FTX-606 - MASCERADE DE SOULE

Basque Country Traditions - 1

The music and customs of the Basques have a great deal of interest world-wide but perhaps specially for those in Britain and Ireland. This is because so many of their traditions have similarities with Celtic roots including the Whitsuntide Morris with its swords, the greenery, the hobby-horses and other characters, the type of song-harmonising, the war-cries and, of special interest to musicians, the three-hole pipe or txistu and its accompanying instrument of tabor-drum and the beaten dulcimer-like tambour.

1. (a) EZPATA-DANTZA - 4 men in white perform a martial sword dance from the province of Guipusena in which a dagger is held in each hand. Music is provided by a Txistu Band: 1st and 2nd txistu (3-hole pipe), "silbote"(bass txistu) and "atabal", a double-headed drum 12" diameter and 14 deep played with one stick. Three of them on this recording - 1.05

1 (b) ARKU-DANTZA - 4 girls join the men for the Garland Dance. Flexible sticks covered with flowers, held at each end, are bent to form an arch over the dancer's heads. They are raised and lowered, twisted and entwined during the figures of the dance - 1.05

2. SAGAR-DANTZA - 3 girls sing for the Apple Dance from the province of Navarre which was performed by 5 girls in a style reminiscent of a Greek frieze 2.03

3. DANSES BISCAYENNES - 4 men with pads of small bells fastened around their legs, perform solo kick-jumps, 4 others with swords mesh them together to make a platform on which their leader is hoisted, a dagger in each hand, and they lead him away - 2.50

4. AITONAREN ESANA - 0.59

5. MENDIAN ZOINEN EDER DEN sung by 3 girls - 2.00

6. MENDIKO SON UA - A number of Basque dance tunes arranged as a suite by Mr. J.Guridi for the Txistu Band. 3.34

7. AGUR MARIA ~ "Ave Maria" melody collected by Ernialde and arranged for 4 mixed voices in ancient polyphonic style by Urunuela, sung by Les Choeurs Oldarra - 3.21

8. ATXIA MOTXIA PERILOPAN ~ Chiidren's Song in Biscayenne dialect about a water mill, arranged for 6 voices by Guisasola. "\When I was going to the mill, I found a donkey; I took off his tail and I gave him a new one" - 3.25

9. ABA NUN DIRAN - Written by a Basque poet in exile in the United States, arranged for solo tenor and mixed voices by Legarralde - 2.23

10. BIGARREN KALEZ-KALE - Basque street cry arranged for 4 mixed voices with Txistu Band by P. Sorozabal . It includes the Basque mountain cry, the "irrinzina". "Yesterday ten old ladies passed away; if it didn't cost so much, more would die daily" - 1.51

11. AURTXO SEASKAN - The famous "Berceuse Basque" with words by Sagarzazu to music by G.Olaizola, arranged for solo soprano and 4 men's voices by Legarralde, and for solo contralto and 4 mixed voices by Lasa. Sung by Les Chocurs Oldarra - 2.01

12. MASCARADE DE SOULE - Enter one of the hobby horses from the French Basque Province of La Soule. One of his three attendants carries a pair of lazy tongs which are elongated into the surprised faces of the spectators, another carries a 'clacker", while the third shows off his steps in front of the horse. Accompaniment is provided by a solo txistulari, who has a drum hanging from his left arm, with which he also plays the 3-hole txistu, whilst his right arm is used to strike the drum with a single stick. Climax of the procession is provided by the hobby horse dancer leaping onto a charged wine-glass placed on the ground. Since his skirts prevent him from looking down to see its position, there is considerable skill required so as not to spill or break the glass - 4.18

13. KASKAROTS DANTZA - To the accompaniment of a Txistu band, a team of girls perform a bread-carriers dance with trays carried on their heads throughout - 1.08

14. FANDANGO - Popular Navarre Court Dance with accordions, tambourines and occasional bursts of vocal excitement and irrinzinas - 1.14

All the above (1-14) were recorded at Biarrtitz

15. OXOXO DANTZA - This Ritual Dance from Valcarlos has great similarities with the English "Morris" from N.W.England (Cheshire & Lancashire). In each hand, the men carry "wavies", a fairly heavy cotton sling decorated with ribbons, which is kept continually spinning while they execute their elaborate criss-cross steps and figures - 1.46

16. (a) ESKUA-DUN DANTZA - 2.18

16. (b) LAPURTAR-MATXA - 0.37 - Two more "Morris" from ValcarIos, the first a circular ceremonial dance and the second a processional (c)ARKU DANTZA - 1.25 - Another version of the Garland Dance -see 1(b) - in this case performed by a team of 8 girls - Total: 4 19

17. MAKIL DANTZA - A Double Stick Dance in which the sticks are clashed together and at one point are passed under the men's legs. During this movement the second stick is very skilfully held behind the neck of the dancer. Music provided by a solo txistulari with an assistant alongside him to remind him of the music for each figure - 3.11

18. AGUR YAIJNAK - the first of four Basque songs by the Elizondo Choir dirccted by Juan Eraso and in this case arranged by the choir director - 1.27

19. GABON the first of three songs collected and arranged by Father Donostia - 2.31

20. AMRIOZKO ABESTIA - 1.13

21. ARAN LORE - 3.00

The above were recorded at Pamplona

Recorded by Peter Kennedy in July 1953 with the aid of The Initiative Syndicates of Biarritz and Pamplona and The International Folk Music Council. First published on Folktrax cassettes 1977.