Giuliana Fugazzotto

 

A Musical Journey Around Sicily

 

This article presents a short journey in the musical world of Sicily, in a period that stretches ideally from Easter to Christmas, going through the summer rituals related to the cultivation of wheat. The aim of this work is to provide a documentation of the sonic and visual aspects of some of the region's most important musical genres, whilst paying special attention to the most characteristic rites and the most unique forms of expression of Sicilian folk culture. The article is based on my fieldwork in Sicily since 1985.

 

 

 

 

Pozzo di Gotto (ME), 1992 - The "Jews" during  Good Friday's procession

 

1)      Holy Week

1.1        The “cries” of the Jews of  San Fratello

1.2      Vocal Polyphony

(a)   Cerami

(b)   Tusa

(c)    Santo Stefano di Camastra

(d)   Alcara Li Fusi

2)      Wheat and the Harvest

2.1      The 'Razzioni di lu mčtiri (Harvest Orations)

2.2      The Pisątura (Threshing)

2.3      Salve Regina

3)      Christmas: Orbi, Novenas and Litanies

3.1      La Nuvena di Natali

3.2      Li tri re di l’orienti

4)    Conclusions

5)    Endnotes

6) Bibliography

7) Selected discography

8) Sources


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