Colección

This collection aspires to be a reflection of Lombarda's musical work developed ever since their start in 1980.

The group has had many experiences in the length of their musical career, that started on stage over more then 25 years ago. Many different musicians have contributed their part in Lombarda's goal that they have been seeking from the very start. This objective has been to produce their very own style, to leave their own mark in a musical world full of aspiring musicians and style in the traditional music panorama. In the beginning, the group centered their interest on celtic music, ancient music and renaissance music. A few years later, when we discovered our love for traditional Andalusian music, the knowledge and recreaction of those other styles of music, helped us and prepared our path to our newly found genre.

The numerous traditions that the spanish culture has maintained is the basis of our work since the beginning, and at the same time being a inexhaustible source for our musical resources. On one hand, the compilation and research work that we do, and our musical editing in the songs (using up-to date instruments and arrangements), makes Lombarda a group that reaches and is liked by all types of audiences.

It is a difficult task trying to select the most representitive songs of our trajectory in this collection. We have left out some songs which are very important and significant to Lombarda, but we wanted to make and incursion in all of our stages as a group, represent all of our recordings and not to mention showcasing an array of the different muscial traditions found in Andalucia. Nine new songs are added to this selection with the intention of making the CD more complete.

The following is a complete list of songs that you can find in this album:

CD 1

1. Canción de la aceituna: (2006) One of the most well known songs in spanish folk music, which has many versions and variations of this same theme. A song used by workers in the olive grove, it was very normal to hear it sung by the women while they prepared the nets to catch olives. This song appealed to us, largely in part to the blending of rhythms in the chorus, as well as having the possibility of recreating this popular song with our own musical composition.
2. La fuente de los cantos: (La fuente de los cantos, 1990, 2006) This song is the result of one of the group´s compositions with a habanera rhythm, that was originally prepared to accompany childern's songs. But with the musical treatment that is typical of the group's repertoire, this song ended up accompanying the words of typical folk songs, sung in rounds.
3. La chacha Marihuela: (2006) A children's song with numerous versions which Lombarda began to use in their repertoire since it's first version. They actually developed a group of children's songs, in which this first version was present, along with the group ALMADRABA (Cádiz), which were never recoreded. Marigüela, Berengüela, and Piringüela, are some of the names given to the differnt versions of this same song, and of which we have perpared along with another children's song: La gallinita ciega.
4. Las señas del esposo: (2006) This is one of the most well known ballads among popular romance songs. There are many versions that distinguish themselves in the words as well as the music. This same song can be heard in the same town with up to 3 different versions. In this version, Lombarda chose the words from a small town in the Alpujarras called Yátor, yet the musical composition is their own, and originally was used to accompany other romance songs.
5. Cantos de aguilando: (Dalequetedale 2003) The music groups in the Velez region of Andalucia are just as famous as their fantastic festival held each year in December. In this musical meeting, groups from Granada, Almeria and Murcia offer the audience many different forms of the coplas de Aguilandos. In Lombarda's version of this song, they have chosen words that could be heard during the Christmas season. They counted on the invaluable collaboration of a grand artist and expert in this subject, Manuel Luna.
6. Canción de la merendica: (Dalequetedale 2003) Many places in Andalucia celebrate the famous festivity of the merendica. From February on, with the start of Lent, friends and family prepare excursions to the countryside to cook, eat, play, sing and prepare their typical swings out of rope. These swings are where people typically rocked back and forth while inventing and singing songs, like this song. In this local festivity which usually lasts long into the night, camp fires are made, and there, long lost children's songs and games are sung and played, especially mecedor songs or lullabys.
7. Pasodoble: (Lombarda 2000) This pasodoble is defined by what we name, instrumental string music. This song served to inform neighbours of towns and villages that the local festivities and festivals were soon to begin. In the Alpujarra region, its typical to see musicians coming and going playing their pasodobles. Thanks to these trovadors, this type of music is well known, and offer different versions due to the fact that they are learned by ear.
8. Romance de Clara: (Lombarda 1986) This song has a very broad classification in traditional romance music. In one of his numerous essays on adultery by Menéndez Pidal, we find Clara's romance. This romance is about a handsome young man who courts a maried woman, which is heard in the final chorus. There are many versions of this romance with notable changes in words and rhythm. This song is usually palyed in a binary rhythm, but we offer it here in a ternary rhythm.
9. Debajo de tu ventana: (Dalequetedale 2003) This is a song that we collected in Cádiar, a town in Alpujarra region of Granada. The words of this song, reflecting the genuine behaviour of a young man courting his loved one and his problems found on the way, really appealed to us. This song was used as a serenade and is particularly special to us as the striking voice of Eliseo Parra is heard in this theme.
10. Comparsa de carnaval: (Lombarda 1986) This is one of the most representative songs in all of Lombarda's trajectory. The oddness of the text and basis of the song really appealed to us as a group. It was used to announce the festival of the mascarita, which is at the the time of the arrival of carnival. Musicians and butlers travelled across the whole town asking the authorities permission to start the festivities and collect money to pay for them.
11. El zángano: (Lombarda 2000) Many Andalusian towns have their very own verion of the Fandango, which they maintain as a custom and emblem. They are usually heard at the beginning of the Christmas season and in February on the Saint day of San Cecilio. It is accompanied by a dance of six people (four women and two men), which are called zánganos and are performed in an alternative manner so that each man can dance with every woman. We have chosen the Fandango from Motril, and is sung fantastically by Paco Vergara, an emblem in traditional spanish music.
12. Mazurca de Notaez: (Dalequetedale 2003) We classify this song as string music, and is one of the most requested song in the all of the celebrations and local festivities in Andalucia, adapted by the marching bands. This version has been curiously adapted and arranged by Miguel Oscar Musso, and has our group's vision regarding the orchestration. Our aim in is this song is to pay tribute to these types of groups, and to their praiseworthy labour in music.

