Music of Puglia
Encyclopedia
The Music of Puglia has had some glorious history as well as some very hard times. Located along the southern Adriatic, the area was part of Magna Grecia and certainly one of the centers of Ancient Greek music. And 1,000 years ago, Bari
, on the coast, was a privileged sanctuary for pilgrim
s and Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land
. Yet, the only musical relic that remains from the period is the Excultet, a representation from the 11th century of two angels playing trumpets that is preserved in the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari. Later, as part of the Kingdom of Naples
, Puglia produced many memorable names in music, but like elsewhere in the south, many of them gravitated to Naples
, the capital of the kingdom.
Further, economic hardships in the south following the unification of Italy through much of the 20th century resulted in massive emigration, a phenomenon hardly conducive to emphasis on music and the arts. Yet, modern Puglia has shown itself to be remarkably resilient and has an active, if still struggling, musical life.
The healing tarantolati ritual is an important part of Puglian folk culture. The ritual is centered around Saint Paul
and women (tarantolati) who are said to have been bitten by a tarantula
. The poison from the bite is said to be healed by dancing, sometimes for hours or even days. The dances include the tarantella
and tarantata, and is accompanied by tamburelli and either violin
, organetto
or guitar
.
tradition, which includes the Bando Ruvo di Puglia, led by Pino Minafra
. In recent music, this brass band tradition has involved many of the region's jazz
performers.
The Petruzzelli Operatic and Symphonic Foundation of Bari is the organization around which much of the cultural life of the city revolves. It is named for the famous Teatro Petruzzelli
, the center of music life in the city and province, but which fell victim to a disastrous fire in 1991 and reopened just in 2009. Taking up that slack, however, are other venues: the Basilica
of San Nicola, the premises of the Piccinni Conservatory, and the Teatro Piccinni
(now closed). The city of Bari also hosts the interesting Kismet Theater, a permanent theatrical and musical workshop, open to the public 6 days a week, the aim of which is to encourage those activities among the youth.
Brindisi
's new Verdi Theater had its first concert in 2002. The theater is an impressive hyper modern
structure that seats 1200 and was built near the presumed place where the poet Virgil
is said to have died. The area contains significant Roman archaeology, which caused delays in the completion of the new concert hall.
The city and province of Foggia
are noted as the birthplace of composer Umberto Giordano
and much musical activity recalls that fact. The main venue for opera was built in 1828 and was renamed the Giordano Theater in 1928. The city has a secondary theater, named for Giuseppe Verdi
.
Lecce
was the birthplace of the great tenor, Tito Schipa
. It also hosts a music conservatory and is the home of the Salento Chamber ensemble. The Teatro Comunale is named for Giovanni Paisiello
, one of the great names in 18th century Neapolitan comic opera
.
The "city on two seas", Taranto
, recalls its connection to ancient Greece in the names of musical organizations such as the Magna Grecia Orchestra, the Ionia
n Art Orchestra and the Magna Grecia Choir. The area hosts the Association for the Music of Paisiello (born here), sponsors the annual Nicolosi Song Competition, and is the site of the internationally known Valle d'Itria Festival
. It takes place in July and August, during which time the entire city of Taranto becomes a collection of venues for music of various sorts. It is considered one of the most important cultural manifestations in southern Italy.
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, on the coast, was a privileged sanctuary for pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s and Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
. Yet, the only musical relic that remains from the period is the Excultet, a representation from the 11th century of two angels playing trumpets that is preserved in the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari. Later, as part of the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
, Puglia produced many memorable names in music, but like elsewhere in the south, many of them gravitated to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, the capital of the kingdom.
Further, economic hardships in the south following the unification of Italy through much of the 20th century resulted in massive emigration, a phenomenon hardly conducive to emphasis on music and the arts. Yet, modern Puglia has shown itself to be remarkably resilient and has an active, if still struggling, musical life.
Folk music
Puglia was home to the well-known folk song revivalist Matteo Salvatore.The healing tarantolati ritual is an important part of Puglian folk culture. The ritual is centered around Saint Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
and women (tarantolati) who are said to have been bitten by a tarantula
Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of often hairy and often very large arachnids belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Some members of the same Suborder may also be called "tarantulas" in the common parlance. This article will restrict itself to...
