Episode nr. 17 - Between bridges...were voices
By Maile Colbert
We are pleased to present a new series on our Binaural Radio Rural podcast, entitled “Between Bridges” and created by Maile Colbert. The source archives used in this series belong to Binaural Nodar Digital Archive and explore Voice, and its relationship to Place. How do our places shape voices, both human and non-human, song and soundscape?
In this episode, polyphonic traditional singing from Portugal combines simultaneously two or more tones or melodic lines. The songs here are from recordings of rehearsals of polyphonic singing groups in the municipalities of Sever do Vouga, Oliveira de Frades, São Pedro do Sul, and Vouzela. This was from the “Culture Between Bridges” project. The soundscapes from the Binaural Nodar Digital Archive are layered and woven into the singing, to give an aural context of place and location to the possibly origin of these folk songs, sung during travel, labor, pilgrimage, and celebration. The original beginnings and forming of the traditional songbook of these territories would have always had the soundscapes of the region with them and within them.
Translation and contextualization of the lyrics:
(thanks to Rui Costa for the assistance)
The days are getting longer and the temperature is rising,
it's time for us to hang up our coat
and happily welcome the change of season.
The vine also celebrates the arrival of spring with its crying
The branch of the vine cries
Where it was cut from its Mother
The vine cries
The lemon cries
The vine cries
Do not cry
O vine, give me a bunch
O bunch, give me a grape berry
You say, apart, apart
Red wine from the white
I was also separated
From whom I like so much
The vine crying refers to the coming Spring, the increase in temperature and sunlight increases the temperature of the soil, which wakes the grape vine from its vegetative rest. The roots become active again and absorb water and minerals, rising through the xylem. Where cuts were made from the winter pruning, the sap weeps (cries). This can tell the growers that the buds will burst forth soon in a new cycle of growth.
The agriculture metaphor in folk songs is something shared by many cultures. Cycles of life, growth and death, separation and sacrifice, labor and loss.
Bring the goats outside, the sheep are already there.
if you have a donkey, you bring one
if you don't, you go walking
Don't pay attention to how long the path is
a snack is coming soon
A cat walks up the hill.
I'll cut his tail to use in the ribbon of my hat.
So many brambles and black berries up that hill.
The chestnut leaf has little prickes like the lace.
Those who have a sweetheart will not have a better present.
Another reoccurring theme of course deals with love,
sexuality, courting and chasing,
sometimes warning and protecting.
Oh Rose of Alexandria,
where did you leave your scent?
I left it on your bed,
in the lace of your pillow.
This morning I found a love letter
right below my window.
I wonder who lost it?
It was full of flowers
I've been working in the hills,
catching gorse and firewood.
Rosa, give me a kiss so that no one sees.
António, go away,
let the girl be, because she doesn't have a father,
no one should tell her what to do.
She is not yours, she is her mother's.
let the maiden be.
The sun promised to the moon a scarf with many colors
There goes the moonlight, behind the pine grove.
Goodbye my love,
he will never return
The theme of the pilgrim is also often found in folk songs,
Devotion and proving oneself to God and Saints,
But also the importance of the communal and social aspects
Our lady of Santana climbed the hill.
And where she climbed, a water source appeared.
A rich source with beautiful water.
Angels came and drank that water.
I came from there now.
Just wearing my shirt (no jacket)
I play my guitar.
People come from far away
just to see such a beautiful rose.
