A new edition of “Timpleando” offered the public last weekend intense days of music, in which anyone who approached could participate in the didactic workshops on traditional strumming patterns of Lanzarote, taught by Domingo Rodríguez “El Colorao”, and in the masterclass of positions, correct placement, exercises and strumming of the timple performed by Pedro Izquierdo.
Organized by the Canarian Timple Association, in collaboration with the Culture Area of the Teguise City Council, coordinated by Nori Machín Barrios, and the Timple House-Museum, directed by its commissioner Benito Cabrera, "the days dedicated especially to the sound camel were celebrated with great success in the different proposals throughout the past weekend", they point out from the City Council.
On Friday, November 18, an exhibition of timple artisans from Lanzarote was inaugurated at the Timple House-Museum, created by Daniel Morales, enthusiast and researcher, where the different construction materials of the identifying instrument were reproduced in showcases and information panels, from wood molds to manufacturing tools.
Next, the presentation of the sculpture “Born from a timple”, made by the artisan Raúl León, took place. Likewise, the Canarian Timple Association, in order to promote and recognize the work of the old timple players and artisans of our archipelago, presented distinctions and recognitions for a lifetime of dedication and dissemination of the timple to Antonio Corujo (with the presence of his daughter, since he could not attend due to health problems) and to the artisan Antonio Nuez Santana, a luthier from Telde, for his enthusiasm and dedication.
“From the land of the faycanes”, as he himself cataloged his timples, making thirty units per month with a prolific work of more than sixty years in the profession. His well-preserved 90 years allowed him to attend and discuss his profession, which has given him so much, and to which he has dedicated himself body and soul. In addition, he had the detail of donating one of his timples to the House-Museum, which was recognized with enthusiasm and applause by those present.
In this 5th meeting, it is worth highlighting the concert by the timple player Domingo El Colorao, accompanied by his guitarist Juan Carlos Pérez Brito and the voice of Mariví Cabo; as well as an innovative guided route, proposed for Saturday morning, whose tour of the Villa de Teguise was guided by the historian Arminda Arteta, governed by the researcher Daniel Morales, and enlivened by the timple player David Rodríguez from Fuerteventura and his “Walking among timples”.
An excursion with stops at the different workshops of the timple builders of the Villa: from Vera Cruz street, of the famous builder Simón Morales Tavío and his son Juanele Morales, compared to the very luthier of Cremona, Antonio Stradivari, for his meticulous finishes offering works of art in the whole world, to Puerto y Villa de Garachico street, with the timples of Marcial de León, ending with the open door visit to the workshop of the luthier Antonio Lemes, better known affectionately as Lolo, where about thirty attendees applauded the wonderful work of the artisan of the Villa.
These conferences had the opportunity to offer the presentation of the book “Imaginario” by the luthier David Sánchez, which highlights the innovation and the constant search for new challenges, to build and create new forms without forgetting the old techniques. In addition, these fifth days of “Timpleando” offered two concerts, by two of the most popular and charismatic performers of our little camel, Domingo Rodríguez and Pedro Izquierdo, who offered a variety of the timple repertoire from their latest album “A Todo Timple”. The closing took place on Sunday morning with a concert by the children attending the classes held in the previous days.
The mayor of Teguise, Oswaldo Betancort, on behalf of the entire Corporation and the municipality, thanks the Canarian Timple Association for its great work and its commitment to expose and take the timple where it deserves, and is proud that "Teguise contributes to helping them pursue the noble objective of spreading Canarian culture thanks to music and this instrument, which our artisan builders have shaped with such good hands so that timple players can play those works of art", as expressed by one of the greats of the timple, David Rodríguez “El Majorero”.
