El Libro Real's Musical Journey

El Libro Real – Its Story

Libro Real

This project began in January 2001, with a research journey led by musician Mark P. Brown, which took him across much of Venezuela in search of composers and their works. It all started in the 1990s, when Brown developed an interest in performing traditional Venezuelan music but discovered that very little of it had been written down, and what did exist was difficult to find. This led him to begin transcribing pieces from the traditional repertoire—at first for his own use, and then, in 2001, with the vision of creating a publication inspired by similar compilations from other countries, collections that had become essential references for musicians interested in those traditions.

This is precisely where El Libro Real stands apart: while it is a transcription-based collection of sheet music, it also represents an extensive research effort carried out in collaboration with many of the composers whose works are included. The goal was to ensure each piece was transcribed accurately—not only staying faithful to the original compositions, but also creating as true a record as possible of Venezuela’s traditional musical repertoire.

Because the sheet music in the book includes harmony, melody, and lyrics, the pieces can be played on a wide variety of instruments and sung. “Since the teaching of Venezuelan music has traditionally been oral, it has been quite difficult to pass on and share this music with those who are interested,” says Mark. “With this work, I hope to provide young musicians a practical tool for learning to read music, using pieces drawn from the Venezuelan folk tradition.”

The result, brought to life through the publication of El Libro Real, has been made possible by the author’s dedication, enthusiasm, and persistence—and, in 2017, by a small team that, under Brown’s guidance, helped review details and refine both well-known and previously unpublished music. The result is a work of great cultural and educational value for musicians, scholars, and fans of Venezuelan folklore eveywhere.

Mark’s meetings with the composers have yielded not only valuable stories and anecdotes but also a collection of more than 550 scores by more than 220 composers—an important archive of Venezuelan traditional music.

The main purpose of El Libro Real is to preserve the richness and diversity of Venezuela’s traditional music. It is meant to serve as a practical tool and learning resource, so that these pieces can be read, studied, and performed by new generations of musicians—while also recognizing the important work of the composers who have helped shape an essential part of the country’s cultural heritage.

The second edition of El Libro Real de la Música Tradicional Venezolana (2025) consists of two volumes, each book 500 pages long. Together, they include over 570 musical pieces. Volume 1 covers works in alphabetical order from A to J, while Volume 2 continues from L to Z.

Each score includes the title of the piece, the musical genre it belongs to, and its page number. The structure of each piece is labeled using circled letters—such as Part A, Part B, and so on—to make the form easier to understand.

Each score includes the name of the composer, along with their birth and death dates and place of birth.

All scores are either one or two pages long, ensuring that the performer never has to turn a page while playing. For the convenience of singers, lyrics have been added on blank pages.

Each score includes the melody with lyrics written beneath each note, along with the harmony indicated through chord symbols. When space allowed, the full lyrics were added either at the bottom of the page or on the facing page.

When the date of composition was available, it was placed next to the title.