Subsections

• Methods
• Books
• Magazines

Methods, Books, Magazines

The books listed here are, usually, of limited diffusion. If your local library does not know how to get hold of them, I would recommend to write directly to the publisher, who, at least, will be able to tell you if the book is still in print.

If you have any reference other than those listed here, please send it to me.

Methods

There are few methods for Galician gaita; here are the ones I am aware of.

Método Completo de Gaita (A Complete method for the Bagpipe)

This was, to the best of my knowledge, the first gaita course. It was written by Rodrigo A. de Santiago and published by Editorial Galaxia, S.A. It is out of print now.

A Gaita no Eido da Música (The Bagpipe in the Realm of the Music)

This book, written in Galician by Xaime Estévez Vila, gives a overview of the Galician bagpipe, history and music, along with fingering exercices and advices on playing and care of the gaita. It comes with selected scores, in several levels of dificulty. It has been published by:

Centro de Ensinanzas Musicais Mayeusis
Areal n $^{\underline{{\rm o}}}$ 118
E-36201 Vigo
Spain

Phone: +34-986-226378

This book's ISBN is 84-404-0315-1.

Leccións de Gaita (Lectures on Bagpiping)

Written by E. Otero Covelo (in Galician). This book describes briefly the gaita fingering and some maintenance tips. Scores of selected tunes, both popular and composed by the author, are included. Its ISBN is 84-7154-304-4, and it was originally published by:

Editorial Galaxia, S.A.
Reconquista n $^{\underline{{\rm o}}}$ 1
E-36201 Vigo
Spain

Os Segredos da Gaita (Secrets of the Bagpipe)

Written in Galician by Xosé Lois Foxo and published by:

Deputación Provincial de Ourense
E-32701 Ourense
Spain

It is now in its (I believe) third edition, and has lots of tunes and advices on gaita maintenance. The overall presentation, however, is not the best, and scores with mistakes are not scarce. Most bagpipers in Galicia do not share some of their viewpoints about history and costumes.

Books

As for books other than the methods aforementioned, you may check this references. Again, there are more, but I simply do not have neither them nor the references. Usually they contain scores and miscellaneous information.

Doce Polainas Enteiras (Twelve Full-length Breeches)

A book which gathers the most recent work and thoughts on traditional music and its rôle in nowadays culture of several Galician bagpipers and composers. Some 100 scores are included, as well as an audio CD with recordings of several of these pieces of work, as performed by their authors. This book's ISBN is 84-8289-073-5, and it is distributed by Edicións do Cumio, Vigo, but they do not ship outside Galicia (in Galicia you will find it in almost every bookshop of music shop). If you want to get hold of it, have more information, you may visit the homepage of José Presedo, one of the authors.

Aires da Terra: La poesía musical de Galicia (Aires da Terra: The Musical Poetry of Galicia )

Also termed as The Green Book, after its color - no ecological pun intended. Written (in Spanish) and published by José Luis Calle García, with ISBN 84-604-8133-6. This book reviews the life and work of Mr. Feijoo, who founded and conducted one of the most famous musical groups in Galicia in the first quarter of this century, besides being and very popular character in the Pontevedra of its time (his parrot's passing is still commemorated) and a true lover of Galician traditions and music. The complete collection of Feijoo's scores is included and thoroughly commented. This book can be ordered by writing to the author at:

José Luis Calle García
C/ Don Alvaro de Bazán n $^{\underline{{\rm o}}}$ 3, 6 $^{\underline{{\rm o}}}$ D
28003 Madrid
Spain

I would recommend it for people who already knows about Galician folklore and wants to have a deeper knowledge of the development of Galician folklore in the last years of the past century and the first years of the current one. I do not have any participation in this book's sales, but I know the author and I might enter in touch with him and ask for details if anybody wants a copy of the book.

Cancionero Musical de Galicia (A Song and Tune Book of Galicia)

This book, written in Spanish by Casto Sampedro y Folgar and first published in 1942, was reprinted some years ago by the Fundación ``Pedro Barrié de la Maza'', ISBN 84-85728-23-8. Casto Sampedro visited lots of villages in Galicia, collecting tunes and songs. He sorted them out, commented them, and the final result is one of the best known sources for traditional Galician music. More than 450 popular tunes are contained in this book. It can ordered at their online service.

Cancionero Popular Galego (Traditional Galician Song Book)

A big piece of work (7 volumes) written in Galician, Spanish, and (parts of it) German. The authors, Dorothé Schubarth and Antón Santamarina, collected popular songs, classified them in categories and put together the lyrics, scores and information about the persons the songs where collected from. It comes with audio tapes. ISBN 84-85728-42-4, Fundación ``Pedro Barrié de la Maza''.

O que Dí a Gaita (What the Bagpipe Says)

A book of music by the author, Xosé Casal, written in Galician. Published by La Voz de Galicia, División de Artes Gráficas , ISBN 84-505-0049-4. X. Casal composes good music, but it is hard to write a complete book in which every single tune is remarkable.

Catalogo de las Cornamusas del Museo de la Gaita de Gijón (A Catalog of the Bagpipes in the Bagpipes Museum of Gijón)

by Alfonso García Oliva. This book is not directly related to Galician bagpipes, but it may be appreciated by anyone deeply interested in the different types of bagpipes. It has been published by the ``Fundacion Municipal de Cultural''. If you are interested in it, you may write the Museum:

Museo de la Gaita de Gijón
Eria del Piles s.n.
Pueblo de Asturias
33203 Gijón
Spain

Ph. +34-98-533-2244

El libro de la gaita (The Bagpipes Book)

by M. Quirós. ISBN 84-86889-26-X. In Spanish. A study and comparison of bagpipes in the world, paying special attention to Galician and Asturian bagpipes. Includes scores for (mainly) Asturian tunes. I have been told by a gaitas maker that some of the assertions of the author can be questioned, but that it is certainly a book to have in your shelf. I believe it can be ordered from the Museo de la Gaita de Gijón (see previous item).

Other tune book along the lines of Casto Sampedro's one is Bal y Gay's book, but I don't have the reference here.

Magazines

There are four relevant magazines which I am aware of:

Do Brillante

The official magazine of the Asociación de Gaiteiros Galegos (Galician Bagpipers Association). It contains news on the Galician piping scenario, articles, scores, interviews and information about piping-related events. The magazine, as well as information about the association and the events sponsored by it can be obtained by writing to the following P.O. box:

Do Brillante
Apdo. Correos 8316
E-36200 Vigo
Spain

Anuario da Gaita

is a product of the X. Lois Foxo school. It contains miscellaneous articles about bagpipes, mainly Galician, but not restricted to them. The less I can say is that his own points of view percolate here and there in the articles. The contact address is:

Anuario da Gaita
Escola Provincial de Gaitas
Deputación de Orense
Apdo. 520
E-32080 Ourense
Spain

Phone: +34-988-227314
Fax: +34-988-244350

Ghaita

is a folk magazine with middle-length articles about different singers, groups or investigations (both national and international). I have not seen personally any issue of it, so I cannot give a first-hand opinion. The contact address is:

Antonio Alvarez
Santa Tecla n $^{\underline{{\rm o}}}$ 36
E-28022 Madrid
Spain

Na Gaits

is a new folk and traditional music quarterly magazine (as of July 31st 1997, the first issue should have been released just some days ago). It is open to collaboration in the form of articles, letters, stories, pictures, news, etc. For more information about it, please write to:

Carlos Corral
Rúa Pastora, 23
36210 Vigo
Spain

Phone: +34-970-231920
Fax: +34-986-423578

E-Mail: carlosfolk@redestb.es