O’ Carolan – Caleidoscopio (Luna Nueva, 2019)
Caleidoscopio (Kaleidoscope) presents a captivating tribute to the rich world of Aragonese traditional music. With this recording the band changed its focus. Although O’Carolan is based in the Aragonese region of northern Spain, the band’s first albums were dedicated to Irish folk music. On Caleidoscopio, however, O’ Carolan refocused its attention from Celtic music and decided to explore joyful Aragonese folk music, ranging from the traditions of the Huesca Pyrenees to Zaragoza dances from Teruel province.
In addition to the folk influences, Caleidoscopio also features western classical influences provided by the prestigious Concorda Quartet.
The album also includes a notable bonus track, “Memoria de Marboré,” an original composition that celebrates Lake Marboré nestled in the picturesque Aragonese Pyrenees. This piece represents the culmination of years of collaboration with the Faculty of Sciences of the Earth at the University of Zaragoza. It artfully translates digital sounds derived from scientific parameters. Other guests include virtuoso Viola de Gamba player, Alba Fresno, a dear friend of the band.
The musical instruments used by O’ Carolan represents the Celtic world, Aragonese traditions and other treasured instruments from abroad: Irish harp, duduk, uilleann pipe, boto bagpipe (Aragonese bagpipe), udu, bodhran, nyckelharpa, and an assortment of other instruments.
Musicians: Susana Arregui on violin and viola; Pilar Gonzalvo on the Irish harp and hurdy-gurdy; Julian Ansuategui on the bodhran, udu, tambourines, and small percussion; Ernesto Cossío on acoustic and Spanish guitar; and Miguel Ángel Fraile on uilleann pipe, musettes, boto bagpipes, whistles, accordion, duduk, and clarduk.
Track listing
– 1- La otra mirada (The Other Look) (4:05) (Based on “La Tórtola” from the dance of Monegrillo, Zaragoza)
2- Compás 26 (Beat 26) (4:10) (Dawn song from Sinués, Huesca)
3- La sirena de piedra (The Stone Mermaid) (3:48) (Revision of “Las quejas” from the dance of Quinto, Zaragoza)
4- Aurora vieja (Old Dawn) (3:15) (Ancient song to the sound of the bagpipe from Sariñena, Zaragoza)
5- A la campana (To the Bell) (4:20) (Dances from the dance of Jorcas, Teruel)
6- El abrigo del agua (The Water Shelter) (3:55) (Dawn song from Alquézar, Huesca)
7- Tiempo de nieves (Snow Time) (3:33) (Romance of the Virgin of the Snows from Bujaraloz, Zaragoza)
8- Ball dels salvatges (3:10) (ancestral performance from Benabarre, Huesca)
9- Cardeluna (4:04) (Dawn of Monroyo in Teruel and La Cardelina from Monegrillo, Zaragoza)
10- The Blue Hour (The Blue Hour) (1:52) (El Pericón from Urrea de Gaen, Teruel)
11- Caleidoscopio (Kaleidoscope) (3:22) (Dances from Alagón, the Moncayo area, and Garrapinillos, Zaragoza)
Bonus track – Memoria de Marboré (Memory of Marboré) (8:25)
*All tracks are free interpretations of traditional Aragonese melodies (except for Memory of Marboré, which is an original composition).
Author: Iliana Cabrera
