Enrique Samaniego

Enrique Samaniego (January 4, 1934 – March 26, 2005) was a harpist and composer whose Paraguayan harp music achieved national and international recognition.

Career Born in Paso Yobai in the Guairá Department of Paraguay on January 4, 1934, he was introduced to the harp by a friend of his family and began playing as a child. He died on March 26, 2005, at the Military Hospital in Asunción, Paraguay. He was buried at Panteón de Autores Paraguayos Asociados (from Spanish Pantheon of Paraguayan Composers and Associates) in Recoleta Cemetery of Asunción.

Personal Born Rigoberto Samaniego González, he was a son of Desiderio Samaniego López and Carmen González Gavilán; he married Arminda Ocampos Carvallo with whom he had a son.

Works Samaniego recorded two LPs with "Amerindia"; eight with "Los Trés del Paraguay"; two with "Los Folkloristas de América"; one with María Cristina Gómez Rabito; and a number of cassettes with Aparicio González and others.

Among his most popular compositions are: Karaí Chivé, A Villa Pastoreo, El Boyerito, A mi Madrecita, Azucena del Oriente, Brisa Guaireña, Clelia Carolina, Colonia Independencia, Paso Yobái, Despertar de mi Aldea, Danza del Colibrí, Nostalgia Maternal, Ko´ë Koyguá, and Estrellas de mi Asunción.

Discography Famosas Melodias del Paraguay (1957) Label: Orfeo; Format: LP; Country: Uruguay, Genre: Folk

Arpegios Guaraníes (with harpist María Cristina Gómez Rabito) Label: Guarania, Format: cassettes, Album; Country: Paraguay; Genre: Folk; Style: Polka, Guarania

Secretos del Arpa Paraguaya Label: Discos Elio, Format: Vinyl, LP, Country: Paraguay; Genre: Latin, Folk; Style: Guarania, Polka

Los Tres del Paraguay (with Los Trés del Paraguay) Label: RCA Victor; Format: LP; Country: Argentina; Genre: Latin, Folk

Viaje Musical con Los Trés del Paraguay (with Los Trés del Paraguay) Label: RCA Victor; Format: Vinyl, LP; Country: Argentina; Genre: Latin, Folk

Luna Blanca (with Los Trés del Paraguay) Label: Marpar; Format: Vinyl, LP; Country: Paraguay; Genre: Latin, Folk; Style: Polka, Guarania