TRADITIONAL MUSIC

Traditional music preserves the most primitive and primary characteristics of music:
-

It has a concrete social function. Traditional music was employed to accompany all
kinds of activities, from working the land to games or celebrations. This variety of
purposes made room for the widest repertoire.

- This music is accepted and assumed by everyone. Because it can only survive if it is
generally accepted by the community.
- They are anonymous creations. The general acceptance of this music makes it lose
the concept of author.
- It is orally transmitted. This music is learnt and transmitted orally generation after
generation,
making
room for different variations depending on personal
taste, performing abilities or just memories.
Spain's traditional

music repertoire

There is a quite varied repertoire but with different levels of diffusion. Some musical
manifestations are widespread throughout all the regions. On the other hand, other
manifestations are limited to particular regions or areas.
Among the examples of the widespread repertoire, the romance and the jota are the
ones that stand out.
The romance is a narrative song which tells all kinds of events, and whose verses are
sung repeating the same music.
The jota is one of the most widespread dances in the whole country. It has a ternary
rhythm and instrumental accompaniment.
Among the examples of specific repertoire,
can mention:

bound to a particular region or area, we

The murieira in Galicia, the asturianadas in Asturias, the mountain song in Cantabria,
the zortziko in the Basque Country, the sardana in Catalonia, the folies in Valencia or the
flamenco in Andalucfa.
Spain's traditional

music instruments

We can find instruments generally used in all the areas, and instruments exclusively
associated to specific communities.
Among generally used instruments
guitar and the recorder.

we can find drums, castanets, tambourines, the

Among typical instruments of specific areas we can highlight the bagpipe in Galicia
and Asturias, the hurdy gurdy in Galicia, the txistu or three-hole-pipe, the alboka and the
1

accordion in the Basque Country, the rebec and the dulzaina in Castilla y Leon, and the
timple in Canarias.
Romance chronicles
The

origins

function,

of

the

Romance

gathering and transmitting

date back to the Middle

Ages.

Its informative

all kinds of events, made it one of the most

popular forms in such a way, that nowadays we can find different versions of the
same song in quite different places.
1. Listen to this traditional romance called El Conde Olinos.
Narrator

Madrugaba el conde Olinos

la manana de San Juan
a dar agua a su caballo a
las orillas del mar.
Mientras el caballo bebe
canta un hermosa cantor,
las aves que iban volando
se paraban a escuchar.
Conde Olinos
Bebe, mi caballo, bebe,
Dios te me libre del mal
de los vientos de la tierra
y de las furias del mar.

Narrator

Desde las torres mds altas

la reina le oy6 cantar

Queen

Mira, hija, c6mo canta

la sirena de la mar.
Infanta

No es la sirenita, madre,
que esta tiene otro cantar,
es Lavoz deLconde Olinos
que par mf penando esta.
Queen

Si es la voz del conde Olinos

yo le mandate matar
que para casar contigo
le falta sangre real.

Narrator

Guardias mandaba la reina

al conde Olinos buscar.
Queen

Que ie maten a lanzadas

y echen su cuerpo a la mar.
Narrator

La infantina con gran pena

no cesaba de llorar. El
muri6 a la medianoche
y ella a los gallos cantar.

Infanta

No le mande matar, madre,

no ie mande usted mater,
que si mata al conde Olinos
a mf Lamuerte me da.

2. Look for information and complete the map we show you indicating the repertoire and
typical instruments of each community.