un grupo llamado “El grupo de nosotros” con el cual duró diez años tocando el arpa criolla y así realizó varias giras por el país, ha recibido decenas de condecoraciones de todo tipo que le fue difícil recordar los nombres.
Comenzó a trabajar en la casa padre torres, con la comunidad María Auxiliadora, madre de Dios, “me convertí en un fiel creyente de Dios luego de la aparición en una imagen, cristo me ha curado de infinidades de enfermedades, hace 25 años estoy en esta comunidad dirigida por el Dr. Alejandro Gómez”.
Dirige la comunidad a nivel musical, con la coral, estudiantina y grupos musicales que participan en las misas, se encarga de la composición de los ofertorios.
Un mensaje para las nuevas generaciones
Landaeta lleno de nostalgia al revelar los pasos que ha dado en su larga carrera musical, manifestó que le gustaría crear una fundación para que los niños y las personas de todas las edades aprendan a fabricar arpas dobles, y de esa manera evitar que se pierda la tradición del folclor venezolano.
En honor a su trayectoria, y su aporte a la cultura y la música criolla, la alcaldía Guaicaipuro decide crear una casa de la cultura que lleva por nombre “Alí Landaeta”, en honor a este hombre que llena de orgullo a todo el municipio, por su decena de creaciones.
“Estamos viviendo momentos difíciles en nuestro país, el mensaje es para los niños y jóvenes para que conozcan la cultura, aprendan de los instrumentos, Dios le da una facultad a cada ser humano, necesitamos crear, investigar, el cuatro es un instrumento extraordinario al igual que el arpa, todo el que desee aprender yo le puedo enseñar”
Es importante señalar que el profesor Landaeta ha sido el instructor de figuras de la ciudad como lo es Henry leal, concertista, la profesora Lourdes Sánchez que tiene varios grupos musicales, también ha sido el maestro de grandes bajistas, cuatristas, esto como muestra de que todo el conocimiento que ha impartido Alí Landaeta ha dado frutos a su amada comunidad. KB
translated with DeepL
City personality who has given musical contributions to more than 3 generations.
He was born on February 14, 1943 and his love for music came when he was 9 years old when he was with a group of friends in which one of them taught the others to play the cuatro, “nobody wanted to lend it to me, I took it the hard way and played it, that's how I learned my sense of hearing and my attraction for the sounds emitted by this great instrument”, since then, over the years he has become the mentor of great musical figures.
“From that moment I began to look for instruments, a cuatro, a guitar, the great Eusebio Oropeza, father of Oswaldo Oropeza, composer of the song ”faltan 5 pa' las 12, gave me a harp and I said I did not want to play it because I did not have the complete tonality, this comment I made without knowing music, I learned by my own means, there was no one to teach me".
He grew up in the Barrio Nuevo de Santa Eulalia and the surroundings of Cabotaje. Although his parents did not agree with his vocation, he continued to struggle to achieve his goal, all on his own initiative since it was difficult for him to attend a music school, because of his young age and the long distance to the capital, for a child this was a challenge “my dad told me that music was for bad people, I still followed my research and practice, to learn more every day”, it is noteworthy that he studied at the Liceo San José, what were the musical writings (theory and solfeggio).
Precursor of the double harp
Alí, with a career spanning more than 55 years, has defined his trajectory with the word “research”, because each instrument that came into his hands he studied it in detail to know in depth how it was made, from there was born his interest in creating and inventing.
“Between parrandas and serenades in Los Teques and other states of the country I was growing as an artist, but for me it was not enough, I needed to create, invent, build, and as I studied the instruments I decided to look for wood, strings, a drill and I made my harp”.
His first invention, which he still has, was in 1973 when he built what is now the double diatonic harp, then it was the double chromatic harp, then the polytonic, polytonic and polytonal and he is still making the electronic double harp.
From teacher to faithful believer of God
After spending 30 years teaching harp, guitar, mandolin, bass, cuatro, and keyboard at the Monjosé music academy, he recorded 4 albums on Long Play, including 1 on harp and three albums in which the cuatro was the main instrument, under the production of Disco Moda, He participated in the authorship and production of the song “Faltan 5 pa' las 12”, together with the Oropeza brothers, he created a group called “El grupo de nosotros” with which he lasted ten years playing the Creole harp and made several tours around the country, he has received dozens of awards of all kinds that it was difficult for him to remember the names.
He began working in the Father Torres house, with the Maria Auxiliadora community, mother of God, “I became a faithful believer of God after the apparition in an image, Christ has cured me of countless diseases, 25 years ago I am in this community led by Dr. Alejandro Gomez”.
He directs the community at the musical level, with the choir, student choir and musical groups that participate in the masses, he is in charge of the composition of the offertories.
A message for the new generations
Landaeta, full of nostalgia when revealing the steps he has taken in his long musical career, said he would like to create a foundation for children and people of all ages to learn to make double harps, and thus prevent the loss of the tradition of Venezuelan folklore.
In honor of his trajectory, and his contribution to culture and Creole music, the Guaicaipuro mayor's office decided to create a house of culture named “Alí Landaeta”, in honor of this man who fills the entire municipality with pride, for his ten creations.
“We are living difficult times in our country, the message is for children and young people to know the culture, learn about the instruments, God gives a faculty to every human being, we need to create, investigate, the cuatro is an extraordinary instrument like the harp, anyone who wants to learn I can teach him”.
It is important to note that Professor Landaeta has been the instructor of figures of the city such as Henry Leal, concert performer, Professor Lourdes Sanchez who has several musical groups, he has also been the teacher of great bassists, cuatristas, this as a sign that all the knowledge that Ali Landaeta has imparted has borne fruit to his beloved community. KB
Ali Landaeta – Rapsodia Para Un Cuatro (Venezuelan Instrumental Masterpieces ca. 1973)
Label: Canary Records – none
Visit: https://canary-records.bandcamp.com/
Format: 12 x File, FLAC, Album, Reissue
Country: US
Released: Aug 29, 2023
Genre: Latin American Classical Music / Fantasia, Étude, Waltz
Source: Digital
1. Rapsodia Para Un Cuatro 5:57
2. Golpe No. 1 1:27
3. Golpe No. 2 2:24
4. Golpe No. 3 2:06
5. Fantasia Cromatica 3:34
6. El Vals De La Illusion 2:07
7. Flor Rebelde 2:39
8. Estudio No. 1 3:29
9. Estudio No. 2 3:26
10. De Cachimbo Y Troja 2:24
11. Petalos Para El Rocio 2:13
12. Armonias 2:48
Credits
Cuatro, Composed By, Performer – Ali Landaeta
Producer [Original Recordings Produced By] – Oswaldo Oropeza
1. Rapsodia Para Un Cuatro 5:57
2. Golpe No. 1 1:27
3. Golpe No. 2 2:24
4. Golpe No. 3 2:06
5. Fantasia Cromatica 3:34
6. El Vals De La Illusion 2:07
7. Flor Rebelde 2:39
8. Estudio No. 1 3:29
9. Estudio No. 2 3:26
10. De Cachimbo Y Troja 2:24
11. Petalos Para El Rocio 2:13
12. Armonias 2:48
Credits
Cuatro, Composed By, Performer – Ali Landaeta
Producer [Original Recordings Produced By] – Oswaldo Oropeza
Transferred By, Restoration, Liner Notes – Ian Nagoski
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