EncyclopediaArxaluak, txaramelak, tarrañuelak

These are idiophones struck indirectly.

Description of the instrument

It may be a couple of wooden tablets, but as its in Basque indicates and we have known, pieces of stone were also used in the past. They take different forms depending on the place.

Way of playing

The two tablets are held the fingers and played like castanets.

History

Father Donostia (1952) collected the following passage:

"They are called arxaluak. They are also pieces of earthenware that children use to play with" (p. 302).

At the end of the 20th century, they were still used in some places in Bizkaia to accompany fandango, arin-arin and marches. In the county of Durangaldea they are known as "paluak" and have a special shape to hold them better with the fingers. In some places they are also called txaramelak and tarrañuelas.

In Burgi, Roncal, we met Carlos Zabalza, who played this type of stone castanets (arxaluak).

Carlos Zabalza playing the stone castanets (Burgi, 1988)

In Hernani we have also collected information on the use of this type of instrument, both wooden "tablets" and "stone castanets".

Kamilo Redondo "Katxo" from Hernani playing the “tablatxoak” (Hernani, 1997)

In a photograph taken at the end of the 19th century in the Calle Mayor of Hondarribia, an instrument of this type appears accompanying the guitar and the lute.

FUENTERRABIA. Calle Mayor. Tiburcio Berrotaran. Tarjeta Postal. Unión Postal Universal.

SOURCES

Bibliography

BELTRAN ARGIÑENA, Juan Mari. (1996). Soinutresnak euskal herri musikan. Hernani: Orain.DONOSTIA, Aita. (1952). Instrumentos Musicales Populares Vascos. Obras Completas del P. Donostia. (Tomo II, 257-309). Bilbao: ED. La Gran Enciclopedia Vasca, 1983.

Others

Interview with Carlos Zabalza. Burgui, 1988. Soinuenea-Fonoteca.