In the Jesuit missions, the Chapel Master, who was always an Indian, was responsible for the music school, and the job of musician was highly prestigious.
Recording & Production
The recording was made in the Catedral de Concepción, Bolivia, and the producers intentionally left in the sounds of tropical bird song, which can be heard throughout the recording.
Instruments
The Jesuit missions introduced European musical instruments like organs, guitars, harps, lutes, violins, cellos, and trombones, which were not only played but also often made by the indigenous people themselves.
Recording & Production
This recording is the culmination of many months of preparation, sparked by Florilegium's participation in the IV Festival Internacional de Musica Renacentista y Barroca Americana 'Misiones de Chiquitos' in Bolivia in 2002.
Historical Context
The music on this album flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries in Jesuit missions established in eastern Bolivia, created by European, native South American, and Creole composers and musicians.
Historical Context
Two important collections of South American missionary music have been preserved in Bolivia, one from the missionary churches of San Rafael and Santa Ana, and another from the former Jesuit Mission of the Moxos Indians.
Cultural Impact
Music was a primary means of communication with natives in the Jesuit missions, leading to the creation of choirs and orchestras of 30-40 musicians in each village.
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