LRaniziooi NEWSLETTER OF THE ITALIAN FOLK ART FEDERATION OF AMERICA

Volume 2 NO. 1 1981 The Revolutionary The Shirt of Sound RECIPIENT OF the Happy Man TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING OF FROM ITALO CALVI NO'S ITALIAN N.E.A. GRANT FIABE ITALIANE

by Anna L. Chairetakis The National Endowment for (Recently we recommended the newly re­ the Arts, Washington, D.C. has leased English Translation,ltalian Folk Tales • • • • • awarded I.FAFA a $24,453.00 by George Martin. It has come to our atten­ tion that the first printing is sold out. While Part 1 established that the aesthetic grant. The purpose of the grant we wait for a reprint, it is our desire to share criteria by which we judge and respond to is to produce a series of L.P. with you the charm of one of these fables as our own music do not apply to most world albums of translated by Dr. Anthonly F. LePera.) music; what is needed is a new frame of re;erence. new ways 01 organizing our per­ and songs performed by first ceptions and of making sense of the pro­ generation Italian immigrants A king had an only son and lusion of musical styles which has to living in the U.S. Anna Chaire­ loved him more than himself. This offer. takis is to supervise and direct prince was always unhappy and the project. (Details in next sad. He spent days staring out into Part II newsletter.) space. "What is it that you need?" the Let us outline the largest and most obvious contrast within Ital­ King would ask. "What is it that you feel?" ian folk music; that between the North and the South. Southern ANNUAL "I don't know, father, I don't know myself." songs are mainly performed solo; CONFERENCE where they are performed in chorus, "Are you in love? If you desire a The Fourth Annual Conference vocal blend tends to be ragged and young woman, tell me, and I wi!! voices are organized in melodic and and Workshop of IFAFA is planned see to it that you marry her, be she rhythmic unison, or in heterophony: for the weekend of October 2-4. the daughter of the most powerful the individual is always prominent. 1981, at Rutgers University, New King on earth or the neediest pea­ The predominant vocal presentation . Brunswick, New Jersey. The con­ sant girl." of the South is highpitched, narrow, ference, chaired by Elba F. Gurzau, "No, father, I'm not in love." nasal, sometimes harsh; the singer's Artistic Director, is co-hosted by I. And the King continued in every vocal chords are tense. Melodies Ballerini of Philadelphia and the way possible to distract him' are undulating or descending in Italian Folk Ensemble of Fort Lee, Theaters, balls, concerts; nothing shape with narrow intervals bet­ N.J. worked. The Prince became paler ween notes, and frequently orna­ The conference is designed to mented through the use of much and paler day by day. The King put bring togetherfolkgroupsand other melisma. (Scales and harmonies forth an edict and from all corners interested parties to share their are modal; in relatively "modern" of the world came the most learned knowledge of Italian folk songs, songs we find resolutions in minor people: philosophers, doctors, and dances, costumes and various other keys.) Text is extremely important professors. He introduced his son aspects of Italian folk art. Members in the South-most songs are lyric to them and asked them for their and nonmembers are welcome. For poems with little or no repetition. advice. They withdrew to think and Rhythm is complex, or free (arhyth­ additional details, write E. F. Gurzau, then returned to the King. "Majesty, mic). The prevailing mood is one of c/o IFAFA. we have been thinking and have sadness, even anguish, or (as in the We are particularly grateful to consulted the stars. This is what ) one of joy driven by de­ Prof. Joseph E. Laggini of Rutgers you must do. Find a man who is termination, or a certain hypnotic for his enthusiasm and for his as­ totally content and happy in every- continued on page 2 sitance with the conference. 