Cobla 5340604 224830085 2008-07-10T16:37:06Z P0mbal 5151728 /* Structure */ valve trombone [[Image:CoblaBaixLlobregat 9079.jpg|thumb|right|300 px|"Cobla Baix Llobregat" playing in front of the [[Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya|Palau de la Generalitat]] in [[Barcelona]]]] {{for|a related [[Occitan]] term|Cobla (Occitan literary term)}} The '''cobla''' is a traditional music ensemble of [[Catalonia]], the north-eastern region of [[Spain]] and in [[Northern Catalonia]] in [[France]]. It is generally used to accompany the [[Sardana]], a traditional Catalan folk dance, danced in a circle. ==Structure== The modern Cobla normally consists of 11 players: *One person plays the [[flabiol]], a three-holed flute (notable for being the only three-holed flute in the world with eight holes) with one hand (usually the left) while playing a small drum called a [[tambori|''tamborí'']] with the other hand. The tamborí is attached to the left arm of the player. *Four [[Catalan shawm]]s (double-reed woodwinds) **Two Tibles (a ''tible'' is like an oboe, but larger and louder) **Two Tenores (a ''tenora'' is a larger version of the tible) *Five Brass **Two [[Trumpet]]s **Two horns (called ''[[fiscorn]]'' in the [[Catalan language]] - they are baritone [[saxhorn]]s in the "marching" configuration: with the bell facing forward like a large [[flugelhorn]].) **One [[Trombone]], often a valve-trombone *One String Bass (An orchestral [[double bass]]; though originally a three-string bass.) There are, of course, small variations on this instrumentation in contemporary coblas. As with a jazz [[Big band]], the woodwinds generally sit in front with the brass and bass behind. ==History== Originally, the cobla was a 3-piece band: *One person played the [[flabiol]] and drum *The second person played the tible *The third played [[bagpipes]] The main instrument in the cobla, the Tenora, was developed around 1850 by French-Catalan luthier Andreu Toron, in [[Perpignan]]/Perpinyà. The modern 11-piece cobla was developed by the Catalan musician Josep Maria "Pep" Ventura (1817-1875). He wrote over 200 [[Sardana]] compositions. There is a small street named after him in [[Barcelona]], as well as a subway stop, presumably because of this achievement. ==How it is used== The cobla is normally used to accompany the [[Sardana]] In [[Barcelona]], capital of [[Catalonia]], in the summer time, one can often see cobla performances in open outdoor squares, with dozens of Catalonians mixed with tourists dancing the sardana, their purses and backpacks placed on the ground within the circle. Despite its small size, the cobla is powerful enough for the sound to fill an outdoor square and be heard beyond! Unusually, and to the delight of woodwind players, the tenores and tibles are the loudest instruments in the band. In recent years, the cobla has also played concerts where there is no dancing. This mirrors a trend in other forms of folk music, such as the [[Music of Ireland]]. ==See also== *[[Sardana]] *[[List of Barcelona metro stations]] ==External links== *[http://www.selvatana.com The Selvatana Cobla site] has many pictures and the history of this particular cobla, which was founded in 1913. *[http://www.ce.berkeley.edu/~coby/essays/sardana.htm The Sardana and I], an essay about Catalonian traditional dancing and music. *[[:Image:SardanaPlSantJaume_9081.ogg|45-sec Video of Sardana music and dance on Commons]] * MP-3 examples of [[sardana]] music are available on the [http://www.selvatana.com/Selvatana%20-%20Al%B7legoria%20(part%201).mp3 Selvatana Cobla] and [http://www.coblasabadell.com/mp3/lescomares.mp3 Cobla Sabadell] sites. [[Category:Catalan music]] [[ca:Cobla]] [[de:Cobla#Die Cobla, das Sardana-Orchester]] [[fr:Cobla]] [[nl:Cobla]]