Description
Compendium for Alien Entities
Book Summary
This book is the first work by Ursaria, a Madrid-based band that has made the revival of traditional music from Madrid its hallmark. The work not only documents a unique repertoire but reinterprets it within its own theatrical and poetic universe. The reader will find a journey through seguidillas, jotas, mayos, chotis, and songs of labor, tavern, and wedding, presented without taboos and with a marked Hispanic surrealism. An essential compendium for understanding how oral tradition can come to life on the contemporary stage.
What is it about?
Compendio para entidades alienígenas (Compendium for Alien Entities) is a project that transcends a simple musical compilation. Ursaria, formed by Ismael Clemente, has set out to bring the oral traditional music of the province of Madrid to the stage. The book explores a vast catalog of genres: from seguidillas and jeringonzas to work songs, rounds, ritual dances, and the popular chotis. It is not limited to the rural, but encompasses both the countryside and the city, creating a bridge between the ancestral and the contemporary. The work stands out for its theatrical and poetic approach, where magic and Hispanic surrealism intertwine to offer a unique experience of rediscovering Madrid's musical identity.
Main themes
- Recovery and reinterpretation of oral traditional music from Madrid.
- Popular musical genres: seguidillas, jotas, mayos, chotis, rounds, and ritual dances.
- Fusion of the rural and the urban in contemporary musical expression.
- Theatricality, poetry, and Hispanic surrealism applied to stage performance.
- Cultural identity and intangible heritage of the province of Madrid.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at lovers of traditional Spanish and folk music, especially those interested in the cultural heritage of Madrid. It is also ideal for musicians, ethnomusicologists, and scholars of oral tradition, as well as curious readers seeking a poetic and theatrical approach to the musical roots of a region. Anyone interested in artistic proposals that break taboos and explore new ways of recounting the ancient will find this a fascinating work.
What this book offers
- Documented and creative access to a little-known traditional musical repertoire.
- A contemporary and theatrical vision of oral traditional music, far removed from academicism.
- The possibility of connecting with Madrid's cultural identity from a poetic and surreal perspective.
- A reading experience that combines the rigor of compilation with artistic freedom.
- A source of inspiration for musicians and creators interested in folklore.
Technical specifications
- Author: Músicas de Madrid, URSARIA
- Publisher: MANDALA EDICIONES
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: COMPOSERS AND MUSICIANS, SPECIFIC BANDS AND GROUPS
- Collection: MUSIC
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: February 2023
- Number of pages: 368
- Weight: 615 g
Editorial review
Compendio para entidades alienígenas presents itself as a unique work within the musical and publishing landscape. Its proposal to rescue and theatricalize traditional Madrid music, without sacrificing poetry and surrealism, makes it a title of great interest for those looking for more than just a simple compilation. The work of Ursaria, led by Ismael Clemente, offers a fresh and daring look at folklore, ideal for readers who value innovation through tradition. It is, without a doubt, a recommended acquisition for lovers of roots music and artistic proposals with a personality of their own.