0 co"tinued on page 3 THE REVOLUTIONARY SOUND is present (a lead si nger, however, being imposed upon the Southern: co ntinued from page 1 will be quickly joined and sub­ the urban upon the rural; the civ­ merged by the chorus). and only in ilized" upon the agrarian and work­ pleasure. (We can only touch upon certain areas of the North such as ing classes. Mass media is damaging folk music/dance troups many of the question of instruments, noting the and Liguria. Texts are of that prior to the 19th century the moderate importance compared to which only distantly reflect the bagpipe, flute and certain "primitive" the South, and contain many repeats authentic local traditions, and all percussion instruments were the and nonsense phrases, even where too frequently trivialize them. principal music makers and means are sung as In and Liguria. Rhythms tend to be simple of accompaniment in rural areas I was a child living in Southern and among the poorer classes; and regular. The predominant mood is one of pleasure, tempered by Italy when I first had the good string and wind ensembles are fortune to hear musica popolare in associated with the artisan classes solemnity (in the ), of sweet­ sadness, and sometimes of liberating its own social setting-the cries of and the urbanized areas along the gaiety. Musically speaking the street vendors, the melancholy coasts.) Varying Mediterranean in­ songs of mulateers, the ninna nanne fluences and stylistic genres are North is part of Central with its old patterns of communal sung by mothers on their doorsteps, the most important in Southern and the strange and compelling music-depending upon locality land holding, work and decision­ making. Modern western european tarantelle played on jaws harp, these might be: Old Mediterranean friction drums, tamburi, rattles and (indigenous, montane), Classical harmonies and melodies came into being in the beginning of the scrapers, punctuated by whistling Greek (, Reggio), Byzantine and accompanied by the mournful Greek (, Pug lie), Arabic and 19th century, and it was then that the "orchestral" model of perfor­ call of the conch sheil and the North African (Sicily, Campanian mance was introduced into North­ improvised exchanges between littoral), Spanish (general, but es­ ern . singers. Now, as someone who pecially Naples), medieval to early has been working in this field, it modern French (notable esp. in re­ seems to me that it is this Southern ligious songs and older ballads; One way of summing up would be to say that the Southern style music in all of its own local variety, the troubadors were influential in which is least known and appreci­ medieval Naples and Sicily). The lends itself to improvisation, while Northern music is integrative and ated-in large part because we "typical" style described above is relies on a certain conformity. have learned to think of Western associated with and is a product of music-Western art-as the sole the complex world of old empires has drawn correct and advanced model, and and high culture, in which natural other models as deviant, primitive resources were scarce, social life attention to another important feature of Italian folk music: gen­ or exotic. Many and Italian highly stratified, and the sexuality Americans are shocked, even dis­ of women strictly controlled. The erally, that is the development over many centuries of two valid mayed, when they hear the Arabo­ peasants and others of the poorer Hispanic sound of the Sicilian classes were both excoriated and and divergent traditions-one peasant-worker, the other urban­ strambotto or the Neopolitan stimulated by the civilization they fronne a limone-Iet alone the carried. artisan. (The Neopolitan popular music with which we are all famil­ revolutionary heterophonic iar grew largely out of the latter, for choruses from Calabria or the In Northern music, choruses Sardinian muttettu. There are some prevail-before the Alpine-type example.) And of course, Italy gave rise early to a cultivated "great valid historical reasons for such chorus subsumed almost every­ reactions, but perhaps this moment thing else, there were many very tradition" in music which has con­ of self appraisal, of assertion, for beautiful and unusual varieties of tinued into modern times. For Italians in America, is the right one polyphonic chorus all across the centuries there was a creative give to draw back the curtains of histories Northern region, from Liguria to and take between these three known and told, and take a fresh . (The old village-style Alpine traditions, as well as between the look at the Southern Italian genius, choruses have themselves been South and the NorthCenter (for in music, as in other things. 