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The Crown of Aragon had captured the whole territories that became under the jurisdiction of the King of Aragon between 1164 to 1707. The name originates from the union between the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of Barcelona and its associated territories. On 13 November 1137, Ramiro II the Monk, King of Aragon, passed to his son-in-law the kingdom (in name only), who then signed himself in future as the Count of Barcelona and Prince of Aragon.
Later in 1162, Alfonso II of Aragon inherited the whole estate and by conquering new territories and through marriage. This union of kingdom and county became one single crown, who expanded its territories of Aragon and Catalonia to include other dominions : mainly the kingdoms of Majorca, Valencia, Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, Naples as well as the duchies of Athens and Neopatria for a short period time.
In 1137, the marriage between the Queen of Aragon Petronila and Ramon Berengario IV, Count of Barcelona, marked a new beginning for the Crown of Aragon.
The union of different territories throughout the Middle Ages existed from the XII century to the beginning of the XVIII century. Since the end of the XV century its development was tied to the Crown of Castile to form part of a political entity with an Hispanic Monarchy. This will composed the historic Crown of Aragon, which is, without doubt an important reference point that helps to explain the formation of the Spanish identity and its development in Europe.
The Crown of Aragon territories extended from the Pyrenees to Greece. From the principality of Catalonia to the Kingdoms of Aragon, Valencia, Majorca and Italy. From the Kingdom of Sardinia and Sicily to the Kingdom of Naples. The Crown of Aragon knew how to create and maintain links among its members without imposing unique legal codes or languages, each entity had its own romantic language. There was respect for the character, costumes and traditions for every one of its members. This was the key not only for their survival but also for their splendour.
The cultural center Beneficencia, presentation of "Dèria”.
S O L A T G E
Mara Aranda&Solatge is a new project which brings together some of the most outstanding musicians within the context of musical roots with the aim of providing a new look to the popular and traditional repertoires of the lands which belonged to the Crown of Aragon.
They wanted to commence the voyage of their musical project by compiling a repertoire which included music and songs from the territories that were part of the Crown of Aragon: ‘Tragic Romances sung by the fire, improvised singing of fandango phrases as they beat the trees as they collected the fruit, courtship ceremonies with feasting and dancing, melodies as they go down the river or climb hills.
A kingdom stretching from the Pyrennes of France to a handful of far off Meditteranean Islands. A irresolute kingdom of diverse identities and custodian of a rich songbook which emerged from the remnants of diverse eastern and western cultures.
The origins of these songs came farm labourers as they travelled to bring in the harvest, the blind traveller who walked the dusty highways earning a living singing romantic ballads, musicians who were contracted for the week of festivities, herdsmen, shepherds, craftsmen, minstrals, farm labourers and fishermen.
The monarchy compiled maps, determined borders, issued charters, however the music came from the masses, men and women apart from the fickleness of political intrigues, the sexual whims and the territorial greed of royalty.
Inhabitants came from countries that could not offer them board and lodgings. These stateless people took a handful of aesthetically pleasing songs, memorised them and passed them on to their children.
This album originates from the source of this settlement and the determination of the musicians to expand their creativeness. If you listen carefully you will hear the beat like a vague whisper, the sound of the shepherds rebec, the murmerings of the fisherman, the smoke and burning embers of the bonfires and the waves of the far off crystal clear blue sea.
(Text that accompanies the record-book of Mara Aranda & Solatge written by Vincent J. Frechina)
M U S I C I A N S
Solatge is composed of a group of musicians with a long and prestigious career who add a touch of virtuosity to the old traditional tunes, extracting new rhythms and sounds by enriching them with new nuances/shades, variations and improvisations.
They do it with the awareness that there is a heritage to the song that needs to be preserved because it is part of the most authentic expression of a people and their culture.
We are the result of our past, if we forget that we are forgetting our dead ones. Preserving our traditions means we can maintain our own identity with the responsibility of passing these traditions on to the safe keeping of those who come after us. Nationality starts with the well-preserved customs and enriches the Nations and their peoples.
Mara Aranda
(vocals, percussion and string drum)
Mara Aranda is Internationally known for her work in L’Ham de Foc and Aman Aman, Mara Aranda stands out for her lyrical and musical compositions, as well as for her powerful voice and her personality on the stages across Europe.
Jota Martinez
(Citola, bouzouki, moorish guitar and hurdy-gurdy)
Jota Martinez is a self-taught musician who has an extensive career as a colleague and member of folk and ancient music groups among them: Eduardo Paniagua, Axivil, Balbarda or Balbarda with whom he has made several recordings. He has also composed music for the theatre and documentary programmes.
Manolo Lopez
(bass)
Manolo Lopez has participated in various projects about African music, flamenco, improvised and avant-garde music. He has worked with the groups Orkestina (Balkan music), Aman Aman (Sephardic amused) and on Traditional musical shows "Singing to the joy of living" and "News of the Regne of Mallorques”.
