L'evoluzione della musica folk: dalle origini alla modernità

Origini della musica folk

Folk music was born by the term "folklore" invented by the English archaelogist William John Thoms to indicate everything that comes from the people. Folk music has spread by word of mouth among people of different ages and isn't necessarily written. Popular singing, unlike the educated, has a function: in fact there are nursery rhymes, serenades of love, work songs, ecc... Then they developed the popular ballads that were originally sung to accompany the dance and later became narrative songs about stories really happened: they spread from village to village thanks to the wandering musicians.

Strumenti musicali tradizionali

Folk music has used some special musical instruments:

-the "Dutch rommelpot"-also called "putipù" in Campania (it's a membranophone that produces music through the rubbing of a wooden pole);

-the "Panpipe" (a Neolithic tool consists of five or seven bamboo canes joined together and producing music blowing inside);

-the "accordion" (it's formed from two keyboards that are located opposite and which are spreading them apart or bringing them closer moves between them);

-the "balalaika" (traditional Russian instrument consists of almonds with a triangular case);

-the "bagpipes" (they are formed by a bag of sheepskin which are connected to a short rod to enter the air and reed pipes simple or double);

-the "xilophone" (typical Asian percussion instrument).

Diffusione e attualità

This type of music is especially popular in southern Italy where there is the tarantula, a typical Apulian dance, also spread thanks to "Tarantolati of Tricarico", a folk band founded by Antonio Infantino. Today this music isn't very popular with young people who don't feel more attached to their roots and prefer to always new musical forms that estranges them from the world around them; but for those who understand music will be the wealth of southern Italy and especially the young people who have no chance to work.