Cobla
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The cobla is a traditional music ensemble of Catalonia, the north-eastern region of Spain. It is generally used to accompany the Sardana, a traditional Catalonian folk dance, danced in a circle.
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[edit] Structure
The modern Cobla normally consists of 11 players:
- One person plays the flabiol, a three-holed flute (notable for being the only three-holed flute in the world with eight holes) with one hand (usually the left) while playing a small drum called a tamborí with the other hand. The tamborí is attached to the arm of the player.
- Four Catalan shawms (double-reed woodwinds)
- Two Tibles (a tible is like an oboe, but larger and louder)
- Two Tenores (a tenora is a larger version of the tible)
- Five Brass
- Two Trumpets
- Two horns (called fiscorn in the Catalan language - they are baritone saxhorns in the "marching" configuration: with the bell facing forward like a large flugelhorn.)
- One Trombone
- One String Bass (An orchestral double bass; though originally a three-string bass.)
There are, of course, small variations on this instrumentation in contemporary coblas. As with a jazz Big band, the woodwinds generally sit in front with the brass and bass behind. In Catalonia, there is also an instrument similar to the tibles and tenores, but smaller, called the gralla (a type of dulzaina). It's not part of a traditional cobla but is used in other groups that play for folk dances.
[edit] History
Originally, the cobla was a 3-piece band:
The modern 11-piece cobla was developed by the Catalonian musician Josep María "Pep" Ventura (1817-1875). He wrote over 200 "Long Sardana" compositions. There is a small street named after him in Barcelona, as well as a subway stop, presumably because of this achievement.
[edit] How it is used
The cobla is normally used to accompany the Sardana
In Barcelona, capital of Catalonia, in the summer time, one can often see cobla performances in open outdoor squares, with dozens of Catalonians mixed with tourists dancing the sardana, their purses and backpacks placed on the ground within the circle. Despite its small size, the cobla is powerful enough for the sound to fill an outdoor square and be heard beyond! Unusually, and to the delight of woodwind players, the tenores and tibles are the loudest instruments in the band.
In recent years, the cobla has also played concerts where there is no dancing. This mirrors a trend in other forms of folk music, such as the Music of Ireland.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The Selvatana Cobla site has many pictures and the history of this particular cobla, which was founded in 1913.
- The Sardana and I, an essay about Catalonian traditional dancing and music.
- 45-sec Video of Sardana music and dance on Commons
- MP-3 examples of sardana music are available on the Selvatana Cobla and Cobla Sabadell sites.
