Barbapedana
Encyclopedia
Barbapedana is a word of uncertain origin that refers to a Milan
ese minstrel
and cantastorie
("story singer") that sang in such places as trani (the Milanese traditional osterie
, i.e., pubs). While the word "barbapedana" dates back at least to the 17th century, "the Barbapedana" per antonomasia
was Enrico Molaschi, active in the late 19th century. Many rhymes from his repertoire have remained in the popular culture of Milan; for example, this is the case for the lines that Barbapedana sang to describe himself (such as Barbapedanna el gh'aveva on gilé / Rott per denanz e strasciaa per dedree; that is, "Barbapedana wore a gilet, broken in front and ripped off in the back") and for the nursery rhyme De piscinin che l'era ("So small he was"), about a man who was so small that he could do such things as "dance on top of a coin" or "make 200 shirts out of a piece of fabric".
, dating back to the 17th century, is reportedly preserved in the Biblioteca di San Marco in Venice
. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
, in his Confessions
, mentions a cousin nicknamed "Barna Bredanna". While it is unclear whether there is any relation between these and Barbapedana, it is reasonable to believe that the Milanese minstrels of the 17th century were representatives of an older tradition that possibly extended across northern Italy and other areas of southern Europe.
The oldest known reference to the word "barbapedana" is possibly found in Carlo Maria Maggi
's dialectal play Il Barone di Birbanza (1696; lines 324-325): L'ho dij par quij che porten la capascia / fin de Barbapedanna / che fa bandera su la durlindanna, where Barbapedanna is described as someone who puts his cloak on top of his sword's grip, like a flag; this is supposedly a reference to the habits of the dandy, playful Milanese youth of the time. Poet Gaetano Crespi reports an anonymous poem, also of the 17th century, which has this reference to the "cloak appended to the sword" (possibly an influence of Maggi's works), but otherwise describes the Barbapedana as a funny minstrel, and states that the cloak's lining was ripped off, that the man was "a man of Carnival
" (homm de carnevaee) and that he was "one span tall" (volt una spanna), all of which are direct references to Barbapedana's most popular tunes:
As this description includes the main traits of the Barbapedana as it is remembered today, and even obvious references to his most popular songs, it can easily be argued that an essentially immutated Barbapedana "heritage" was passed over from one generation to the next, at least since the 17th century and possibly earlier, down to the last representatives of the genre, who were active in the early 20th century.
's essay on traditional street music, an essay on Milanese traditions by Severino Pagani, and a book of Milanese poet and scholar Luigi Medici. According to these sources, Molaschi had met a former "Barbapedana" in the outskirts of Milan, in the area of Paullo
, and later took on his heritage. After becoming a popular minstrel himself, in 1862, Molaschi relocated from Paullo to Milan with his family, in the district of Porta Tosa. Besides playing in the osterie, he was invited at celebrations, and in summer he was a regular of the garden parties in the luxury villa
s in Brianza
. He was so popular that Queen Margherita of Savoy
invited him to play for her in the Royal Villa of Monza; also, one year he was honoured with the role of "king of the Carnevale Ambrosiano" (Milan's carnival). In any case, especially in the last part of his life, Molaschi usually played in the area of what are now Piazzale Loreto and Corso Buenos Aires
.
Boito, who could actually see Barbapedana Molaschi play when Molaschi was in his forties, describes him as surprising musician and a guitar virtuoso, and as a muscolar and energetic man. Pagani and Medici, on the other hand, describe Molaschi as an old man (in the early 20th century), depicting him as short and rather fat, wearing an old dark coat and a top hat
adorned with a squirrel's tail.
Barbapedana's most popular songs were the forementioned De piscinin che l'era and Barbapedanna el gh'avea on gilé, and La tegnoeura ("the bat"), with lyrics by Milanese poet Averardo Buschi. Anyway, he usually adapted these songs to the audience he played for, so that his exhibitions were always partially based on improvisation; for this reason, he is also remembered as an interpreter of the bosinada
, a Milanese literary genre that is based on dialectal improvisation in verses.
Molaschi performed until the early 20th century; by then, he had lost his teeth; as he could hardly sing, he mostly whistled his tunes. He was eventually admitted to the "Baggina
" retirement home, where he died on 26 october 1911. His guitar (created in 1823 by renowned Milanese luthier Antonio Rovetta) is now exposed at the Museum of Musical Instruments of Milan.
Molaschi's heritage greatly contributed to the Barbapedana tradition and to the Milanese folklore in general. For example, it is a consequence of Molaschi's great popularity if the song De piscinin che l'era, that actually predates the 19th century and is traditional of most of northern Italy, is usually referred to as a "typical milanese song".
