Yrupa Purahéi: songs by the riverbanks
Yrupa Purahei is a project by Purahei Trio, based on an original concept by Romy Martínez.
Following the trio's debut album, which was rooted in popular Paraguayan music, this new project marks a departure from their starting point, venturing into new sonic and cultural landscapes.
Traveling along the paths of rivers, from the mountains to the sea, the poetics woven into this journey are centered around water. Water as it flows. Water as a means of survival. Water as time passes.
The journey’s end reveals new landscapes and perspectives, but it also brings a sense of longing and nostalgia. Images of a dreamed past emerge—whether personally experienced or not—evoking childhood memories, family ties, the village, and its people. These reflections embody an idealized vision of a profound and rural Brazil, which, even for those who never lived it, seems to persist through a collective, shared memory.
The project’s starting point was an exploration of the music from a region that remains largely unknown and underrepresented within conventional notions of Brazilian cultural identity. This vast area of Brazil shares borders with Paraguay and Argentina, specifically through the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, and Mato Grosso do Sul. Although this region has a rich cultural heritage—particularly in music, which has enjoyed periods of great popularity throughout Brazilian music history—it has not been widely recognized as an integral part of Brazilian identity.
Far from the stereotypes of carnival, samba and the tropical country (as sung by Jorge Ben Jor) this music and its poetry are linked to the calm images of the pampas and riverbanks, they depict words and expressions which derive from Spanish, Guarani, and are shaped through musical genres such as guarânia, chamamé and milonga. All of these are ways of expression which are as Paraguayan and as Argentinian and Brazilian.
Thus, the repertoire was chosen and arranged considering different musical genres, regions, contemporary and traditional composers. In turn, it unifies the chosen repertoire in the sounds of these lands, which is sung through the lyrics and the musical forms, rhythms and genres. The arrangements aim to re-signify and renew this repertoire occasionally forgotten within the Brazilian popular music songbooks and repertoires.
The outcome of this research work is presented on this website: five videos from five songs of the chosen repertoire, where each one is accompanied by a brief explanation of the musical genre it illustrates, its composer and the score arranged and transcribed by the trio. In addition, a total of eleven tracks were recorded in the studio, which can also be downloaded for free from the website. The physical disc was distributed to public schools and public libraries and a number of them can purchased free of charge at concerts and workshops hosted by the trio.
This project was funded by the Government of Santa Catarina State, Brazil and Catarinense Culture Foundation, through the 'Elisabete Anderle' Cultural Incentive Award / 2014. It was selected among an approximate total of 900 projects and awarded on the first place in the music category.
Yrupa Purahéi - Songs from the Riverbanks is a project carried out by Purahéi Trio and funded by the Government of State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, 'Edital Elisabete Anderle 2014/FCC Prêmio da Música Catarinense' - First place winner.
Purahéi Trio
Romy Martínez: original concept, voice, Guarani versions and translations (Paraguay)
Chungo Roy: piano and arrangements (Argentina)
Maiara Moraes: flute and alto flute - in G (Brasil)
Artistic direction: Purahéi Trio
Executive production: Purahéi Trio and Marcos Moraes
Photography: José de Holanda, Elga Moraes, Marina Casagrande
Web and album design: Maisa Felippe
Watercolour illustrations: Fabio Dudas
Guarani versions revision: Gilberto Santacruz
Texts and research on the selected songs: Romy Martinez, Prof. Dr Evandro Higa (ethnomusicologist), Prof. Dr. Allan de Paula Oliveira (historian/anthropologist), Prof. Ms. Guilherme Howes (sociologist), Cinthya Dávila (journalists) and Maiara Moraes
Videos shouted at 'Instituto Casa Nobre' by Novelo Filmes. Lucas de Barros and Marco Martins
Special thanks to Luiz Felipe Nobre, Guarda do Embau, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Costume design: Alice Assal
Album recording and mixing: Estúdio Arsis. Adonias Junior, Daniel Tapia Rodrigo Panasolo, São Paulo.
Mastering: Carlos Laurenz em Carlos Laurenz Mastering. Buenos Aires, Argentina
*Except “Estrangeiro”Bonûs Track recorded by Gabriel Vieira, Estúdio Móvel Araruna – December 2015 at 'Instituto Casa Nobre' and piano in "La cautiva" and "Tres hermanos" recorded at Estudio Doctor F by Agustín Silverleib
Videos (album release teaser): José de Holanda and Marina Casagrande at Estúdio Arsis, São Paulo
Social media management: Renan Mittermayer
Special guests:
Lea Freire: bass and double bass flute
Carlinhos Antunes: viola caipira
A corda em si: Fernanda Rosa and Mateus Costa, voice and double bass
Alessandro 'Bebê' Kramer: Accordion