Xirula
Encyclopedia
The xirula is a small three hole flute usually made of wood akin to the Basque txistu
or three-hole pipe
, but more high pitched and strident, tuned to C and an octave higher than the silbote. The sound that flows from the flute has often been perceived as a metaphor for the tweet cadences of bird songs. Some scholars point out that flutes found in the Caverns of Isturitz and Oxozelaia going back to a period spanning 35.000 to 10.000 years ago bear witness to the early presence of the instrument's forerunner in the region, while this view has been disputed.
(the extent of its use has shrunk over the years), where it provides along with the atabal (a tabor like instrument played with drumsticks) the musical background for various traditional dances. Besides performing the music for dances, in the former viscounty of Soule
(Zuberoa in Basque) it may enliven accompanied on both the ttun-ttun
and the atabal the traditional carnival-time performances called maskarada
k as well as the pastoral
s, age-old region-specific theatre plays popular in the area.
It should be pointed out that like variants have been used to the west and east of the Basque Country up to the 50s, with some examples occasionally jumping to the spotlight in special events, e.g. the so-called "gigantillos" (dancing characters with magnified masks and costumes) dancing to the tunes of the "chirola" in Burgos (Spain). The "silbu" and "chiflo" from Cantabria
and Aragón
show similar features.
, where xirula's musical revival is led by Jean-Mixel Bedaxagar (1953) along with Mixel Etxekopar (1963).
Txistu
The txistu or chistu is a kind of fipple flute that became a symbol for the Basque folk revival. The name may stem from the general Basque word ziztu "to whistle" with palatalisation of the z...
or three-hole pipe
Three-hole pipe
The three-hole pipe, also commonly known as Tabor pipe is a wind instrument designed to be played by one hand, leaving the other hand free to play a tabor drum, bell, psalterium or tambourin à cordes, bones, triangle or other percussive instrument....
, but more high pitched and strident, tuned to C and an octave higher than the silbote. The sound that flows from the flute has often been perceived as a metaphor for the tweet cadences of bird songs. Some scholars point out that flutes found in the Caverns of Isturitz and Oxozelaia going back to a period spanning 35.000 to 10.000 years ago bear witness to the early presence of the instrument's forerunner in the region, while this view has been disputed.
Extent
It is an instrument characteristic of the Pyrenees, and it is played on the French side of the Basque CountryNorthern Basque Country
The French Basque Country or Northern Basque Country situated within the western part of the French department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques constitutes the north-eastern part of the Basque Country....
(the extent of its use has shrunk over the years), where it provides along with the atabal (a tabor like instrument played with drumsticks) the musical background for various traditional dances. Besides performing the music for dances, in the former viscounty of Soule
Soule
Soule is a former viscounty and French province and part of the present day Pyrénées-Atlantiques département...
(Zuberoa in Basque) it may enliven accompanied on both the ttun-ttun
Psalterium (instrument)
A psalterium , or tambourin à cordes, is a stringed musical instrument, the name of which means the same thing as the one of psaltery. In specific usage, this name denotes a form of long psaltery that is tuned to provide drone chords. Sometimes called a string drum, it is usually used as rhythm...
and the atabal the traditional carnival-time performances called maskarada
Maskarada (carnival of Soule)
The maskarada is a popular set of traditional, theatrical performances that take place annually during the time of carnival in the Basque region of Soule, France...
k as well as the pastoral
Pastoral (theatre of Soule)
The pastoral is a traditional kind of play from the Basque Country held in the region of Soule , France. It features a set range of characters and acts repeated on all pieces...
s, age-old region-specific theatre plays popular in the area.
It should be pointed out that like variants have been used to the west and east of the Basque Country up to the 50s, with some examples occasionally jumping to the spotlight in special events, e.g. the so-called "gigantillos" (dancing characters with magnified masks and costumes) dancing to the tunes of the "chirola" in Burgos (Spain). The "silbu" and "chiflo" from Cantabria
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
and Aragón
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
show similar features.
Players
Main xirula activity focuses in SouleSoule
Soule is a former viscounty and French province and part of the present day Pyrénées-Atlantiques département...
, where xirula's musical revival is led by Jean-Mixel Bedaxagar (1953) along with Mixel Etxekopar (1963).