0 eaten up by large, highly regi­ instance, it is believed by scholars me.nted semiprofessional groups, that Sicily gave her most which are part of an unfortunate important poetic and song form, trend to put the stamp of respecta­ the stram botto, in the 12th century). bility on folklore, thereby cutting Bu~ over the last hundred years, out the heart of its vitality and sig­ oWing to attempts to create a Anna Chairetakis is an anthropologist and a doctoral candidate in Cultural An nificance.) Vocal presentation is national culture, to military con­ scription in two wars, the spread of thropology at Columbia University. Recent­ open, relaxed and rather lowpltched. !y the Italian government bestowed upon r.,e/odle• • re arched, with medium education and the media, the ner the title of Cavaliere for her unique ana wIdth Intervals between notes, and "giving" has been increasingly scholarly cont,ill utior·<. to ital; an folr arts .mbelll.hed only where e lead singer one-sided: The Northern model is HAPPY MAN Ballo Sardo con(l;lUed from page 1 by Elba F. Gurzau thing, and exchange your son's sh irt 'or his." is the only region of Italy that still has a line I That same day, the King sent dance similar to the ones of the Balkan countries and the the ambassadors throughout the Near East. It is called "Ballo Sardo," Sardinian dance, or world to look for a happy, contented "Ballo Tondo," round dance. We know it was danced in . man. pre-Christian times because , the Greek poet, They brought to him a priest. mentions it and has Ulysses marvel at the agility of the "Are you content?" asked the King. dancers of the island. "Oh yes, your Majesty." It is often danced by couples side by side in open "Good, would you like to be my circle formation, or in an open circle or spiral with no personal bishop?" partners. I n olden times a man and a woman who were not "Oh, if it were only possible, married were not allowed to hold or touch hands. In some your Majesty." parts of the island it is danced rather sedately often to the "Get out, get out of here! I am singing of three or more people standing in the middle of looking for a man who is happy and the circle. In other parts of Sardinia it is very lively, and contented in his state of life, not danced to the music of the "," the goatskin one who desires to be better off bag-pipe or, more recently, the accordion; and in the than he is." absence of all of these, to the ringing of church bells. II' And so the King waited for The "Launeddas" is a primitive instrument, made of someone else. There was another canes of varying lengths, separate one from the other, King, his neighbor, he was told, which the player interchanges depending on the sound who was really happy and contented. desired. I am told that because some of the pipes are quite He had a beautiful and good wife, long, when there is much excitement, the musicians stand many children, had conquered all in a corner facing away from the dancers in order to avoid his enemies in war, and the country the possibility of accidents. was at peace. The King, filled with There is no bouncing or springing in the Ballo Sardo, it new hope, quickly sent his ambas­ is always close to the ground, almost giving the effect of ,adors to ask of him his shirt. skating; however when the music becomes lively, the men The neighboring King received will kick higher and add a little fancy footwork. The women the ambassadors and said, "Yes, continue to dance smoothly in a very dignified manner as yes, I'm not in need of anything; becomes their regal looking costumes. however, when one has so many A few notes of the music of his favorite dance is all a things, it is too bad he must even­ Sardinian needs to get up and dance. tually die and leave everything. Be­ The figures follow each other according to the music cause of this worry, I suffer so and to the whim of the leading couple. However, from much that I don't sleep nights." And observing the Sardinian people dance, a pattern seems to the ambassadors thought it best to emerge. 