Violini e violoni nei canti di questua del Fabrianese, nelle Marche

The group of authentic bearers of the singing tradition of ritual begging of May (Maggio) in Fabriano (AN) is one of the most interesting discoveries of all my field research in the Marche region, which I have conducted for more than fifty years. This area is a precious and strange “musical island”, which stands out clearly from the rest of the Marche region. The group consists of a minimum of six to a maximum of ten elements; the main instruments are the violins and the violone (a bowed instrument the size of a cello with bass function), with the addition of the accordion or the organetto, a small diatonic button accordion. The text is accompanied by wonderful photos taken by Mario Giacomelli, a great master from the Marche region, one of the greatest Italian contemporary photographers.