. The poison from the bite is said to be healed by dancing, sometimes for hours or even days. The dances include the tarantella
Tarantella
The term tarantella groups a number of different southern Italian couple folk dances characterized by a fast upbeat tempo, usually in 6/8 time , accompanied by tambourines. It is among the most recognized of traditional Italian music. The specific dance name varies with every region, for instance...
and tarantata, and is accompanied by tamburelli and either violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, organetto
Organetto
Organetto refers to two distinct instruments. The medieval organetto was a portable pipe instrument, while the modern organetto is a popular Italian folk instrument allied to the accordion....
or guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
.
Brass bands
Puglia is known for its brass bandBrass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
tradition, which includes the Bando Ruvo di Puglia, led by Pino Minafra
Pino Minafra
Pino Minafra is an Italian trumpeter and flugelhorn player who is associated with free improvisation, avant-garde jazz. A founding member of the Italian Instabile Orchestra, Minafra has recorded with such musicians as Gianluigi Trovesi, Mario Schiano, Han Bennink, Ernst Reijseger, Willem Breuker...
. In recent music, this brass band tradition has involved many of the region's jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
performers.
Music venues
Teatro Petruzzelli
The Teatro Petruzzelli is the largest theatre of the city of Bari and the fourth Italian theatre by size.-The birth and the golden age:The history of the Teatro Petruzzelli of Bari begins when Onofrio and Antonio Petruzzelli, traders and ship builders of Trieste presented the design of the theatre...
, the center of music life in the city and province, but which fell victim to a disastrous fire in 1991 and reopened just in 2009. Taking up that slack, however, are other venues: the Basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
of San Nicola, the premises of the Piccinni Conservatory, and the Teatro Piccinni
Teatro Piccinni
Teatro Piccinni is a theatre in the city of Bari, Apulia on the east coast of Italy. It was founded in 1854 and opened on 30 May of that year. -References:...
(now closed). The city of Bari also hosts the interesting Kismet Theater, a permanent theatrical and musical workshop, open to the public 6 days a week, the aim of which is to encourage those activities among the youth.
Brindisi
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...
's new Verdi Theater had its first concert in 2002. The theater is an impressive hyper modern
Hypermodernism (art)
Hypermodernism refers to a cultural, artistic, literary and architectural movement distinguished from Modernism and Postmodernism chiefly by its extreme and antithetical approach...
structure that seats 1200 and was built near the presumed place where the poet Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
is said to have died. The area contains significant Roman archaeology, which caused delays in the completion of the new concert hall.
The city and province of Foggia
Foggia
Foggia is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known as the "granary of Italy".-History:...
are noted as the birthplace of composer Umberto Giordano
Umberto Giordano
Umberto Menotti Maria Giordano was an Italian composer, mainly of operas.He was born in Foggia in Puglia, southern Italy, and studied under Paolo Serrao at the Conservatoire of Naples...
and much musical activity recalls that fact. The main venue for opera was built in 1828 and was renamed the Giordano Theater in 1928. The city has a secondary theater, named for Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
.
Lecce
Lecce
Lecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...
was the birthplace of the great tenor, Tito Schipa
Tito Schipa
Tito Schipa was an Italian tenor. He is considered one of the finest tenori di grazia in operatic history...
. It also hosts a music conservatory and is the home of the Salento Chamber ensemble. The Teatro Comunale is named for Giovanni Paisiello
Giovanni Paisiello
Giovanni Paisiello was an Italian composer of the Classical era.-Life:Paisiello was born at Taranto and educated by the Jesuits there. He became known for his beautiful singing voice and in 1754 was sent to the Conservatorio di S. Onofrio at Naples, where he studied under Francesco Durante, and...
, one of the great names in 18th century Neapolitan comic opera
Comic opera
Comic opera denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a new operatic genre, opera buffa, emerged as an alternative to opera seria...
.
The "city on two seas", Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, recalls its connection to ancient Greece in the names of musical organizations such as the Magna Grecia Orchestra, the Ionia
Ionia
Ionia is an ancient region of central coastal Anatolia in present-day Turkey, the region nearest İzmir, which was historically Smyrna. It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements...
n Art Orchestra and the Magna Grecia Choir. The area hosts the Association for the Music of Paisiello (born here), sponsors the annual Nicolosi Song Competition, and is the site of the internationally known Valle d'Itria Festival
Festival della Valle d'Itria
The Festival della Valle d’Itria is a summer opera festival held in the south eastern Italian town of Martina Franca in the Apulia region. The Festival was founded in 1975 and performances are given in July and August each summer on a specially constructed stage in the outdoor courtyard of the...
. It takes place in July and August, during which time the entire city of Taranto becomes a collection of venues for music of various sorts. It is considered one of the most important cultural manifestations in southern Italy.