I listened to two rendtions of a Peruvian folk song called El Condor Pasa (If I Could), a compilation of Peruvian folk melodies written by Daniel Robles. The original version is written for the guena (flute) and churango. The second version has been popularized by Simon and Garfunkel on the Sound of Silence album.
The Simon and Garfunkel rendition preserves the essence of the original song in the background instrumentation (churango, a type of flute called a quena). Simon and Garfunkel changed the lyrics of the song (from the original Spanish) but otherwise maintains the overall contour and feel of the piece. Many other versions exist, including a Spanish eurodance version, a Russian pop version, and a Hebrew version of this song.
It would be interesting to do a lesson incorporating the many different styles of this particular song. In a secondary general music class, I might have students create charts to listen for what is the same and what is different in two or more versions of the song. I might ask how the original Peruvian folk melody is preserved in each version (in terms of instrumentation, melody, etc.). I might also ask open ended questions that encourage divergent thinking about why this song might appeal so widely to people around the world.
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