Patricio Manns

Topics: Chilean composers, Chilean folk singers, Chilean people, Chilean poets, Chilean songwriters, German Chileans

Patricio Manns is a Chilean composer, author, writer, and journalist.

Manns was a founding member, with Rolando Alarcon and the Parras of the Pena of Carmen 340 (later known as the Pena of the Parras), which was joined a few months afterwards by Victor Jara. These penas laid the groundwork and served as a crucible where progressive neo-folklore transformed itself into the Nueva Cancion Chilena (NCC) (New Chilean Song) movement a folkloric renaissance which led to a revolution in the popular music of the country. At the time of the military coup of September 11, 1973 - which toppled the democratically elected socialist government of Salvador Allende - the NCC had acquired a nation-wide mass following with NCC artists touring the world as cultural ambassadors.

Manns would go on to actively participate in the extensive production of a series of travelling shows called Chile Rie y Canta (Chile Laughs and Sings) which were organised throughout Chile by Rene Largo Farias. In this early period of his career Manns also composed a Cantata: El Sueno Americano (The American Dream) (1965) which he recorded with the folk group Voces Andina this was one of the first cantatas to be heard in Latin America that traced - via the amalgamation of distinctive rhythmic elements from different regions of the sub-continent the historical birth of Latin America. Song XII of the cantata America Novia Mia (America My Bride) has been recorded by himself and Inti-illimani several times. During this period he also recorded El Folclore No Ha Muerto, Mierda! (1968) with Silvia Urbina which revived folkloric forms which were disappearing under the influence of foreign musical trends that were being popularized in Chile.