Colla Portitxol releases work telling the story of the festivities of Sant Joan
The 17 tracks will alternate with a story about the mythical origin of the Sant Joan festivities set in the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.
Thursday 30th December 2021 – PRESS RELEASE with Mike Smith
In 2019, the Sant Joan festivities were held for the last time in Xàbia. That same year, the Grup de Danses Portitxol, one of the most deeply-rooted associations in Xàbia, with more than 190 socios and 70 active members, published its first album Cançons de la Marina in collaboration with the Generalitat Valenciana. In this work, the Rondalla and the Colla Portitxol perform, which has more than two decades of activity and a consolidated school of dulzaina and percussion.
During the covid-19 pandemic, Hèctor Peropadre Martí (Xàbia, 1990), part of the Portitxol musicians and an interpreter related to more traditional music formations (such as those of Pep Botifarra and Jonatan Penalba) as well as others such as the author’s song , rock and electronics (Xavi Sarrià and Aspencat), began to compose a musical tale in the form of a suite, combining his own influences with the artistic legacy of the Colla Portitxol. Likewise, he is absolutely linked to the rural Xabienca fiesta of Portitxol, next to the very popular cove, since the group has played a leading role in the recovery of its festivities.
The result of two years of work is a short story-disc that combines 17 pieces for dolçaina and percussion, performed by the Colla Portitxol, with a narration in the form of a story – written by xabienc Quico Miralles and Josep Nadal (composer and singer of La Gossa Sorda), and also narrated by the latter – which links the mythical past and the origins of the Sant Joan festival in Xàbia – of a profane nature, full of magical rituals – with another epidemic of a century ago, that of the Spanish flu, as well as the teaching of the dolçaina and the recovery of the festivities as a backdrop. The work aims to resemble Valencian narrative traditions such as that of Enric Valor’s Rondalles Valencianes but also that of Al Tall in the Transition years, with Som de la Pelitrumpeli.
Presented as a book-disc and edited in collaboration with the Generalitat Valenciana, the work has had the participation of prominent leaders of Valencian music. In addition to Josep Nadal himself as the narrator, Pep Gimeno Botifarra and Sandra Monfort play the leading roles and are accompanied by Xavi Sarrià, Feliu Ventura, Jonatan Penalba, Xiomara Abello, Flora Sempere (El Diluvi), Ivan Gosp and Kiko Tur (Aspencat), among others.
The album can now be purchased at La Tallarina (Carrer Major 58, Xàbia) and at Llibreria Colon (Ronda Colon 1, Xàbia) and is available on the digital platforms of YouTube and Spotify.