Roberto Leydi
accounts for at least another Barbapedana claiming to be Molaschi's direct heir, active in the first half of the 20th century; and Luigi Veronelli
mentions a "Barbapedana" Sandro Zonca who was a regular guest at the "Bocciofila Martesana" (a bocce
club on the Navigli
), who was "poblematic" and "indulged in profanity", a fact that Veronelli ascribes to Zonca's awareness of the fact that he was "one of the last".
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
ese minstrel
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
and cantastorie
Cantastoria
Cantastoria comes from Italian for "sung story" or "singing history" and is known by many other names around the world. It is a theatrical form where a performer tells or sings a story while gesturing to a series of images...
("story singer") that sang in such places as trani (the Milanese traditional osterie
Osteria
An osteria in Italy was originally a place serving wine and simple food. Lately, the emphasis has shifted to the food but menus tend to be short with local specialities such as pasta and grilled meat and fish and often served at shared tables. Ideal for a cheap lunch, osterie also cater for...
, i.e., pubs). While the word "barbapedana" dates back at least to the 17th century, "the Barbapedana" per antonomasia
Antonomasia
In rhetoric, antonomasia is a substitution of any epithet or phrase for a proper name, such as "the little corporal" for Napoleon I. The reverse process is also sometimes called antonomasia. The word derives from the Greek verb , meaning "to name differently"...
was Enrico Molaschi, active in the late 19th century. Many rhymes from his repertoire have remained in the popular culture of Milan; for example, this is the case for the lines that Barbapedana sang to describe himself (such as Barbapedanna el gh'aveva on gilé / Rott per denanz e strasciaa per dedree; that is, "Barbapedana wore a gilet, broken in front and ripped off in the back") and for the nursery rhyme De piscinin che l'era ("So small he was"), about a man who was so small that he could do such things as "dance on top of a coin" or "make 200 shirts out of a piece of fabric".
History of the Barbapedana
The origin and meaning of the word "barbapedana" are uncertain. Poetry by some "Barba Pedana" from VenetoVeneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
, dating back to the 17th century, is reportedly preserved in the Biblioteca di San Marco in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
, in his Confessions
Confessions (Jean-Jacques Rousseau)
Confessions is an autobiographical book by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In modern times, it is often published with the title The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau in order to distinguish it from St. Augustine of Hippo's Confessions...
, mentions a cousin nicknamed "Barna Bredanna". While it is unclear whether there is any relation between these and Barbapedana, it is reasonable to believe that the Milanese minstrels of the 17th century were representatives of an older tradition that possibly extended across northern Italy and other areas of southern Europe.
The oldest known reference to the word "barbapedana" is possibly found in Carlo Maria Maggi
Carlo Maria Maggi
Carlo Maria Maggi was an Italian scholar, writer and poet. Despite being an Accademia della Crusca affiliate, he gained his fame as an author of "dialectal" works in Milanese language, for which he is considered the father of Milanese literature...
's dialectal play Il Barone di Birbanza (1696; lines 324-325): L'ho dij par quij che porten la capascia / fin de Barbapedanna / che fa bandera su la durlindanna, where Barbapedanna is described as someone who puts his cloak on top of his sword's grip, like a flag; this is supposedly a reference to the habits of the dandy, playful Milanese youth of the time. Poet Gaetano Crespi reports an anonymous poem, also of the 17th century, which has this reference to the "cloak appended to the sword" (possibly an influence of Maggi's works), but otherwise describes the Barbapedana as a funny minstrel, and states that the cloak's lining was ripped off, that the man was "a man of Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
" (homm de carnevaee) and that he was "one span tall" (volt una spanna), all of which are direct references to Barbapedana's most popular tunes:
As this description includes the main traits of the Barbapedana as it is remembered today, and even obvious references to his most popular songs, it can easily be argued that an essentially immutated Barbapedana "heritage" was passed over from one generation to the next, at least since the 17th century and possibly earlier, down to the last representatives of the genre, who were active in the early 20th century.
Enrico Molaschi
The best known interpreter of the "barbapedana" was Enrico Molaschi (1823-1911). A description of his figure and style is found in several sources of the time, including Arrigo BoitoArrigo Boito
Arrigo Boito , aka Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni Boito, pseudonym Tobia Gorrio, was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist and composer, best known today for his libretti, especially those for Giuseppe Verdi's operas Otello and Falstaff, and his own opera Mefistofele...
's essay on traditional street music, an essay on Milanese traditions by Severino Pagani, and a book of Milanese poet and scholar Luigi Medici. According to these sources, Molaschi had met a former "Barbapedana" in the outskirts of Milan, in the area of Paullo
Paullo
Paullo is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 16 km southeast of Milan. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 10,359 and an area of 8.9 km²....
