Review and Analysis of Amor Indio by Nicholas E. Limansky
From  HYPERLINK "http://www.sunvirgin.com/php/mainpages.php?ID=52" Yma Sumac - The Art Behind the Legend
used with permission - all rights reserved, © Nicholas E. Limansky
Read more on the /" \t "_new" Legacy of the Diva Web site!   This recording is a rare gem of perfected singing within a three-octave range.  It is also one of the few early recordings to display Yma's lower extremes, hinting at the prodigious range boundaries at her command.  During this formative period of her career Yma's singing usually centered in the middle and top registers where she could show her prowess in flute imitations. 
This is a fascinating little song of great rhythmical drive and appeal and one with just a hint of the exotic, an effect enhanced by the use of rattles and other percussive instruments.  It was an obvious favorite with Yma and Moisés since, by 1951, it was re-arranged and titled Kuyaway (Inca Love Song).  The latter arrangement is more slick and knowing than this simple, unpretentious piece, but proved to be popular with audiences. During the 1950s it was again re-worked, but unfortunately into a bland and un-interesting arrangement. 
Whether by instinct or intent, this song shows Yma's range with an unusual sensitivity to the natural mechanics of singing.  It is in three distinct sections: A B C. 
In section A, Yma's singing is confined to the lower register and she travels no higher than A flat in the staff.  Section B is an instrumental interlude which gives Yma an opportunity to rest and "re-set" her voice for the next section.  Section C is confined to Yma's upper middle and top registers.  This way the two extremes are sensibly kept apart from one another, insuring Yma's facile switch from one to another.  This is very clever and helps explain why Yma was so successful with this song in the early part of her career.  Later, when she had matured, Yma was able to combine all registers into her music without worrying about jumping from one to another. 
The first section shows Yma's warm, rich sounding contralto register to great advantage.  The notes easily retain their presence and roundness even when Yma descends to low E flat.  After the interlude, which is just a repetition of the melody, Yma repeats the theme up an octave with firm, lyric soprano tone and varrying textural touches and then exploits her top register in a volley of staccati flights that emphasize or subtly alter the rhythmical structure of the song and provide brilliance with their pin-pointed accuracy.  Yma concludes the song with a slow, arpeggiated ascent to a brilliantly sustained high E flat.  Yma uses a preparatory "nyah" for the approach to the high E flat, which keeps the note securely in the head register.  Pedagogically, the elision between the "n" and the "yah" acts as a springboard, or releasing action, which propels the tone into the resonating cavities of the head and helps release the jaw from interferring muscular interaction.  In this instance the result is an easily floated high E flat of much vibrancy and beauty.