Eduard Navarro
(dulzainas, bagpipes, moraharpa, lute and mandolin)
Eduard Navarro is the founder of several important groups on the Valencia folk scene such as Trencat Rhythm, Three Fan Ball, La Banda De l'agredolç and Urbàlia Rurana. He has collaborated, as a recognised expert of the Valencian tradition amongst others, with: Miquel Gil, Capella De Ministrers, Tall By The Beniterrània.
Josep Maria Ribelles
(harp)
Josep Maria Ribelles is considered as one of the major reformists of Catalonia folk. He has worked on film soundtracks and recently released his first solo work. He has collaborated with musicians such as: Ana Alcaide, Marc Egea, L'Ham de Foc, Juntera Kepa, Maria Laffitte and Eduardo Paniagua and many more.
R E P E R T O R Y
ROMANCE DEL MONTAÑÉS / BALH DE GARRÒTS
The Aragonese romances followed the natural routes of herds and merchandise, from Chazetania, High Gálligo and Sobrarbe down to the Monegros, It was here where this famous romance was first encountered. Also known as "Romanza of Marichuana" it is preserved in its original Aragonese accent. Apparently, it used to be sang in the Monegros Castillón as a song on the eve of the feast of Santa Ana. The protagonist goes down the Pyrenees plains looking for a wife and stays there. The romance continues with an Aranese melody of folk dancing with sticks which is very popular in many Catalonian areas.
E L JILGUERILLO/AUBADA GENERALA DE VIELHA
The melody of ‘El Jilguerillo’ also originates from the Monegros area . Its original lyrics, written by some priest or local scholar gives it a coercive tone, edifying, far from the popular aesthetical codes: "jilguerillo try and not sing, / and do not try singing like a nightingale. / It comes out to hunt for Cupid, / careful do not guard the nest, / with the rigour of your wings. "
It follows the melody of an ‘audaba Aranese’, a dance that in some Aran Valley villages was danced in tribute to strangers/outsiders who had come to the party.
BOLERO DE GUADASSUAR
Bolero, always solemn, refined and theatrical is the illegitimate child of the seguidilla, often injected with a bit of fandango, originating from the rooms of the aristocracy becoming more popular with everyday people.
The melody of the Guadassuar Bolero, recovered from an ancient handwritten score followed the Jucar line which extended from the banks of the Jucar river to the Coast. Its attractive dance gestures and beautiful music made fortunes for many Valencian counties.
NedNS DE XÀTIVA
The splendour of the Baroque feast is represented by the The Corpus Christi procession: sensual, extravagant, excessive and doctrinal. It is symbolic diverse and complex, where bestial and biblical characters participate in ritual dances, military parades and religious orders, to a strict hierarchy , with just a look it is practically incomprehensible.
The Cabezudos dance was, and still is, one of its components. Its origins, surely, from a pagan ceremony, the Cabezudos join the procession to symbolise the inferiority and deference of the infidel territories to the mystery of the Eucharist. In the procession, the Cabezudos parade and perfom a dance that follows the model of the popular traditional Valencian dances.
QUATRE TRAGINERS
Mule trails and paths filled with the screeching of carts and the echo of horseshoes as muleteers transported goods and news being always exposed to attacks by bandits and criminals, sleeping rough and navigating impossible routes.
The traditional songs reserved a place for their heroism and miseries, especially in areas of unfriendly topography and merciless winds. In Pallars, Ripollés and Ribagorça where the steps of the Pyrenees bred legends and rumours, songs like this originated, now defaced by the passing of time but still with a disturbing aura.
LA PORQUEROLA
Romantic Ballads became widely known with a mysterious type of elasticity. The romance of ‘The Porquerola" certainly arised somewhere in France or Occitania and quickly spread throughout Western Europe: Germany, Piedmont, Lombardy, Provence, Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands .. . The history of the swineherd betrayed by her Mother-in-Law and redeemed by her husband, raised the sympathy of distant cultures: a sentimental union transposing languages and borders.
FANDANGO DE LA SERENA
The survival of the Sephardic song glossary is an example of cultural loyalty and one of the most fascinating enigmas of popular music.
The descendants of the Hispanic Jews arrived in Thessaloniki more than five hundred years ago and guarded an important repertoire from which this beautiful song comes.
Its verses, still used in melodies of jotas and fandangos all over the country, hide some disturbing mysterious culture: the myth of the sirens, rhetorical formulas based on the Song of Songs….
DANSA DEL VETLATORI
In Valencian rural society, the death of a child was considered a reason for celebration. The child had not lost his innocence and thus his fate was heaven. Under this belief, the wake of the child became a party with music and dance.
The idealisation of the ritual by the folk groups led to the emergence of various ‘wake dances’ which from the musical structure of some of the coastal regions fandangos known as ‘twelve and one’- symbolised an emotional tribute to the dead child. Later, the poet, Toni Mestre, wrote some verses inspired by the Mother’s grief that complete this beautiful melody of popular neo-folklore .
BATRES
After harvesting the wheat, there was not a harder task in the field than threshing. A man, on a threshing machine dragged by two beasts, went round harvesting the wheat whilst other men, with pitchforks separated the grains from the husks and straw and piled the chaff.
To encourage the animal to trot Tonadillas were sang with a depth and expression which would show a strange Eastern descent.
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