FTX-607 - BIMBILI BOMBOLO

Basque Country Traditions - 2

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. JOTAS DE LA RlBERA (7.10) A selection of tunes for the popular local dance played ar an Overture by the orchestra of Los Amigos del Arte de Pamplona which included violins, mandolins and guitars. The orchestra then accompanied 3 local songs performed by members of Los Amigos(all from Navarre province)

2. SOGNANDI MANDOLINI Solo tenor with orchestra - 1.32

3. IN PAMPLONA Solo with two male voices in typical local style - 1.56

4. NAVARRO By popular demand after a spectator shouted "magnifico - 2.30

5. LA JOTA RN NAVARRA: (a) RIBERA - 1.30 (b) LA MONTANA - 0. 47 (c) PAMPLONA - 0. 55

Local variations of the Jota performed by a mixed group from Oberena consisting of 4 men and 4 women accompanied by a band including 5 guitars, mandolin, accordion, tambourine and a cornet. They danced alternately to partners and adjoining dancers- Total 3.15

6. ARKU DANTZA Garland Dance performed by 8 girls accomp. by txistulari. (see Vol.1 for two other recordings of this dance).

7. BAILE DE LA ERA DE ESTELLA: (a) CADENA and (b) JOTA VIEJA (1.40); (c) VALS (1.45); (d) FANDANGO (1.05); (e) BOLERAS (2.05) and (f) CORRIDA (1.40) processional Round Dances in couples performed by a group of mixed dancers from Pamplona to the accompaniment of two "gaita" and a young boy with one drum with 2 sticks. In the first dance the 8 men and 8 girls have a red ribbon, cadena, between them, and in the last dance, during pauses in the music, partners exchange places. At the end the men kneel and the crowd show their appreciation of the performance. ~ 8.32

8. MASCERADE DE SOULE A short extract of the visit of a team of dancers from La Soule with two hobby horses (See Vol.1 for another recording) In this case there are twelve attendants and the solo txistu player was accompanied by another player on the "tamburin' a beaten string instrument. It usually has 6 strings, or in this case three, and is beaten with a short stick - 1.16

9. BIRIBILKETA - 8 men from Ochagavia, in white, with conical hats, perform a "Morris", each carrying two sticks which are clashed together. They have ribbonsfrom their shoulders and have pads of small bells on their knees. They are accompanied by a Fool with a pig's bladder. He has "Viva Bobo" written across his back. The music for this is gaita and drums - 2.48

10. SAGAR DANTZA - 8 girls carrying an apple in each hand perform a dance from Baztan to txistu accompaniment. (See album #1 for another version of this dance) - 1.40

11. EZPATA-TXIKIA - 8 girls, a dagger in each hand held in a white handkerchief, twirl their arms more energetically as the warlike dance progresses to a fine tune - 3.13.

12. (a) MAITIA NUN ZIRA (1.45) Well-known Basque love song from La Soule (arr. Urunuela).

(b) BIMBILI BOMBOLO (1.30) A song from the province of Haut Navarre (arr.N.Almandoz).

(c) AGUR IZA ORA (3.40) Father Donostia heard it whistled by an old cowherd in Fontarabie in Guipuscoa and J.Olaizola arranged it for 11 mixed voices with whistling. He portrays the sounds of the bells of his own village church. (d) ERROTAZAIA (1.30) Love Song arranged by I. Mocoroa - Total 9.15

13. SALUDO A LA BANDREA ~ Eight men carry stout sticks and during their "Morris" their leader waves a large flag over the top of the dance. Accompanied by 2 txistu and a drum. - 1.22

14. ZORTZIKO DE CAPITAN Y BINAKO - First the leader shows off with high kicks then each member of the team follow his example. Music as for the previous item - 2.20.

15. MAKIL DANTZA - Another single stick dance in which the dancers change their hand positions as the sticks are clashed above and below where the hand is grasped - 2.40.

16. TXAKARRANKUA - Known as "The Coffin Dance" this is another men's stick dance in which their sticks are used at the end to carry one of the dancers in a prone position above the rest. He is lifted by two dancers and carried on their long sticks. - 2.08

17. JOTAS - A solo txistulari plays a selection of Jota tunes for 8 girl dancers with castanets. This is the dance that goes on all through the night in the streets of Pamplona on the eve of the great Fiesta of St. Fermin, when the local bulls have the opportunity to get their own back on the young men of the city; they run through the streets in full chase and into the great bull-ring where they frequently succeed in tossing and sometimes goring those who are brave enough to go into the ring with them - 2.44.

Recorded by Peter Kennedy, July 1 953, with the aid of the Initiative Syndicate of Biarritz and Pamplona and The International Folk Music Council . First published on Folktrax cassettes 1977