0 return empty-handed. Elba F. Gurzau is the artistic director of f.F.A.F.A. and also To relieve his desperation, the author of the forthcoming book FOLK DANCES, COS- King went hunting. He fired at a LAUNEDDAS TUMES AND CUSTOMS OF fTAL Y. Dance steps, sheet hare and believed he hit it, but the music and records are available. Write I.F.A.F.A. hare, hopping, got away. The King, however, followed her and wandered away from his group. In the open about that at all. Thank you. I would "Come. Come. My son is saved. field, he heard a man's voice, Sing­ not even change places with the My son is saved," and he led them ing a refrain. The King stopped Pope." to the young man. suddenly. "He who sings like that "But why, such a fine young "Blessed man," he said, "I will must be extremely happy," and, man like yourself?" give you all you want. But give me, still following the voice, through a " No, I tell you. I'm happy as I just give me ..." vineyard, he saw a young man sing­ am, and that's that." "What, Majesy?" ing and pruning vines. Finally! A truly, happy man! "My son is about to die. Only "Good day, Majesty," said the thought the king. "Young man, listen, you can save him . .. Come here," ·young man. "You are in the fields so you must do me a favor." and, grabbing the young man, he ~arly in the day!" "If I can, certainly, with all my begins to unbutton the youth's jacket "Bless you. Would you like to heart, Majesty." Suddenly, the King stops and come with me to the capital? You "Wait a minute," and the King his arms go limp. The happy young w'll be my friend." who was so over-joyed returned to man did not have a shirt. ;:) "AI; , Majesty, no. \ don't th , ~i~( get his following. The Itaiian Folk Art Fede;'at!on of 'I/I/e wish to acknowledge and thanK America, Inc. is a non-profit educa­ Michael C. Rainone, Esq., for dona­ REFERRAL tionan federation. Its purpose is to ting his invaluable assistance in the SERVICE AVAILABLE research, preserve and foster interest incorporation process for IFAFA. Mr. If you are interested in having a fa: · in the various aspects of Italian folklore. Rr..i"lone is a prominent Philadelphia group perform at any of your en'" TRADIZIONI is published three attorney, active in professional. civic, festivals or social affairs, contact I FA::'.-, times a year. Opinions expressed are cultural and community organizations for the name of the group or groups those of the authors and not neces­ in Philadelphia and in the Delaware nearest you. sarily endorsed by I.FAF.A. Valley area. Dressed in colorful folk costumes, All correspondence should be ad­ Among other appointments, he is a each group can present a program dressed to: I.FAF.A., c/o N.S.C., 1300 member of the Board of Governors of tailored to your needs. Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19140. the Philadelphia Bar Association and a I Ballerini, Philadelphia, Pa.: member of the National Italian-Ameri­ Balli d'italia, Balt.,Md.; • • • can Foundation Development and I Campagnoli, Pittsburgh, Pa. ; TRADIZIONI Public Relations Committee. Gruppo Folkloristico Duroniese, • • • USA, No. Bergen, N.J.; is funded in part by Dr. Carla Bianco, an Italian folk- Italian Folk Dancers of Aca­ Renaissance International. lore scholar, is seeking information demy, Wilmington, DeL; about the Abruzzesi in thE: U.S, Here is Italian Folk Ensemble (Ricordi an excellent opportunity to partici­ d'italia), Fort Lee, N.J.; This May Be pate for those whose roots are in the Italian Folklore Group, Montclair. Abruzzi region. Data pertaining to N.J.; Your settlement, community organizations, Italian Folklore Group of Washing­ history of immigrating group(s) or ton, D.C., Arlington, Va. ; LAST ISSUE family, survival of folklore and culture, and any references or leads would be Italian Folk Singers of the Lehigh appreciated enormously. Call or write Valley, Catasaqua, Pa.; We are sending this copy Dr. Carla Bianco, c/o Anna Chairetakis, Ballerini Rusticani. Reading, Pa.; of our newsletter, for we want 3130 AlbanyCrescent, New York, N.Y. St. Martha's Italian Dancers, you to see what it is all about. 10463, (212) 548-9367. Akron, 0,; We know you will not be dis­ • • • Aventino Troupe Folklorique appointed in subscribing, and The second edition of Folk Italienne, Montreal, Canada. we are certain that you will Dances, Costumes and Customs of find the range, scope and Italy by Elba F. Gurzau is at the ••• depth of the material present­ publisher and will be available soon. EDITORIAL STAFF ART STAFF ed to be unusual, education­ It is the only book of its kind in Mary Briggs Don Castronova al, refreshing and not easily English and should be in everyone's Regina Forte Angelo Gepponl available elsewhere. library-student, teacher, per­ Elba F. Gurzau Lucy N. La Porta To receive future issues former or anyone interested in Anthony F. Le Pera please mail coupon. Italian Folklore. (Write or call Rita Tonitto ------) LF.A.F.A. 215-324-1250.)

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