Vox Blenii
Vox Blenii ("voice of Blenios") is a folk music ensemble from the Blenio Valley in the Swiss canton of Ticino .
group
The group was founded in 1983 by a couple of friends who were interested in local traditional folk music, its origins and history.
In contrast to other folk music ensembles, Vox Blenii does not primarily play existing folk songs. In extensive research, Vox Blenii traces folk songs that were nowhere written down and threatened to be forgotten. Vox Blenii visited old people in remote villages and retirement homes and had them sing old songs and recite texts. Some songs were created as piecemeal: here an old woman knew a verse, there an old man remembered the melody. Little by little, numerous songs could be restored. They were written down and rearranged with instruments of the time. For this it was necessary to build up a relationship of trust with the keepers of the oral tradition in order to obtain the most natural possible interpretation of the songs and texts.
In this way, numerous songs from the period between 1800 and the first half of the 19th century were collected in various versions and modifications, saved from oblivion and brought back to life.
In 1984 Vox Blenii founded the "Tre giorni di musica popolare" festival (three days of folk music), which takes place in October in the Blenio valley. Musicians from home and abroad are invited.
Songs
The soulful songs tell of the hard everyday life in the mountain valleys, of death, passion and unhappy love, of smugglers and soldiers, of young girls who are put into monasteries by strict fathers, and also of emigration and political disputes. Also suggestive texts are among them; Under the guise of everyday stories and objects, many things could be described that would otherwise not have been allowed to be mentioned in customs.
The latest album features recordings of old people singing their version of a song and then the 'revived' version of the Vox Blenii.
occupation
- Luisa Poggi: vocals and percussion
- Remo Gandolfi: violin, mandolin and vocals
- Aurelio Beretta: accordion and vocals
- Gianni Guidicelli: guitar and vocals
- Francesco Toschini: double bass and vocals
Discography
- I fioo e r'amur 1988
- L'umetin 1991
- A dieci ore ... 1994
- Polenta gialda 1997
- Lavura ti pour'om 2000
- Evviva chi g'ha i debiti 2006
- E la mi manda 2014