ROOTS concerto for guitar and orchestra (2 of 3) - Christian Music Videos

"ROOTS"

'Roots,' the first Ecuadorian concerto for guitar and orchestra was written and premiered by the composer, Ecuadorian Carlos Bonilla Chávez, in 1987. On May 31st 1996, 'Roots' was re- premiered at the Teatro Politécnico in Quito-Ecuador where it was performed by the classical guitarist, Fabian Carrera and the National Symphony orchestra, under the baton of Russian conductor Andrei Vasilevsky,
Capturing the essence of the Ecuadorian indigenous peoples and their music; 'Roots,' creates a unique blend of the traditional three movement concerto format to Ecuadorian: rhythms, themes and modes.

2. Adagio: A slow movement, set to a traditional Ecuadorian "Pasillo," or waltz, utilizes a rare accent interchange which combines three-four and six-eight time signatures.
This imbalance of accent achieves a sense of the oppression of the "mestizaje" (mixed race) which sadly is a principal Ecuadorian identity. In addition, melancholic chord progressions, from E minor to E major, harmonically lead the listener through the angst of the indigenous peoples.