Félix Pérez Cardozo (1908-1952), paraguayan harpist and composer, created a harp version of The Bellbird in 1948.

It is possible that the author is José Iriarte de San Juan (a mission harpist) and that Carlos Talavera created he first guitar version, interpreted by the fellow guitarist and friend of Félix, Ampelio Villalba, who probably taught him.

But this arrangement has gained authors with the years. The notes that Félix Pérez Cardozo plays, remind us of the song of the “araponga”, a small white plumed bird that inhabits the humid forest of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, as well as other Central American countries.

A Christian legend tell us how the Bellbird is born.

The beatified Roque González de Santa Cruz had constructed a small church. While he was putting the bell’s tongue in place, he was attacked and killed by the Guaraní Indians, at the orders of Chief Nezu.

Then, though the bell had no clapper, it mysteriusly began to toll and Tupa changed it into a beautiful white bird that hounds the infidels since, with the sound of its bell in memory of the martyrized Jesuit.

This bird has received various names, both in spanish and guaraní, depending on the area: “smith bird”, “pong bird” or “bell bird”, and is renown for its singing so similar to the tolling of a bell or the sound of a smiths hammer hitting an anvil, a song that at first has long pauses between sounds, soon becoming more frequent; a very powerful song that can be heard up to a kilometer away. Another sound in its repertoire is like the grating of a file against metal. During courting, the bird can call up two thousand times a day, all requiring a great physical effort.

It was my desire to begin this CD with two onomatopoeic pieces by this great paraguayan harp player and creative artist whom I personally admire so much.

The remaining material is, for me, a kind of summary or manifesto of intentions; various fields of work that I would like to develop and offer to you in the future.

DANIEL JORDAN