Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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550 SONG
Or it may be that the accents of the accompaniment
do not at all correspond with the accents
of the melody ;
thus :
toTTiadas (refrains or burdens), which are an
intrinsic part of the song, and may occur in the
middle or at the end, as in La dama *
d' Arago.'
This is one of the most popular songs in
Catalonia :
The songs of Southern Spain are generally of a
dreamy, melancholy, passionate type ; especially
the cartas and playeras which are lyrical. These
are mostly for one voice only, as their varied
rhythm and uncertain time preclude the possibility
of their being sung in parts. In some
oases they are, however, sung in unison or in
thirds. They always begin with a high note
sustained as long as the breath will allow ; and
then the phrase descends with innumerable
turns, trills, and embellishments into the real
melody. The canas are inferior as regards
simplicity, both of poetry and music, to the
dance- songs fandangos, rondenas, and malagueOas,^
which have also more symmetry and
animation. They usually consist of two divisions
: the copla (couplet), and the ritarnel,
which is for the accompanying instrument, and
is frequently the longer and the more important
of the two, the skilful guitar-player liking to
have ample scope to exhibit his execution.
(4) In Catalonia and the adjacent provinces,
where the Provenfal language has predominated
since the 9th century, the songs are of a totally
different character from those of the rest of
Spain. Like the language, the songs both in
melody and rhythm have far more in common
with those of Southern France. The subjects,
too, of the folk-songs are often identical, as for
instance,
'
La bona viuda ' and the French
'
Jean Renaud,' ^ though the tunes vary :
^^^^1
Ma-re mi-a, ma-re, sen - to gra,n ru - i - do
Kesonlas cam-bre-ras, que aal-ten y riu-hen.
Yo no dor-mo no, no es-tich jk dormlda.
The time is constantly altered during the
Catalan songs, and a great quantity possess
1 Songs and dances often derive their name from the provinces
ox towns in which they are indigenous ; thus rondeiia from Bonda,
medaguefia from Malaga.
2 The many varying versions of this famous song, known in
'
Italy as Comte Angiolino ' and In Brittany and Scandinavia as
'
Sire nan,' and Sire Olaf,' are familiar to all students of folk-lore.
A. Branchet and Gaston Paris have published articles on this
song in the Remte critique d'histoire et de lUtirature. It is remarkable
how many Catalan songs have their counteriuirts among
Scandinavian songs, especially as regards the words.
flol, tela ca-be-Ue-ra ros - sa li arri
^ Tornado, ^..—
^^ig^=r^^^^^
ba fins als ta - Ions. Ay a - mo - - ro-sa Agna Macresc
poco rit
^^^^^^
rl - a rob -a do-ra dela-moray del a-mor.
Numbers of old ballads of great length, epic,
lyrical, and dance -songs will be found with
valuable notes in a collection of Cants ' populars
Catalans' by Francesoh Pelay Briz,' The
religious or legendary songs are especially
numerous, and the melodies are very beautiful.*
The old Proven5al troubadour spirit seems to
have lingered in many of the lovely little lyrics
still sung in Catalonia, and both words and
music might belong to that bygone age.
A few words must be said on three essentially
national forms of music which have helped to
preserve the songs of Spain. The villandcos
have been already dealt with, and there remain
the tonadillas and zarzuelas. In the early part
of the l7th century the tonadillas were indiscriminately
called cuatros de empesar, tons,
tonadas, and tonadillas, and were pieces sung by
women-voices in theatres before the raising of
the curtain. The words were chosen from
favourite poets and set to popular tunes ; they
had nothing to do with the acted piece or
opera.^ Later all kinds of tonadillas existed,
alternately idyllic or burlesque ; and composers
(like for instance Rodriguez de Hita) turned
their attention to this form, and cleverly
interwove such national dances as the bolero,
jota, tirama, or seguidillas, and the street-cries
of the towns. It may be incidentally remarked
that the street-cries, called los pregones, are a
distinct feature in Spanish town-life. They
vary in the different districts and according to
the time of year. The following example is
centuries old ' :
3 See CoUections at end,
* The Pafisiou Bonge wh{ch are sung from door to door during
Lent are among the beet. St. Peter and the cock are especially
dwelt on in nearly all. 'La Paasio' in vol. iii. of Pelay Briz's
collection is a remarkably fine example.
fi Soriano Fuertes gives many examples in his fourth volume.
6 Ppom a letter from Antonio Machada y Alvarez to S. D. J.
Pitr6, 1882.