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Peruvian music is an amalgamation of sounds and styles drawing onPeru'sAndean,Spanish, andAfrican roots. Andean influences can perhaps be best heard in wind instruments and the shape of the melodies, while the African influences can be heard in the rhythm and percussion instruments, and European influences can be heard in the harmonies and stringed instruments.Pre-Columbian Andean music was played on drums and string instruments, like the Europeanpipe and tabor tradition. Andeantritonic and pentatonic scales were elaborated during the colonial period into hexatonic, and in some cases, diatonic scales.
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Peruvian music reflects the country’s rich cultural heritage, blending Indigenous, Spanish, and African influences. Pre-Columbian traditions, characterized by instruments like pan flutes and drums, were later infused with Spanish stringed instruments such as the guitar and harp. During the colonial period, African rhythms introduced vibrant percussive styles. Iconic genres likehuayno andmarinera emerged, highlighting regional diversity. In the 20th century, Peruvian music evolved further withcriollo music gaining prominence and the rise of Andean fusion bands like Los Kjarkas and international stars such as Susana Baca, promoting Peru’s musical identity globally.
The earliest printedpolyphonic music in Peru, indeed anywhere in the Americas, was "Hanacpachap cussicuinin," composed or collected byJuan Pérez Bocanegra and printed in 1631.[1]
Peruvian music is dominated by the nationalinstrument, thecharango.[2][3] The charango is member of thelute family of instruments and was invented during theViceroyalty of Peru by musicians imitating theSpanishvihuela.[4] In theCanas andTiticaca regions, the charango is used in courtship rituals, symbolically invokingmermaids with the instrument to lure the woman to the male performers. Until the 1960s, the charango was denigrated as an instrument of the rural poor. After the revolution in 1959, which built upon theIndigenismo movement (1910–1940), the charango was popularized among other performers. Variants include thewalaycho,chillador,chinlili, and the larger and lower-tunedcharangon.
While the Spanishguitar is widely played, so too is the Spanish-in-originbandurria. Unlike the guitar, it has been transformed by Peruvian players over the years, changing from a 12-string, 6-course instrument to one having 12 to 16 strings in a mere 4 courses.Violins andharps, also of European origin, are also played.
Thecajón is an important percussion instrument developed by African slaves.[5][6] People imply thecowbell may also be of African origin. While the rhythms played on them are often African-influenced, some percussive instruments are of non-African origin. For example, of European origin is thebombo, and of Andean origin are thewankara andtinya respectively.
In addition to theocarina andwaqra phuku, there are Peruvian wind instruments of two basic types,panpipes andflutes, both of Native Andean origin and built to playtritonic,pentatonic andhexatonic scales, though some contemporary musicians play instruments designed to play Europeandiatonic scales. Of the former variety, there are thesiku (orzampoña) andantara. Of the latter variety, there are thepinkillu,tarka, andquena (qina) flutes.
