Without a doubt music plays an integral part of defining the identity and culture of any nation or province and this is particularly evident in Spain where the various province (such as Galicia, Cataluña, the Basque Country etc.) have over centuries, developed their own unique cultures, embracing all aspects including: language, dress, style, and of course music.
Even today the provinces still have their own music styles and movements, which support their unique identities and the province of Galicia is no exception to this. In fact, Galicia has a strong ‘national’ identity through music that is produced in its region, not only its historical, traditional music but also with its current day music.
In this essay I will give a brief overview…show more content… Even when music across the rest of Spain was changing under the influence of the Romans and Arabs as they invaded the country, Galicia being in the Northern region still managed to retain its Celtic origins.
This musical culture is thought to have begun in the castros (oval or circular hill-forts) that spread across Spain in the second half of the Iron Age. These castros were places where people gathered for festive types of music and dance. Whilst the castros culture appeared in different zones around the Iberian Peninsula, the culture in the north-western zone, now known as Galicia, exhibited characteristics that clearly differentiated it from the rest of the peninsula.
While some indigenous cultures did not survive the various invasions that the peninsula experienced throughout history, due to its location and the rough terrain much of the culture and traditional music of Galicia has persisted throughout the centuries as a symbol for the…show more content… Today we can assert that it is the most studied instrument in Galicia and has therefore earned its name as the national instrument of Galicia.
Traditionally Galician villagers found a unique way of expressing their music, creating music to celebrate the seasons and their labours throughout the year. There are, therefore, many different kinds of popular Galician folk songs and melodies that were influenced by everyday life. From early historical records, there is evidence that all small communities would have at least one gaiteiro (a bagpipe player), who was a soloist playing the gaita for festivals, celebrations and other
