Guastavino's musical style, firmly rooted in the late nineteenth-century Romantic Nationalist tradition, marks a stark contrast with the works of his contemporaries, such as Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983). Guastavino's stylistic isolation from the modernist and avant-garde movements going on around him, and the self-consciously nationalist content of his songs made him a model for Argentine popular and folk musicians of the '60's.
Guastavino studied music in Santa Fe with Esperanza Lothringer and Dominga Iaffei, and in Buenos Aires with Athos Palma. A talented pianist, he performed his piano works in London in 1947, 1948, and 1949, invited by the BBC, and as a recipient of a scholarship from the British Council. During these years, the BBC Symphony Orchestra premiered the orchestral version of his “Tres Romances Argentinos”, under the baton of Walter Goehs. Later, in 1956, Guastavino toured the USSR and China, performing his pieces for voice and piano.
Guastavino’s style is clearly inherited from the luminaries of nineteenth-century Argentina's nationalist composers, such as Alberto Williams, Francisco Hargreaves, Eduardo García Mansilla and Julián Aguirre. Aguirre’s delicate and intimate piano writing is an especially evident influence on Guastavino.
Guastavino's output includes: more than a hundred and fifty songs for voice and piano, numerous piano solo pieces, choral works, school songs, and chamber music. His poets include: Rafael Alberty, Leon Benaros, Hamlet Lima Quintana, Atahualpa Yupanqui, Pablo Neruda, Gabriela Mistral, and Jorge Luis Borges among others. A small number of his songs are settings of his own texts. His works for orchestra include “Divertissement; fue una vez”, commissioned by Colonel de Basil for his original Ballet Russe, and premiered at the Teatro Colón, in Buenos Aires, in 1942; and “Suite Argentina” which was performed in London, Paris, Barcelona, and Havana by the Ballet Español of Isabel Lopez. He has also written three Sonatas for guitar.
Guastavino has received important awards and recognitions throughout his life, such as the Municipal Prize from the city of Buenos Aires for his chamber songs, a prize from the Justice Ministry of Argentina, Prize of the Cultural Commission of Santa Fe Province for his songs, “Vosotras” magazine Prize for his “Canción de Navidad”, and a Prize from the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Music Council as recognition of his outstanding creative activity.
(Source: Fundación Ostinato / http://ostinato.tripod.com)
Pampamapa
Carlos Guastavino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
pero es lo mismo,
he robado la magia
de los caminos.
Esta cruz que me mata
me da la vida,
una copla mes sangra
No me pidas que deje
mis pensamientos,
no encontrarás la forma
de atar el viento.
Si mi nombre te duele
échalo al agua,
no quiero que tu boca
se ponga amarga.
Como el pájaro antiguo
conozco el rastro,
se cuándo el trigo es verde
cuándo hay que amarlo.
Por es es que, mi vida,
no te confundas,
el agua que yo busco
es más profunda.
Para que fueras cierta
te alcé en un canto,
ahora te dejo sola
me voy llorando.
Pero nunca, mi cielo,
de pena muero,
junto a la luz del día
nazco de nuevo.
A la huella, mi tierra,
tan trasnochada.
Yo te daré mis sueños,
dame tu calma.
The opening line of Carlos Guastavino’s song Pampamapa -- “Yo no soy de estos pagos, pero es lo mismo” -- sets the stage for a meditation on displacement, longing, and hope. The songwriter notes that he is not from this place surrounded by mountains, but reminds us that his questing, his “robbing of the magic of the roads” is a timeless, universal experience. This is a song about the pursuit of life’s deeper meaning and the difficulty in finding a sense of belonging.
Throughout the rest of the lyrics, we see the songwriter confront the many struggles and heartaches of life, from “la cruz que me mata” to the “copla que canta herida.” Despite these difficulties, the songwriter asserts his right to his own thoughts and feelings, noting that he knows “cuándo el trigo es verde / cuándo hay que amarlo.” Ultimately, he recognizes that his journey is his own, and that none can truly own or control the course of another’s life: “no encontrarás la forma / de atar el viento.” The song closes with an affirmation of hope and resilience: “Pero nunca, mi cielo, / de pena muero, / junto a la luz del día / nazco de nuevo.”
Overall, Pampamapa is a deeply reflective and introspective song that explores themes of displacement, longing, and hope. It encourages us to embrace the journey of life with all its joys and sorrows, and to recognize the beauty and magic that can be found along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo no soy de estos pagos
I am not from this place, but it doesn't matter
pero es lo mismo,
it's all the same to me
he robado la magia
I have stolen the magic
de los caminos.
of the roads
Esta cruz que me mata
This cross that kills me
me da la vida,
gives me life
una copla mes sangra
a song that bleeds me
que canta herida.
that sings wounded
No me pidas que deje
Don't ask me to leave
mis pensamientos,
my thoughts
no encontrarás la forma
you won't find a way
de atar el viento.
to tie the wind
Si mi nombre te duele
If my name hurts you
échalo al agua,
throw it into the water
no quiero que tu boca
I don't want your mouth
se ponga amarga.
to become bitter
Como el pájaro antiguo
Like the ancient bird
conozco el rastro,
I know the trail
se cuándo el trigo es verde
I know when the wheat is green
cuándo hay que amarlo.
When it needs to be loved
Por eso es que, mi vida,
That's why, my love,
no te confundas,
don't be confused,
el agua que yo busco
the water I seek
es más profunda.
is deeper
Para que fueras cierta
So that you would be true
te alcé en un canto,
I raised you in a song,
ahora te dejo sola
now I leave you alone
me voy llorando.
I go crying
Pero nunca, mi cielo,
But never, my darling
de pena muero,
do I die of sorrow,
junto a la luz del día
by the light of day
nazco de nuevo.
I am born again.
A la huella, mi tierra,
To the trail, my land,
tan trasnochada.
so sleepless.
Yo te daré mis sueños,
I will give you my dreams,
dame tu calma.
give me your calm.
Writer(s): Carlos Guastavino
Contributed by Caden I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Felipe Calle
Qu belleza Javier !! Muy inspirador saludos desde Colombia !!
Luisana Rivas
Bellísimo
Sally Stone
What an incredible, rich and expressive performance. Thank you Hank for your choices for each week. I love reading Carol's commence and look forward to your videos. Your friend from days at our little church in Bowie . Sally Stone
pablo arias
the pianist is the best !!
Mariano Orlando
🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷 mi país! My country!
Mozartita
Bravi !!