Tunes from Trinidad, 180 years of musical tradition

In the city of Trinidad, the traditional songs are still sung with true love and devotion. Their lyrics and melodies have been passed down orally from generation to generation, and 180 years later, this genuine and popular musical expression endures.

Rafael and Ramiro Valdespino learned from their father, Claro. “I started playing when I was a child, 10 or 12 years old. He’s like my dad. He had a drum, and I had one. So I learned. That’s how you learn. I learned to play the drum. How do you play it? That drum is like your heart, the force you put into it when you play, that comes from within, like the mood you’re in, how it sounds, how it’s heard, the shape of that sound it has.”

Historical research describes the city councils of Trinidad as having choral groups that performed the so-called Trinitarian songs since the mid-19th century. Besides being one of its members, Alfredo Rafael Ramos was interested in learning about the history of this musical tradition.