Fuga Criolla

Fuga Criolla (1931) was one of Juan Bautista Plaza’s first major works to integrate Venezuelan folk music into classical forms. Composed in 1931, it merges the contrapuntal structure of the European fugue with traditional Venezuelan songs and dance rhythms, particularly the joropo. It stands as an early and influential example of Plaza’s effort to forge a national musical identity through the fusion of academic technique and popular tradition. Originally written for string ensemble, the piece has since been adapted for various instrumental settings, such as this version for woodwind quartet.