La Huella de las Cuerdas (The Journey of Strings)
Berta Rojas (guitar)
rec. 2024/2025, various locations
Book & Vinyl LP
Private release [40]

In the children’s novel, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, Mr Toad describes his home, Toad Hall, as a very unique residence. Being an absolute adjective, lexicologists may argue the correctness of using an intensifier with unique, because it is already absolute, and cannot be made more or less. For the sake of this review, I am on the side of Kenneth Grahame; “very unique” seems the most appropriate way of describing this recording and its accompaniments.

The Journey of Strings is a project tracing the cultural impact of the guitar in Latin America, and illuminating what binds it in so many ways to the wider family of stringed instruments in the Americas. This project is a special edition, a very unique, high quality, multi-media package comprising three essential elements.

Housed in a handsome blue slip-cover, the 64-page book is essentially the liner notes to the recording. It is 32 X 32 cm, of outstanding quality with full–page colour photographs, and comprehensive notes relating to the instruments and composers. The text is in both Spanish and English In a similar vein to Ruth Correa’s lyrics written for Villa- Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No 5; the poem My Land (Tierra Mia) by Nayla Beltran, appears here, with music composed by Popi Spatoccio/ Sebastian Henriquez, and played on Chilean Guitarron by Alfonso Ureta. There are fascinating stories documenting the journey of Berta Rojas’ encounters with musicians at the centre of the project.

The actual recording is a 12 inch, 180 gram vinyl LP, accommodated in a large envelope which is part of the book’s back cover, and protected in its own acetate cover within the envelope. Played on high quality reproducing equipment, with appropriate turntable, arm and cartridge, its sound is superb. There is no background noise and the fidelity of the sound is comparable, in some cases superior, to some of the highest quality vinyl recordings of the past, such as direct-to-disc Sheffield Labs and half-speed masters by Original Master Recordings.

From The Journey of Strings website, a free app can be down-loaded to a smart phone or tablet. By pointing the camera at the liner notes book, a new world digital contact is opened up to enhance the total experience; i.e. what the instrument sounds like is possible to access by strumming across the virtual strings.

The Journey of Strings is the fulfilment of a dream by Latin Grammy winning classical guitarist Berta Rojas. Working closely with researchers and musicologists, she travelled to more than ten countries. She performed with more than 17 guest artists during the two years in the making of this project

Since commencing her career as a concert guitarist, Berta Rojas has earned an international reputation as an outstanding exponent of her instrument. Born in Paraguay, Rojas is renowned for interest in, and performance of music by fellow-countryman Agustin Barrios. Her recording Intimate Barrio (review) may have initially fuelled her being pigeon-holed as, primarily, a Barrios specialist. Any such perceptions were dispelled by a subsequent recording Terrunu (review). Here she explores the music of five contemporary composers. Excelling as a soloist, Rojas has also recorded with clarinettist, Paquitq D’Rivera (A Day and a Half:  Diaymedio), and what a duo musical delight it is. In the review recording, she embraces the alternative roles of soloist, accompanist, and duettist with a number of outstanding exponents of their respective instruments.

Considering all the contributing factors, one could justify anticipating performances of the highest standard in all ten tracks of this recording. What we actually experience is a cornucopia of musical delights executed by masters of their respective instruments. Outside of Latin America, much of the music will probably be unfamiliar to listeners. The music composed especially for this project by guitarist/composer Elodie Bouny, will be new to all. A three-movement work for chamber orchestra and guitar, resulting in a series of dialogues highlighting the charango, Venezuelan cuatro and Brazilian mandolin; they take the listener on a musical travelogue to the mountains of the Andes, the grass-lands of the Venezuelan and Columbian plains, and the seaside of Brazil.

It is the hope of Berta Rojas that this project reflects and enhances the musical richness of its people and cultures. The project is not only a multi-sensory musical feast, but the very unique presentation destines it to become a collector’s treasure, a musical heirloom.

Zane Turner

Contents
Santiago de Mucia (1852-1739)
La Huella del  Codice
Traditional
El Canario
Angel Mislan (1862-1911)
Sara
Daniel Saboya
Bambuco pa Billy
Popi Spatocco/Sebastian Henriquez
Tierra Mia
Elodie Bouny (b. 1982)
Triptico Sudamericano
Felix Perez Cardozo/Anon (1908-1952)
Che La Reina/ Arroyos Y Esteros
Gustavo Santaolalla (b. 1951)
The Last of Us

Other performers
Evangelina Mascardi (vihuela, Baroque guitar)
Lincoln Almada (percussion)
Eloy Zuniga (Jarana)
Arely Lazano Hernandez (quinta, huapanguera guitar)
Angel Jesus Rubio Guerrero (violin)
Fadiola Mendez (Puerto Rican cuatro)
Daniel Saboya (guitar)
Diego Saboya (bandola)
Lucas Saboya (tiple)
Alfonso Ureta (Chilean guitarron)
Francesea Ancarola (voice)
Pedro Franco (bandolim)
Federico Tarazona (charango)
Unnamed orchestra/ Popi Spatocco
Lincoln Almada (guarani harp)
Gustavo Santaolalla (ronroco)