Txalaparta: France musical instrument

The txalaparta is a specialized Basque musical instrument that is produced of wood or stone. The musical instrument is analogous to the Romanian toaca. In the Basque region, the name ‘zalaparta’ means ‘racket’, while in nearby areas, of the Navarretxalaparta has been said to have a meaning, which is trots of the horse, a sense that is closely related to the sound of the musical instrument.

source of picture: txiski.net

The musical instrument has been attested as a, communication instrument that is used for funeral, celebration or the making of slake lime or cider during the last 150 years. After making the cider, the same board that was used to press the apple was beaten to summon the neighbors. Then a celebration was organized and this musical instrument was performed cheerfully, while the cider was drunk. Proof that was gathered in this cider making competition reveals that the sound emitting ox horns were sometimes blown together with the txalaparta. Truthfully, cider and cider houses are the only traditional competition for the txalaparta that we know first-hand. The same background is attached to a related Basque percussion musical instrument known as the kirikoketa, since it is directly linked to the pounding resulting from the grinding down of the apples. Another instance of the same geographical area and musical instrument class should be noted here, the toberak. Some people claim that this musical instrument has been used this way for millennia, but not resisting various assumptions, the origin of the musical instrument remains a mystery. It is worth saying that an analogous musical instrument known as toaca found in Romania is used as a call for prayer.

The musical use of thee instrument started out of its original use. In the 1950s, traditional version of the txalaparta was almost extinct with a handfukl of couples of peasants maintaining the culture. The txalaparta was then revived by folklorist like Jesus and Jose Antonio Artze from the group Ex dok amairu. Innovators began to labour and hghather the boards of the instrument to achieve some melody. Other forms of material began to be pressed into service.

Today, the txalaparta is a musical instrument that is used in Basque music. The instrument is classified as an idiophone. In its original construction, the musical instrument is produced of a pair of long wooden boards that are held up horizontally on two ends and then struck vertically with a special thick drum stick known as makilak, held upright in the hands by the player of the instrument. Corn husks are placed for vibration on the two ends, between the long board and the supports.

Meanwhile, as the musical instrument evolved, that kind of equipement has been phased out and only showcased in special events showing the former and rural outfit of the instrument. Truthfully, in the contemporary days, the most usual equipment for the instrument is made up of two trestles with foam affixed to the tops often wrapped up in different fabrics. As for the board of the musical instrument, they have become increasingly shorter in order to fit the needs and convenience of the players.

The boards that may number no less than three in the modern version of the musical instrument are laid on the trestles hip high, while originally, the boards were arranged at a little bit above knee high. The material used for the production of the board has usually shifted from the locally available timber to more beautifully sounding wood material that is from other geographical reaches like the iroko or the elondo. Furthermore, stone and metal tubes have been added so as to widen the range of the sounds and contrasts that are available on the instrument. In some instances, they have even replaced the traditional wooden boards.

Music is produced using the txalaparta by having one or more players produce distinct rhythms, performing with wood knots and spots of the boards for various notes. In the contemporary days, the boards of the instrument have usually been arranged to perform notes and even melody along the lines of the score that may further widen for the possibilities of the players to sophisticate the music.  On the other hand, some players of the musical instrument rule out this novelty as alien to the txalaparta, essentially rhythmical.

Both performers play consecutively by striking on the boards with the sticks. The performance is played by the ear, except the main lines of the performance that both players may agree on in advance of the playing. The players may use ready-made passage hidden in a particular part of the playing, notably at the beginning and at the ending. The success of the performance relies on the involvement between the two players of the instrument, so the more they are used to each other’s way, trick and linkings, the more smoother the playing of the instrument will go for them to show their aptitudes and pass in their playing.

There are two different kinds of beats that are used on the traditional version of the musical instrument; the ttakuna and the herrena. The ttakuna represents the balance, while the herrena names the person who tries other combinations that twist it. The person who is playing the regularity can become the balance-breaker in the contemporary days, so triggering an argument between the both sides of the playing that battle to restore the balance.