EncyclopediaOCARINAS

Ocarinas are vessel flutes. They come in many shapes (oval, elongated, in the shape of living beings or objects...). They usually have a recorder-like mouthpiece and the number of holes varies.

The most widespread ocarina in the Basque Country and the surrounding area is an elongated earthenware vessel, one half of which is cylindrical in shape and the other half semi-conical. These ocarinas have eight, nine or ten tone holes (one or two on the back). According to Felipe Pedrell in the Diccionario Técnico de la Música (1894, pp. 321-322), this model of ocarina was invented by Giuseppe Donati, a native of Budrio, an Italian village, and was based on instruments of this type that were used previously.

It is played with both hands, bringing the lips close to the mouthpiece and blowing air out, just like a flute. Melodies can be composed by covering and opening the holes.

HISTORY

As in the surrounding countries, these musical instruments have been played in many places in the Basque Country. For example, we know that they have been used in brass bands. Miguel Ángel Martín and his wife Maribel, who lived in Intxaurrondo (Donostia-San Sebastian) in the 1970s, had an iron ocarina. It seems that Maribel's father played it in the band of Zumarraga (Gipuzkoa), probably before the Civil War. We have not found any other cast iron ocarina.¹

In any case, Pilar Simón (1925-2013) from Hernani (Gipuzkoa) told us in an interview with her on 3 September 2002 that her grandfather played both the violin and the ocarina. She had two at home, and one of them was made of "silver" (metal).

According to the txistulari Joanito Arozena (1930-2021) from Oiartzun (Gipuzkoa), in that town there was a time when it was played on its own, both in bars and in the street.

Carmelo Boneta of Estella playing the ocarina. (Photo: S. Martínez Garate)

Nowadays, one can still find the odd performer who plays the local repertoire of the ocarina in the area of Estella (Navarre). One of them is Carmelo Boneta. In our interview with him on 3 August 2015 he told us that the ocarina was also called "bocarra" there.

The txistulari German Intxausti (1926-2004) from Alegia (Gipuzkoa) played the ocarina when he was young. When he passed away, his son Ricardo left his ocarina to Soinuenea and today it can be seen in the museum's exhibition.

The ocarina of German Intxausti from Alegia. JBMA collection, no. 0983. (Photo: O. Zapirain – Soinuenea)

ICONOGRAPHY

In the iconography of the churches of the Basque Country we have not found any flute in the shape of a common ocarina, but we have found another curious flute with similar characteristics. It frequently appears in two forms in rich Romanesque iconography. In most cases, it is shaped like a small barrel with a nozzle, and in the rest, like a flattened container. This flute, which is known as a dolia², almost always appears with other instruments³. Some researchers believe that these barrel-shaped vessels are drink containers, not flutes, while others consider them as flutes of the ocarina family.

The main characteristic of this type of flute is that, like the ocarinas, they have a container, most often in the shape of a barrel, inside which the air vibrates.

It consists of a channel to direct the air into the interior. From the position of the lips when blowing, it seems that some of these flutes have a bevelled mouthpiece, while others worked by blowing directly against the rim of the tube.

They often appear to have no fingering holes, which leads us to believe that these flutes would have a single note as a drone.

However, sometimes, because of the shape of the flute and the position of the player's fingers, we believe that the bowl could have several holes to emit different notes, like many other ocarinas. This is the case of the musician who appears on the outside of the Basilica of the Assumption of Santa María in Lekeitio. This ocarina or dolia player appears on the outer archivolt of the main doorway.

This type of flute is still used in many places around the world. Here are three examples:

A Portuguese ocarina called "cuco". JMBA collection, no. 80. (Photo: O. Zapirain - Soinuenea)

Argentinian ocarina. JMBA collection, no. 1310. (Photo: O. Zapirain - Soinuenea)

Chilean ocarina. JMBA collection, no. 483. (Photo: O. Zapirain - Soinuenea)

When the mouthpiece channel tube is long, it seems that the fingering holes would be there. We find an example to the north of Burgos in Miñón, a village located next to the river Urbel; it appears on the third archivolt of the entrance to the church of San Pedro, together with other instruments.

Musician playing the dolia in the church of San Pedro de Miñón, in Burgos. (Source: Porras Robles, 2007, p. 76)

At the entrance to the monastery of Leire, there is a musician on the outer archivolt playing two ocarinas/dolias, with other instrumentalists at his side.

Double ocarina/dolia in the Monastery of Leire. (Photo: JMBA)

Although this musical instrument has a strong presence in mediaeval Basque iconography, we have not found any name for it in ancient documents.

