Autonomous Province of Bozen - South Tyrol – Abteilung Generic

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Ladinia

Music, folk as well as classical music, has a long tradition in the Ladin valleys. Every village has an own music band: the first was founded at the end of the eighteenth century (in Ortisei), the last in 2006 (in Livinallongo). Next to the music bands almost every village also has a parish choir that has the function of accompanying religious ceremonies.
Jan Batista Runcher, born in Badia in 1714 and died in Trento in 1753, marks the beginning of the Ladin musical tradition. He was known for his talent especially in Venezia and Trento where he worked as an organist and musician. He composed numerous operas (which were only published in the 20th century) among others also the melodrama “Achille in Sciro” first performed in 1747 in Venezia.
Chronologically the next important personality is Matie Ploner (1770-1845) from Val Gardena who was an organist and musician, too. First he worked in Castelrotto, then in Bressanone. Like Runcher, also Ploner composed various sacral pieces of music which were thought lost for a long period of time, but then found and published in 2004.
The first documents of folk music go back to the beginning of the 19th century. In this period the first melodies were composed. Two researches made on singing resulted to be of great importance: the first by Theodor Gartner was made at the beginning of 1900, the second of Quellmalz was made in the 40s. Gartner went from door to door in order to transcribe the single melodies, whereas Quellmalz was the first to record the folk melodies on magnetic tape.
With the foundation of the music schools in the 70s the different types of music started to crystallise always more and more. The first groups of modern music were born, the first rock festivals were organised. In the 90s the Union Generela dla Dolomites gave a new impetus to modern music with Ladiniatour, a festival organized every two years alternately in the five valleys. It has the aim of uniting the youth who are interested in music and offer them an opportunity to meet.
There are also other music events like Æiantede cun nos, a concert in which especially children in the school age participate and Dé dla Æiantia Ladina, organised by the Ladin institute of culture “Micura de Rü”, open to all the choirs of the Ladin valleys.
Next to the musical activity of the choirs, there is also a generation of songwriters, rock musicians and bands (Iaco Rigo, Alexander d’Al Plan, Jan Daniel Granruaz, Acajo, The Pëufla etc.).
Moreover, besides the local music activity, some Ladins have also had international success: the most famous one of these is Giorgio Moroder from Ortisei who nowadays lives in Los Angeles and who has written, among other, the music for several films winning also an OSCAR. As far as jazz music is concerned the young Alessandro Trebo of San Martino in Badia has to be mentioned because he achieves always greater and greater results. He has written some film music, too, and held high level concerts in London as well as New York.
If Ladins like to make music, they also appreciate foreign musicians and singers. With the aim of enriching the musical offer the association “Badiamusica” was founded in Val Badia. Every year it organises different concerts and music festivals, especially classical ones. A parallel organisation also exists in Val Gardena and it offers high level concerts, too: on these occasions also the local opera singers Milena Rudiferia, Sabina Willeit and Manuela Demetz participate as well as the Sonoton orchestra which was founded in 1992.