Biography
María Isabel Granda Larco was born on 3 September 1920, in a copper mining area in the region of Apurímac. She began singing at 12 years old, in the school choir at the exclusive girl's school Colegio Sophianum, in San Isidro. At this age she sang as a soprano (an operation later gave her the deep voice for which she is remembered). However, she wasn't well known until after her divorce, a scandal in contemporary Lima's conservative Catholic society.
Early in her career her work was expressive and picturesque – evoking the romantic and beautiful neighborhood of Barranco in Lima, with its grand French houses with impressive entrances and winter gardens. Some of her most famous songs from this period are "Lima de Veras", "La flor de la Canela", "Fina Estampa", "Gracia", "José Antonio", and "Zeñó Manué", to name a few. She broke the conventional rhythmic structure of the waltz, later broke convention with her poetic cadences as well. Later in her career she wrote songs dedicated to the Chilean Violeta Parra and to Javier Heraud, a Peruvian poet who died in 1968.
Towards the end of her career, Chabuca Granda incorporated Afro-Peruvian rhythms into her work. Afro-Peruvian music, while popular, was not considered "high art" due to the prevalent racism and devaluation of Afro-Peruvian culture. She masterfully blended the suggestive and colorful rhythms into her work, enriching Peruvian popular music.
She died of heart problems in a clinic in Miami, in the United States, in 1983. Her voice and compositions are known far from the borders of her country, and her popularity has introduced the world to the fine and sensitive character of Peruvian music.
Chabuca Granda continued to make her presence felt a decade after her death, when Caetano Veloso used her song, "Fina Estampa", as the title track of an album released in 1994, while her song, "Maria Lando", written with Cesar Calvo, provided the North American breakthrough for Peruvian vocalist Susana Baca the following year.
Granda's song "La Flor De La Canela" has become an anthem for the city of Lima. Granda worked with a lengthy list of influential guitarists including Oscar Aviles, Martin Torres, Lucho Gonzalez, Alvaro Lagos, and Felix Casaverde.
Fina estampa
Chabuca Granda Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Con luz de luna o de sol
Tendida como una cinta
Con sus lados de arrebol
Arrebol de los geranios
why sonrisas con rubor
Arrebol de los claveles
why las mejillas en flor
Perfumada de magnolia
Rociada de mañanita
La veredita sonrÃe
Cuando tu piel acaricia
why la cuculi se rÃe
why la ventana se agita
Cuando por esa vereda
Tu fina estampa paseas
Fina estampa, caballero
caballero de fina estampa
un lucero que sonriera
bajo un sombrero
No sonriere más hermoso
Ni más luciera, caballero
why en tu andaranda reluce
La acerada andarandal
Te lleva por los aguajes
why a los patios encantado
Te lleva por las plazuelas
why a los amores soñados
Veredita que se arrulla
Con tafetanes bordados
Tacón de ChafÃn de seda
why justes almidonados
Es un caminito alegre
Con luz de luna o de sol
Que he de recorrer cantando
Por si te puedo alcanzar
Fina estampa caballero
Quien te pudiera guardar
Fina estampa...
The song "Fina Estampa" by Chabuca Granda is a description of a beautiful path, or "veredita," that is filled with the colors and scents of nature. The veredita is described as a joyous place that smiles when touched by the gentle caress of skin. The path is lined with flowers, including geraniums and carnations, which add to the red glow of the veredita.
Granda also mentions the laughter of the cuculi, which is a local bird, and the movement of windows as someone walks by. The song conveys a sense of joy and beauty that is found in everyday life, and how one's presence can bring out the happiness in nature.
The song also expresses admiration for a "fina estampa," or a man with a refined appearance. The singer describes the man as a "caballero," who is like a shining star under his hat. He is the epitome of elegance and grace, and his presence on the veredita only adds to its beauty.
Overall, the song is a celebration of natural beauty and the elegance of human appearance, and how the two can combine to make the world more beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
Una veredita alegre
A joyful little path
Con luz de luna o de sol
Lit by moonlight or sun
Tendida como una cinta
Stretched out like a ribbon
Con sus lados de arrebol
With sides colored like dusk
Arrebol de los geranios
Dusky red of the geraniums
why sonrisas con rubor
And smiles with a blush
Arrebol de los claveles
Dusk-colored carnations
why las mejillas en flor
And blushing cheeks
Perfumada de magnolia
Scented with magnolias
Rociada de mañanita
Dewy with morning mist
La veredita sonrÃe
The little path smiles
Cuando tu piel acaricia
When you walk its length
why la cuculi se rÃe
When birds laugh
why la ventana se agita
And windows shake
Cuando por esa vereda
As you walk that path
Tu fina estampa paseas
With your elegant presence
Fina estampa, caballero
Fine stature, sir
caballero de fina estampa
Sir with a fine presence
un lucero que sonriera
A star that shines
bajo un sombrero
Beneath a hat
No sonriere más hermoso
No lovelier smile
Ni más luciera, caballero
No greater shine, sir
why en tu andaranda reluce
And your stride shines
La acerada andarandal
The shining cobblestone path
Te lleva por los aguajes
It takes you through the groves
why a los patios encantado
And to the enchanted courtyards
Te lleva por las plazuelas
It takes you through the little squares
why a los amores soñados
And to the dreams of love
Veredita que se arrulla
The little path that sways
Con tafetanes bordados
With embroidered taffeta
Tacón de ChafÃn de seda
Silk Chafin heels
why justes almidonados
And starched justos
Es un caminito alegre
It's a happy little path
Con luz de luna o de sol
Lit by moonlight or sun
Que he de recorrer cantando
That I'll walk while singing
Por si te puedo alcanzar
In the hopes of catching up to you
Fina estampa caballero
Fine stature, sir
Quien te pudiera guardar
If only I could keep you close
Fina estampa...
Fine stature...
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: EDUARDO O. ROVIRA, ISABEL CHABUCA GRANDA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidmendes9900
Soy brasileño, y conocí a Chabuca Granda al veer el billete de 10 soles, así que llegué a Lima para pasar una temporada. Busqué por sus canciones, y salí a caminar por esta hermosa ciudad escuchando a esta gran dama, especialmente en las plazuelas del Barranco y fué realmente mágico. Ya tengo ganas de volver a la hermosa Lima y poder experimentar nuevamente ese sentimiento.
@michaelcarvajal7477
Soy Colombiano y crecimos escuchando en la radio nacional a esta fenomenal artista, que maravilla de canción, Chabuca Granda le ponía tanto amor y armonía a sus canciones, maravillosa, viva el Perú y sus artistas.
@nildaoviedo6687
Soy venezolana, desde niña he disfrutado de las canciones peruanas, me fascinan, entre ellas, La flor de la Canela, Fina estampa, , Un solo corazón etc
@luiscoterachavez9086
https://youtu.be/VEaDBz8HfgM
@jorgegoren8614
Como no querer al Peru cuando se escucha a esta maravillosa mujer y sus cadencias 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼.
Desde Santiago de Chile
@laestrella1215
Hermosa dama ,con una sensibilidad increíble. Sus canciones son verdaderos poemas.
@leopoldolarrea3682
Soy Chileno, que Dios bendiga a mis hermanos, Perianos
@centinela24542
Soy Venezolano y estaba tan acostumbrado a esta canción, no sabía que era de ella. Que maravilla de mujer! Viva Perú, viva el folklore latinoamericano!
@alejandrocastillotorres2387
Eso es música de los criollos de los blancos de los descendientes de los españoles
@dorisgranda9600
@LimeñoDeFinaEstampa a
M de