, and later took on his heritage. After becoming a popular minstrel himself, in 1862, Molaschi relocated from Paullo to Milan with his family, in the district of Porta Tosa. Besides playing in the osterie, he was invited at celebrations, and in summer he was a regular of the garden parties in the luxury villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
s in Brianza
Brianza
thumb|250px|The [[Corni di Canzo]].Brianza is a geographical area at the foot of the Alps, in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy.-Geography:...
. He was so popular that Queen Margherita of Savoy
Margherita of Savoy
Margherita of Savoy , was the Queen consort of the Kingdom of Italy during the reign of her husband, Umberto I.-Family:...
invited him to play for her in the Royal Villa of Monza; also, one year he was honoured with the role of "king of the Carnevale Ambrosiano" (Milan's carnival). In any case, especially in the last part of his life, Molaschi usually played in the area of what are now Piazzale Loreto and Corso Buenos Aires
Corso Buenos Aires
Corso Buenos Aires is a major street in north-eastern Milan, Italy. With over 350 shops and outlets, it qualifies as the most important shopping street of the city; it also features the highest concentration of clothings stores in Europe...
.
Boito, who could actually see Barbapedana Molaschi play when Molaschi was in his forties, describes him as surprising musician and a guitar virtuoso, and as a muscolar and energetic man. Pagani and Medici, on the other hand, describe Molaschi as an old man (in the early 20th century), depicting him as short and rather fat, wearing an old dark coat and a top hat
Top hat
A top hat, beaver hat, high hat silk hat, cylinder hat, chimney pot hat or stove pipe hat is a tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat, predominantly worn from the latter part of the 18th to the middle of the 20th century...
adorned with a squirrel's tail.
Barbapedana's most popular songs were the forementioned De piscinin che l'era and Barbapedanna el gh'avea on gilé, and La tegnoeura ("the bat"), with lyrics by Milanese poet Averardo Buschi. Anyway, he usually adapted these songs to the audience he played for, so that his exhibitions were always partially based on improvisation; for this reason, he is also remembered as an interpreter of the bosinada
Bosinada
The bosinada or bosinata was a traditional, popular poetic genre in Milanese dialect that began in the 18th century or earlier and reached its apex in the late 19th century...
, a Milanese literary genre that is based on dialectal improvisation in verses.
Molaschi performed until the early 20th century; by then, he had lost his teeth; as he could hardly sing, he mostly whistled his tunes. He was eventually admitted to the "Baggina
Pio Albergo Trivulzio
The Pio Albergo Trivulzio, formally Azienda di servizi alla persona Istituti Milanesi Martinitt e Stelline e Pio Albergo Trivulzio, commonly referred to as Baggina, is an ancient retirement home and hospital in Milan...
" retirement home, where he died on 26 october 1911. His guitar (created in 1823 by renowned Milanese luthier Antonio Rovetta) is now exposed at the Museum of Musical Instruments of Milan.
Molaschi's heritage greatly contributed to the Barbapedana tradition and to the Milanese folklore in general. For example, it is a consequence of Molaschi's great popularity if the song De piscinin che l'era, that actually predates the 19th century and is traditional of most of northern Italy, is usually referred to as a "typical milanese song".
After Enrico Molaschi
Molaschi was not the last Barbapedana, although the tradition began to fade after his death. EthnomusicologistEthnomusicology
Ethnomusicology is defined as "the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance in local and global contexts."Coined by the musician Jaap Kunst from the Greek words ἔθνος ethnos and μουσική mousike , it is often considered the anthropology or ethnography of music...
Roberto Leydi
Roberto Leydi
Roberto Leydi is an Italian ethnomusicologist-Biography:He started his career in the field of contemporary music and jazz, and in the 1950s started his research into the social significance of folk and popular music...
accounts for at least another Barbapedana claiming to be Molaschi's direct heir, active in the first half of the 20th century; and Luigi Veronelli
Luigi Veronelli
Luigi Veronelli was an Italian gastronome and intellectual. He is remembered as one of the central figures in the appreciation and promotion of Italy's gastronomic heritage...
mentions a "Barbapedana" Sandro Zonca who was a regular guest at the "Bocciofila Martesana" (a bocce
Bocce
Bocce is a ball sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and pétanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire...
club on the Navigli
Navigli
The navigli was a system of navigable and interconnected canals around Milan, Italy.The system consisted of five canals: Naviglio Grande, Naviglio Pavese, Naviglio Martesana, Naviglio di Paderno, Naviglio di Bereguardo. The first three were connected through Milan via the Fossa Interna, also known...
), who was "poblematic" and "indulged in profanity", a fact that Veronelli ascribes to Zonca's awareness of the fact that he was "one of the last".