MUSIC

THE MUSIC OFTHE "SARDANA"

THE"SARDANA" IS THE NATIONAL DANCE OF CATALONIA,AND ALONG WITH OTHER FORMS OF CATALANFOLK DANCING. IS ACCOMPANIED BY MUSIC FROM A SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT OF ELEVEN MUSICIANS, UNIQUE TO CATALONIA,KNOWN AS THE "COBLA".

he sardana -the national dance new Catalanist rnovement desperately musician, responsible for introducing of Catalonia- and other exam- needed a popular dance and that this the start of the sardanaf different pe- ples of Catalan folk dancing are could quite well be the sardana. All that riods; accompanied by music from a special was needed was to advance in two ways: -Two tibles, special, high-pitched arrangernent of eleven musicians, unique Pardas's contribution, in 1850, was the woodwind instrurnents, also tuned to F; to Catalonia, known as the cobla. The publication of his "Metodo per aprendre -Two tenores, related to the tibla but term cobla comes from the Latin copola, a ballar sardanas Ilargas" (Method for slightly longer, rnade frorn iuiuba wood, meaning group or union. In fact, this learning to dance long sardanas); while with thirteen metal keys, tuned to B flat. word, used to refer to an indeterminate Pep Ventura, collecting the latest techno- The tenora is the cobla's basic instrurnent, nurnber of rnusicians, is older than the logical novelties in the production of rnusi- with its characteristic sound, of which the sardana itself, and was used by the cal instruments which flourished in the composer Garreta said, "There is only fourteenth century rninstrels who played last century- and fighting against wide- one instrument in the world which can flabiol, tambor; (the two rnost ancient in- spread adverse opinion, established and produce a cry of ioy or of pain, in a hu- strurnents used by the cobla), cornamusa fixed the definitive form of the cobla, man voice, and that is the tenora"; and tarot. designed to cover al1 the new dance's mu- -Two trumpets, conventional, chrornatic But it was not until the rnid-nineteenth sical needs as regards both rnelody and or with valves, also tuned to B flat; century, at the peak of the Catalan na- percussion. In the rnodern sardana, the - One trombone, also with valves, tuned tionalist rnovement inspired by the Re- music and steps are inextricab!~linked. to C; naixenca, that a serious reform gave the More than this, today one can honestly -Two horns, standard, with three valves, sardana its present structure, as regards say that the contribution rnade to the also tuned to C; and both the rnusic and the choreogrpahy. The sardana by the musicians lies at the heart - One double bass, normally with three men responsible for establishing the of its unique flavour. strings (A-D-G), cornmonly known as a dance for posterity where Miquel Pardas, The twelve instrurnents played by the verra. from the Emporda region, and the cobla's eleven rnusicians are as follows: This arrangement produces a character- composer Pep Ventura. Pardas and - The flabiol (like a very short flute, tuned istic and unmistakable sound. Certainly Ventura, working in close collaboration, to F) and tambor; (a small drum which it can be criticised for a certain bias in and using insight as much as a clear sense is hung from the left arrn and struck the timbre, which some contemporary of historical tirneliness, realized that the with a drumstick), played by a single composers have attempted to correct by MUSIC MUSIC

adding, for example, saxophones, though vinsky attended a historic performance in author of a "Tractat d'instrumentació per with little success, but al1 in al1 this the gardens of the Ateneu Barcelones in a cobla" (A treatise on Orchestration shortcoming is rnade up for, not so much 1924, where, after hearing sardanes by for the cobla), an indispensible tool by its natural expressiveness, as by Juli Garreta, applauded with his for anyone wanting to extend their the authenticity conferred on it by the characteristic enthusiasm and called out, understanding of orchestration techniques real and effective popularization of its "More Garreta, more...!" for the cobla. use. Pep Ventura provided the practica1 exam- Two very distinctive personalities, both But this is not all. Joan Llongueras, a lead- ple that was needed to back up his theo- faultless musicians, with a great sense of ing figure in Catalan culture, sees in "the ries, by composing the music of a number the cobla's instrumental bias, from which measuredness of the harmonic rhythrn" of of sardanes which are still frequently they drew the greatest possible effect, the cobla "the expression and faithful re- heard today -alrnost 150 years later-, were the two great composers Enric flection of our temperament"; and also such as "Per tu ploro". Arnongst his early Morera ("Les fulles seques", "La sardana that "each of the instruments of the cobla, supporters were Joan Carreras, Bonaven- de les monges") and Eduard Toldra ("Sol and the harmonious arrangement it results tura Frigola, Albert Cotó, Antoni Agra- ixent"); and two remarkable individuals: in, mirror the facets of our idiosyncrasyU. mont and Pere Rigau. Later on, different Juli Garreta (no composer who has heard He goes on to say that the tenora suggests aesthetic approaches appeared, allowing his "Juny" would ever think of trying to rnelancholy, the fibla, irony, the horns and different treatments of the rnusic of the write a better sardana) and Pau Casals, trornbone, severity, the flabiol and the sardana. who found time in spite of al1 his other tambor6 a ioyful stimulation, the trurnpets, On the one hand, certain composers activities to compose some magnificent exultation, and the rhythm of the double followed a more melodic line which was sardanes (Sant Martí del Canigó). bass, continuity. All of which adds up to very popular -sometimes even popu- This selection of classics of sardana music give a faithful picture of the character of list-, as in the case of Vicenq Bou ("Lle- has had and has a series of worthy the Catalans. vantina") or Josep Vicens Xaxu ("Bona successors who, day after day, concert At any rate, the cobla has been closely Festa"). after concert, dance after dance, provide listened to and enthusiastically praised by Others found it essential to maintain more the music to which the steps of the sarda- a number of world famous composers: purist characteristics, with a greater for- na are performed, preserving the dance Harold Bauer, Albert Schweitzer, Max von mal quality. This can be seen in Josep as something popular and, above all, Schillings and many others. lgor Stra- Serra ("Perelada") or Joaquim Serra, alive. • MUSIC