Music of Sicily - Traditional Music

Traditional Music

Sicily's historical connections lie not just with mainland Italy, but also the ancient Greeks and more recent Normans, French, Spanish and the Maghreb (Arab) cultures and occupiers. The result has been a diverse and unique fusion of musical elements on the island. American musicologist Alan Lomax made some historic recordings of Sicilian traditional music in the 20th century, including lullabies, dance music, festival music, epic storytelling and religious music.

Sicily is home to several different types of folk music instruments, many of which can also be found in other parts of Southern Italy. The Sicilian ciaramedda is a type of Italian Zampogna (Bagpipe) that has two equal length chanters and from two to three drone. All the pipes use single cane reeds made from Arundo donax. Also made out of Arundo donax is a small end blown flute called a friscaletto or friscalettu. The jaw harp, known in Sicilian as "marranzanu" is heavily associated with Sicilian folk music. Since its invention in the early 19th century the Organetto, a diatonic folk accordion is also prevalent in traditional Sicilian music. Percussion instruments include tambourines and other frame drums as well as the cupa cupa, a unique sounding friction drum.