CD 2

1. Canciones de rueda y "picailla": (2006) There exsists a great variety of words used in the games and meetings of young boys. For example, in the intonation used in lullabys and songs in a round. We have made a selection of some of these songs, in which you can observe the spanish pop culture that accompanies us from day to day. The picailla songs come up in festivals and meetings among the young people or in the group labours done by the women, such as sewing, or working the fields. Often times, these women would use their words through songs to challenge (individullay or in a group) their rival with the purpose to intimidate. These musical challenges were produced instantaneously. Lombarda plays with these different melodies in order to enjoy themselves musically.
2. Romance de Mariana Pineda (Mariana Pineda Niguelas): (Mariana Pineda: Música y Libertad 2005) This romance version by Mariana Pineda was compiled and taught to me by Manuel Martín, who was born in Nigüelas. Manuel is a writer and defender of all social and cultural aspects of Granada and of his town. The originality of this song about Mariana's life, lies in the fact that it is sung with the same melody used in las coplas (verses) of the Aurora (the virgen Mary) in this granadinian town. It is the only theme sung in this manner, as it is very difficult to combine a religious tradition with such a opposite subject matter as is Mariana Pineda's life. This is why this song is such a treasure in traditional music. This song is included in the muscial compilation that the city council of Granada has produced about this granadinian heroine in the second centenary of her birth.
3. El ratoncito chiquito: (Pipirigaña: Antología del folclore infantil de Andalucía, Junta de Andalucía 2006) (The small rat) Also know as The big cat, this is one of the most well known stories sung all across Spain. It is frequently used in educational activities in pre-school.
4. Jota de Dos Torres: (2006) In one of Lombarda's many performances away from home, we had the pleasure to stop in a precious town in Córdoba called Dos Torres. In this town, the villagers who are concerned about not losing thier traditions and roots, particularly Angela Reyes, taught us this jota, which is usually played with the help of a frying pan and can. We have included this song in our repertoire with a special dedication to this town.
5. Coplas del afilador: (Dalequetedale 2003) Among the different songs that have been transformed or lost as time passes, we find the songs of the afilador. The figure of the amolanchín or man who sharpens objects, is always linked to an old bicycle that helped this man travel to complete his work. It appealed to us and that is why we worked on the different types of text that make reference to his job and his behaviour. This song is a tribute to the almolanchín, and is accompanied by Carlos Beceiro and his group La Musgaza, as well as a protagonist in the flamenco world, and our dear friend and a defender of Lombarda: Enrique Morente.
6. Parranda de los cortijos (Parranda cortijera): (Lombarda 1986, 2003, 2006) From November until the beginning of January, one of the most ancient and pure traditions of Andalusian pop culture are represented and celebrated in Andalucia: las Animas. Money, food and all kinds of possesions we collected in order to later auction off in a festival in the church square. The aim of this auction was to pay for the expenses of the celebrations. It's original purpose was to pay for the mass and burials of the poor in an act of solemnity. These parranadas or groups of musicians which accompanied the fraternities, were able to endure many days moving from one place to another and perfoming songs untill dusk at various farm houses.
