Christmas Oratorio According to St. Luke (Oratorio de Navidad según San Lucas)

Music piece by:
Gospel According to St. Luke (lyrics), Ángel Parra (music)
Testimony by:
Luis Cifuentes Seves
Experience in:
Campamento de Prisioneros Chacabuco, January - February 1974

This is the first song on the cassette recorded at the Chacabuco camp by the band Los de Chacabuco, created by Ángel Parra and conducted by him until his release.

At the time that the cassette was recorded, Ángel had been freed and Ernesto Parra had become the group’s conductor.

The group rehearsed this song, like all the other songs, on its premises in the so-called Civic District, a street near the camp entrance. On this street other groups of prisoners, organised with the military's permission, also had their meeting places: the doctors, the lawyers, the theatre group, the choir and other groups.

All ten members of the group took part, and are named at the beginning of the recording.

The recording has some sound problems due to the old age of the cassette, which was digitised in 2015.


Tags:

Published on: 12 November 2015

Clandestine recording made by political prisoners in Chacabuco, 1974.

Related testimonies:

  • The Soldier (El soldado)  Alfonso Padilla Silva, Campamento Prisioneros Estadio Regional, 25 December 1973

    During Christmas 1973, approximately 660 men and 100 women were held as prisoners in the Concepción Regional Stadium. Concentration camp officials allowed us to celebrate Christmas on the pitch. We were in a corner of the pitch and we used the pole vault pit as a stage.

  • Filistoque's Cueca (Cueca del Filistoque)  Víctor Canto Fuenzalida, Campamento de Prisioneros Chacabuco, June 1974

    Filistoque is a real-life person in all his mighty height (1.90 metres tall). I always remember him laughing. In Chacabuco, we shared a house for nearly ten months. Around him, you were never allowed to become depressed or get into a stew over our situation.

  • Lucky Devil (El suertúo)  Luis Cifuentes Seves, Campamento de Prisioneros Chacabuco, November 1973 - February 1974

    This cueca was composed at Chacabuco sometime between November 1973 and February 1974 and was sung by Los de Chacabuco, of which Víctor Canto and I were members.

  • A Cocky Fellow (El puntúo)  Luis Cifuentes Seves, Campamento de Prisioneros Chacabuco, November 1973 - February 1974

    This cueca was composed in Chacabuco between November 1973 and February 1974, and was sung by the band Los de Chacabuco, to which Víctor Canto and I belonged.

  • The Crux of the Matter (La madre del cordero)  Servando Becerra Poblete, Campamento de Prisioneros Chacabuco, 9 November 1973 - 10 November 1974

    I recited this poem in the National Stadium. I continued to do so in the Chacabuco prison camp, earning the nickname of “Venancio” from my fellow prisoners.

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