While ‘Sombra del Nublo’ holds a special place in the hearts of all Gran Canarians, our most emblematic piece of music is actually the ‘Cantos Canarios’ symphonic poem, composed by Teobaldo Power in 1880. This composition combines various traditional Canarian rhythms into a short orchestral suite. Among these rhythms, the ‘Arrorró’ (or Lullaby) stands out as the sole melody with a pre-Hispanic origin, potentially tracing back to the Berber peoples who were among the island’s first inhabitants.

Teobaldo Power’s sweet and melodic version of the ‘Arrorró’ lullaby was selected as the Anthem of the Canary Islands due to its widespread popularity. Below, you can listen to the entire suite performed by Tenerife’s Symphonic Orchestra, with the ‘Arrorró’ tune commencing at 1:35.

(Note: The featured image from Teobaldo Power was drawn by Ernesto Meléndez Cabrera and etched by José Masi del Castillo. Biblioteca Municipal de Santa Cruz de Tenerife.)