7. Mi burra - Real y medio (Canciones infantiles de acumulaciones): (Pipirigaña: Antología del folclore infantil de Andalucía, Junta de Andalucía 2006) These infantile folk music songs were utilized to be able to play many games and to strengthen different skills, and the memory of children. The songs of which are offered here are very popular and used quite a bit in teaching children. While preparing these songs, we counted on the collaboration of a great trumpeter and even greater friend: Julián Sánchez.
8. En la feria del Este: (Lombarda 1986) Coming from Italian folklore, Lombarda discovered this song from a version that was made poular by Ángelo Branduardi. This is one of the first songs worked on by the group since their start in 1980, and although there are many songs with similar words in Andalusian folk music, there are many changes in the music in Lombarda's version.
9. Mazurca en LA m: (Lombarda 2000) It was very common to hear this original mazurca in family celebrations, such as the pig slaughters where they would taste their freshly made blood sausage along with a home-made wine. This type of song gets it's name mainly because of the Mi m, Re m tonality of the song... or for the town in which this song is performed.
10. Canción de animas: (Lombarda 1986, Lombarda 2000) This is an example of one of the most authentic and original songs in Andalusian folk music. Thanks to this song and to the Traditional music festival of the Alpujarras, Lombarda discovered their love for traditional music and went on to dedicate themselves fully to traditional Andalusian music in 1982. This one, single word. animas, describes the importance and respect of this tradition with the amazing music that accompanies it. We give thanks to this song by playing it in all of the festivals, competitions and shows of traditional music.
11. Romance La mora cautiva: (Lombarda 2000) This is one of the most poular romances known. There are many versions, but the most known among the erudites is the Don Bueso. The introduction of this song is an arragement interpreted with a baroque guitar by one of the founding members of Lombarda, Francisco Hervás, who these days specializes in ancient music, as a musician and luthier.
12. Anoche en tu cocina: (Dalequetedale 2003) This song was used as prayer in peculiar family masses that took place in different homes at harvest time, hoping for luck and an abundance of their crops. When this original tradition was lost, the song was sung between young men or in recreational reunions. The instrumental part of the song is and original composition of the group.
13. Aurora de Jayena: (Lombarda 2000, 2006) These are coplas or verses sung to the Aurora, that nowadays are no longer sung in the granadinian town of Jayena. Lombarda is now trying to recover this lost tradition. This best reflects what Lombarda is, and what they represent in the musical panorama: a group who does fieldwork and compiles material, does musical processing, creates their very own compositions and recreates music which offers a personal style, the style of Lombarda.

25 years (Lombarda 1980-2006- ?) To All of you who have supported and lived through Lombarda's music since we started. Thank You. GRACIAS

Technical information:

Music direction: Sixto A. Moreno

Recorded and mixed in Granada in february and march of 2006, in the studies of Fernando J. Romero

Sound Engineer: Fernando J. Romero y M. Oscar Musso

Design: Rafael Lozano

DVD Producer: Updesigncreation. Siniestar Audiovisual

DVD Director. Roberto Sanz

Text: Sixto A. Moreno

Translations: Rita Catolino