Biscay

LEKEITIO

BASILICA OF THE ASSUMPTION OF SANTA MARÍA IN LEKEITIO

In the rich musical iconography of the Basilica of the Assumption of Santa María in Lekeitio there is an ocarina player among the musicians. On the exterior, on the outer archivolt of the main western doorway, there is a musician playing the ocarina-dolia as part of the instrumental ensemble that oversees the church's entrance for the parishioners. Like the rest of the musicians in the group, he is in a position to play. The ensemble is completed by players of the xirolarru (bagpipe), oboe, zither, rebec, lute, mandolin and harp. From the position of the fingers, we believe that the vessel would have several holes to play different notes.

Ocarina-dolia player in the Basilica of Lekeitio. (Photo: JMBA)

Navarre

AÑÉZCAR

CHURCH OF SAN ANDRÉS

In the village of Añézcar, located near Berrioplano, there is an ocarina-dolia player at the entrance to the 12^th-century church of San Andrés.

Ocarina-dolia performer in Añézcar. (Photo: JMBA)

ARCE

CHURCH OF SANTA MARÍA

In the village of Nagore in the Arce Valley stands the church of Santa María, a 12^th-century Romanesque chapel. The outer modillions feature three musicians, two of them playing the dolia. The other is a harpist.

Musicians playing the dolia in the church of Santa María de Arce. (Photo: JMBA)

BETELU

CHURCH OF SAN PEDRO APÓSTOL

Construction work on the church of San Pedro in Betelu began in the 14^th century and continued until the 18^th century. Two musicians can be seen on the modillions on the ledges of the main entrance: the one on the left is n playing an instrument similar to the alboka and the other an instrument that resembles an ocarina (or dolia) type of flute. Noting that the performer uses both hands, we can surmise that he would have holes to vary the pitch.

Flautist at the entrance of the parish church of San Pedro Apóstol in Betelu. (Photo: JMBA)

LARUNBE

CHURCH OF SAN VICENTE

The parish church of San Vicente de Larunbe is a 13^th-century Gothic building with Romanesque sculptures. The outer modillions two musicians playing the dolia.

Musicians playing the dolia in the parish church of Larunbe. (Photo: JMBA)

LARRAYA-CIZUR

PARISH CHURCH OF SAN ROMÁN

The parish church of San Román de Larraya-Cizur is a Romanesque church dating from the early 13^th century. A dolia player appears on one of the outer modillions of the portico.

Performer of the dolia on the church of San Román in Larraya. (Photo: JMBA)

LEIRE

MONASTERY OF SAN SALVADOR

The western doorway of the monastery of Leire, known as Porta Speciosa, dates from the 12^th century and the outer archivolt of the entrance features musicians, one of whom is n playing a double ocarina.

The double ocarina of the Monastery of Leire. (Photo: JMBA)

OLÓRIZ-ETXANO, VALDORBA

HERMITAGE OF SAN PETRI

In the uninhabited village of Etxano, in the Navarrese municipality of Olóriz, stands the 12^th-century Romanesque chapel of San Petri. It is a hermitage rich in iconography in which we can see many musicians. Among them, in the outer modillions, there are two playing the dolia.

The two dolia performers in Etxano. (Photo: JMBA)

SANGÜESA

CHURCH OF SANTA MARÍA LA REAL

In the Romanesque church of Santa María la Real in Sangüesa, which dates from the 12^th century, a musician can be seen playing the dolia on one of the exterior modillions.

Musician playing the dolia in the church of Santa María in Sangüesa. (Photo: JMBA)

SANGÜESA

CHURCH OF SAN ADRIAN DE VALOLUENGO

The church of San Adrián de Valoluengo in Sangüesa is a 12^th-century Romanesque building. On a modillion in the eaves there is a dolia performer.

The dolia player of the church of San Adrián in Vadoluengo. (Photo: JMBA)

REFERENCES

¹ https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/historical-metal-soprano-ocarina-1727639539 (Consulted on 03/09/2021)

² The name "dolio" was provided to us by organology expert Faustino Porras Robles.

³ For more information, see: Porras Robles, F. (2007). “Un nuevo aerófono del Románico: el Dolio”. Revista de Folklore, (no. 315), pp. 75-85. And also this, by the same author (2013). “Dolia Sonantia (Toneles sonoros)”. Revista de Folklore, (no. 372), pp. 16-27.

SOURCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

PEDRELL, F. (1894). Diccionario Técnico de la Música. Librería París-Valencia, Faksímila, 1992.

PORRAS ROBLES, F. (2007). Un nuevo aerófono del Románico: el Dolio. Revista de Folklore, (nº 315), 75-85.

PORRAS ROBLES, F. (2013). Dolia Sonantia (Toneles sonoros). Revista de Folklore, (nº 372), 16-27.