Spain

Songs for beating flax and cutting stones, wickedly barbed song duels, village pilgrimage songs, and popular dance tunes recorded by Alan Lomax in remote villages of Galicia during the raw, cold winter of 1952. Contains previously unreleased recordings.

The music of Galicia has received a lot more exposure as it's become viewed as part of the Celtic world. But in 1952, when Lomax made these recordings, there were no such thoughts. However, a simple listen to the piping on "Muinera De Carballo" or the martial "Alborada de Ournese," with its heavy drumming, should be enough to stir familiarity. What is very different, however, is the vocal work, with its keening female harmonies, as on "Viene Cargado De Trigo," powered along by the sound of the tambourine. "Cantar De Vendimia" is choral with male and female voices, a folk song with liturgical overtones. What sets Lomax apart from many others making field recordings is his ability to coax a real performance from the singers or musicians, so they produce something special -- and that often results in full songs rather than the fragments that tend to appear on other collections. And that is what takes this out of the realm of the purely academic. For anyone interested in Celtic music and the Celtic diaspora, there's plenty of meat here, tracing similarities in vocal styles and the folk song of "O Nenino," for instance. Or you can simply revel in some untutored, unearthly harmonies on "Ay Rosina," with its almost-funereal pace giving the singers a chance to dig deep into emotion. Whether you listen to learn or simply for pleasure, there's plenty to enjoy here. -AllMusic Review by Chris Nickson

Listado de canciones:
1. Toques de Chifro 1:06
2. Muñeira de Carballo feat: Francisco Paradelo 2:02
3. Cuando la Niña Es Casada 3:38
4. Eres Una, Eres Dos 3:38
5. Donde Vai San Xoan? feat: Manuela Lema Santos / Maruxa Lema Santos 2:31
6. Alborada de Ourense 2:37
7. Canción de Canteros 3:58
8. A Raíz Dun Toxo Verde feat: Evangelina Carballo 0:55
9. Coplas, Espadelando el Lino feat: Pura Carreiro 1:23
10. Troupelle, Troupelle 0:36
11. Pasacorredoiras 1:55
12. Coplas a San Pedro feat: Carmen Lago Canoza 2:26
13. Coplas de Nadal, Aninovo a Reises 3:35
14. O Neniño 0:39
15. Vente Vindo 6:06
16. Viene Cargado de Trigo feat: Manuela Lema Santos / Maruxa Lema Santos 1:38
17. Jota 1:44
18. Canta de Vendimia 2:27
19. Vengo del Lugar de Tella 1:02
20. Ay Rosina 2:14
21. Eu Xungin Os Meus Boiciños 1:09
22. Asubíasme de Lonxe 1:10
23. Jota feat: Fernando Alvarez / Juan Lesta / Francisco Paradelo 2:25
24. Cantar Do Arriero feat: Antonio Dominguez 1:39
25. Cantar Do Arrierofeat: Emilio Soto 1:21
26. Reises 3:33
27. Coplas de Desafio feat: Evangelina Carballo / Domitlia Carreira / Maria Carreira / Saladina Foremoro / Evangelina Tesoro 3:04
28. Rapaz Que Bonito 1:08
29..Carballeiriña Oscura 2:23
30. Xa Non Hai No Mundo Enteiro feat: Manuela Lema Santos / Maruxa Lema Santos / Lorenzo Vigo 2:13