South Italian Folk Songs

Salento, the southernmost region of Apulia at the heel of the Italian boot, possesses an exceedingly rich and lively musical tradition. The music is multifaceted, melodically catchy, and significantly defined by the rhythmically propulsive and impulsively gripping pizzica (tarantella). This also applies to the songs of Grecia Salentina at the very tip of the heel, home to a minority community who speak Griko, a fascinating mix of Greek and Italian. Four very diverse popular songs are included in this collection which can be performed individually or as a small cycle. The Griko aids, spoken by Manuela Pellegrino and Salvatore Tommasi, are available at no charge through the Helbling Media App. These deeply moving, soulful, and stirring songs, often about the many facets of love, represent a musical treasure that singers and audiences will adore.