In the years before WWII, Victor Records in the U.S. was, for the most part, the largest presence in South America when it came to the distribution and recording of music, as a result of an agreement made with its sister company HMV in England (HMV would essentially have the other continents to record). They also had a pressing plant in Argentina, which was a large market for Victor. That’s not to say there wasn’t competition – Odeon, for example, recorded countless records across the continent, many under the moniker Disco Nacional, and there were a smattering of independents – but Victor had the lock. However, after WWII, independents cropped up where only majors had dared to tread (and barely in many cases). One instance would be the Mendez label in Bolivia, featured in an earlier entry. Another would be Peru’s Sono Radio label, where today’s post hails from.
I’m not sure when Sono Radio began production (it lasted at least until the 70s), but I’m betting this record stems from ca. 1948-1950 or so. According to reader Efrain Rozas, the phrase “Muliza con fuga de Huayno” means that the song begins as a muliza, then ends in the typical Indian huayno style of Peru, with a fuga, a fast section, in the middle. The muliza as a song form was, according to various sources, brought to Peru by Argentine mule drivers (the name muliza comes from mulero, for mule) during the late colonial period (ca. 1760-1810). The Indian huayno sound was incorporated into the music in the mid-20th century and gave the muliza an indigenous quality that it lacked up until then. Another example of older folkloric musical styles being appropriated, adapted, and transformed.
While I could find no information on this fine ensemble (violins, woodwinds, brass, and guitar), I was really taken by the strings. Particulary the break at about 1:20 in the piece.
Early recorded music from Andean regions seems to have been largely ignored by contemporary record companies. However, Arhoolie has the fine Huayno Music of Peru, Volume 1, which contains several earlier recordings. There is also this nice site! I would also recommend Fiona Wilson’s article “Indians and Mestizos: Identity and Urban Popular Culture in Andean Peru,” from the Journal of Southern African Studies 26/2 (2000): 239-253.
Technical Notes
Label: Sono Radio
Issue Number: 1046
Matrix Number: ISR-89
Excavated Shellac 
I recently found your wonderful blog and really, really enjoy your posts. The research you do and the information you provide on each record is thorough and as a 78 collector myself, I greatly appreciate how much work must go into each post. Thank you for sharing this wonderful music.
I really enjoy your comments and the music you pick. Thank you
music gods for messengers like you.
Hi! Congratulations your blog is wonderful… I am a musician/anthropologist from Peru… Muliza con fuga de Huayno means that the first part of the song is a Muliza, and it finishes with a Huayno. In Peru “Fuga” is a section in the song which is faster and happier than the ones before, there can be a Fuga in any musical genre. An afroperuvian song may a have a “Fuga de Huayno” or viceversa…
Check out my blog. It has been abandoned for a few months but blogs like yours encourage me to go on. I have some radio programs produced by me there, And I will upload one dedicated to Mulizas.. Thank you for your blog!!!
Thanks very much! I hope you don’t mind but I added your information to my post – thanks a lot for the information! I hope you continue to stop by.
this is a colorful side indeed! thanks! do you have any more south american or peruvian stuff? i’d love to hear it! woo hoo!
Hi Tony –
Yes, I do have some. I will post more at some point…
About traditional Peruvian genders: You can find a “fuga” when you play, sing and dance a “Tondero” the most rural mestizo coastal gender. Plenty of witty, rhythm and flair.
Best regards and thank you for your wonderful blog.
Olga Milla
Thank you Olga!