Los Gringos - Misa Andina

Misa Andina, that is, the Andean Mass, was written in the early 1990s and is the work of Chilean musician Mauricio Vicencio. Although it can unquestionably be regarded as having as its model the most famous Latin American church-inspired work still recognized today, the Misa Criolla – that is, the Creole Mass – composed by Ariel Ramirez 30 years before the Andean Mass, in addition to the similarities between the two masses we can also experience numerous differences. 

In the Andean Mass, cultural, historical, religious and musical gestures are mixed together, capable of reconciling with each other distant worlds that are in irreconcilable opposition, endowing them with the same creative spirit and energy. With syncretism in mind, the Andean Mass won its recognition through its breathtaking beauty and, shortly after it was written, became an obligatory point of reference in Andean music. 

We warmly recommend this more than one-hour exotic ritual to your attention; receive with an open heart this musical unity inherent in the power of sound, which helps our inner quieting and which comes from another space and time… 


THE PARTS OF THE MASS 

Entrada/Introduction (Mochoceñada) Introduction 

A movement built from a world of melodies evoking ancient, pre-discovery times, conjuring up the loneliness of existence on the Altiplano, the high plateau. 

Preludio (Fox incaico) 

A gentler and more suggestive theme than the previous one, which is a strong interpretation of mysticism increasingly prevalent on the Altiplano and, as a religious motif, is perfect even with the wordless entry of the choir. 

Señor ten piedad (Danza, Tarqueda) – Kyrie Lord, have mercy 

One of the main virtues of this movement is the way the wonderful choral parts, the sung sacred music, mix with the ancient, heartfelt thematic Andean melodies. 

Diospoe luohuocunomori caimon tondo (San Juanito) 

This little song for a small ensemble, which stands outside the liturgical sequence, uses an Ecuadorian rhythm, the san juanito, to provide insight into the nature-oriented worldview of a naïve, sincere people. 

Gloria (San Juanito) Glory 

A further interpretation which repeats the same patterns as the previous movements, supplemented by interesting and varied rhythms. These already contain more prominent choral parts with very sensitive melodies. The movement uses the global toolkit of a characteristic Ecuadorian rhythm, the san juanito. 

Evocación Ancestral Homage to the Ancestors 

With this piece the composer again looks beyond traditional liturgy and pays tribute to the spirit world of pre-conquest times, presenting the duality that is still present on the South American continent today. 

Aleluya (Morenada) Praise the Lord 

One of those movements that dazzles with its simplicity. Its main peculiarity lies in the fact that, through the choir’s singing, it fills the piece with a firm and powerful, joyful energy. 

Saminchay Blessing 

In this musical movement without choir, an Angel flies over us. 

Credo (Fantasía andina) I believe in… 

In the adaptation of this movement we also see demonstrated, through multiple exploitation of the possibilities offered by the instruments, a heartfelt confession of faith. Here the role of the choir is not as prominent as in the earlier movements. 

Yanpu-Tocco (Italake) 

The strength of this orchestral movement lies, characteristically of the italake style, in the exclusive use of panpipes and drums. To evoke Andean participatory community music-making, the circulation of a sikuri melody is employed here, whose central aspect is the celebration of the cultural traditions of the Andean indigenous peoples. 

Santo (Sicuriada, Tinku, Rueda de Carnaval, Baguala) Holy are you 

Perhaps one of the Mass’s greatest pieces, in connection with which it is definitely necessary to highlight the impressive melody, further enhanced by the excellent choral parts. The very lively and atmospheric movement’s guiding thread can be followed in the Bolivian tinku rhythm. 

Padre nuestro (Chunho, Vidala, Quena-quena) Our Father 

The movement is divided into two parts; after the ancient introductory chuncho melody, the universal prayer is interpreted in a very sensitive way with the fantastic return of the choir. This movement is composed with extraordinary effectiveness, a true marvel for lovers of Christian music. 

Estrella de las Nieves Star of the Snow 

This piece forms a transition between the two extremes – the previous and the following themes – and at the same time prepares the soon-to-come conclusion. 

Cordero (Kantu’s, Jula-Julas) – Agnus Dei Lamb of God 

We are jolted back once more into a melodic world evoking ancient, pre-discovery times. For the European ear it is somewhat unusual, a movement scored only for various members of the panpipe family (sicu, jula-julas) and drum, but overall the resulting effect is still varied. 

Benedictus (Huayno) Blessed 

According to the liturgy, this movement is connected to the Santo and can be interpreted as its second part. Here, as a release of tension, it serves as a pleasant, atmospheric ending to the Mass, in which all the virtues of the authentic Peruvian huayno rhythm shine forth. 

PARTICIPANTS 

Los Gringos Ensemble 

The band plays Andean folk music – primarily from Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia – and consists of Hungarian members who have been devoted fans for many years and, for the most part, have been practising this cultural sphere for 30–35 years. Hence the band’s name, since in that region the Spanish word gringos is used for white, foreign people. The love of Andean folk music has been keeping the 9-member ensemble together in an essentially unchanged line-up since 1993, and its members have visited South America several times. 

Tamás Beke: rhythm and percussion instruments, guitar, mandolin, panpipe, accordion 

Árpád Horváth: charango, ronrocco, violin, panpipes, tarka 

Zoltán Kurdi: quena, moseño, panpipes, tarka, rattle, guiro, rainstick 

József Lukács: bombo, panpipe, guitarrón, rainstick 

Zoltán Rádl: guitar, mandolin, panpipes, tarka, vocals 

Lajos Réti: panpipes, tarka, moseño, bombo, chaj-chas 

Árpád Rozsics: quena, panpipes, moseño, tarka, vocals 

Péter Szőts: quena, panpipes, tarka, vocals 

Cistercian Project Choir – Székesfehérvár 

The Cistercian Project Choir was formed for the performance of the Andean Mass organized in the spring of 2025 in Székesfehérvár, with the participation of current and former students, parents, teachers of the Cistercian Saint Stephen Secondary School, as well as a few friends. The choir is conducted by Éva Radics, the school’s music teacher and choir director, who has realized a long-held dream with this Andean Mass performed by the students and their friends. 

In the 2025 performance, the movement written for the singing voices of Quechua Indian children could also be heard, and the children from Székesfehérvár, who superbly imitate this raw, lively, sincere child’s voice, will also perform on 1 April 2026 at the House of Hungarian Music. 

The choir, which is mixed in age, choral experience and musical training, is led with a sure hand by Éva Radics, and by now the project choir has become a well-functioning team; it can be said of all of them that they very quickly came to love the music of the Andes. 

Gödöllő City Mixed Choir – Gödöllő 

The Gödöllő City Mixed Choir was founded in the autumn of 1971, making it the oldest artistic group in Gödöllő. Its founder was Géza Ujváry, who from the very beginning set high standards for the choir. The ensemble has been conducted for 28 years by choir director Kornél Pechan, who, as a professional singer and trained conductor, made use of the opportunities provided by regular rehearsals and incorporated his professional performance experience into the choir’s way of thinking. 

The number of choir members has now risen to over 50. During its existence, in addition to performances in numerous major Hungarian cities, the mixed choir has also appeared in concert halls in Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Belgium and Wales, among others. 

The mixed choir is one of the defining groups of Gödöllő’s cultural life.