The concept of “national music” emerged during the nineteenth century as a cultural response to the dominance of major European musical centres such as Vienna, Paris, and Berlin. Nationalist musical languages did not simply incorporate folk materials; rather, they transformed them into artistic forms capable of preserving local identity within a broader musical discourse. This paper examines the construction of Venezuelan musical identity through selected waltzes by the guitarist and composer Antonio Lauro (1917–1986), widely regarded as one of the most significant figures in twentieth-century Latin American guitar music. Through a historical and analytical approach, the study investigates rhythmic, metric, and timbral features in works such as Carora, El Marabino, Ana Cristina, and Nelly. By relating these musical characteristics to broader cultural and historical processes, the paper argues that Lauro’s guitar works represent more than an individual artistic achievement. They participate in the development of a distinctive Venezuelan national soundscape, in which popular traditions are reinterpreted through the language of the classical guitar. The study highlights the role of the guitar as a vehicle of cultural representation and contributes to a deeper understanding of musical nationalism in twentieth-century Latin America.

Authors:
Domenico Leonello, Independent Scholar, Italy

About the Presenter(s)
Domenico Leonello teaches Classical Guitar and Music Theory at the Senocrito Academy of Music, Literature and Arts. He is a music journalist with PULSE. His research focuses on guitar repertoire, film music, and Latin American guitar music.

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/domenico-leonello-03b56a133/

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