"Joy at Christmas is a Christian instinct, which originated those many carols, which, like so many other beautiful traditions of the ages of Faith, are unfortunately dying out amongst us; but which Rome still encourages, gladly welcoming each year those rude musicians, the Pifferari. who come down from the Apennines, and make the streets of the Eternal City re-echo with their shrill melodies."
3 January 2023
From Gueranger
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3 comments:
And bagpipes
When I lived in Rome in the early 70's they were still a feature of Christmas. Like alien visitors from another planet, their bagpipe melodies were so primitive.
My memory is that I first heard them playing outside the circular temple of Vesta in the Forum. But I could be mistaken. Over the years, I identified that place as the temple where the singing of Vespers by the barefoot friars inspired Gibbon to write his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire."
But the text tells me it was Jupiter's shrine he mentions. Such the fragility of memory.
I wonder if they could still be there or if the EU Italians have become too sophisticated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SosiXNYMFGE
http://www.hberlioz.com/Italy/abruzzi.htm
The quote is probably an example of something I oft read of (or on occasion heard when on holidays) but gave it no attention. Even in these days where the Faith seems to fade, devotion through music or parades still isn't wholly dead in the countries fringing the Mediterranean (altho Mass goers are mostly older folk and some older festivities, say certain of those for St Lucy in Calabria, were suppressed by fussy priests enthralled with the New Pentecost or earlier Ultramontane exaggerations and / or because they despised the faithful and their customary devotions). I reckon Our Lady was (and hopefully is) rightly honoured by these musicians.
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