Medieval Musicians at the Annual Medieval Market in Vic, Osona

There are occupations that do not seem to change much throughout centuries. Take a look at these musicians dressed in medieval attires impersonating those wandering minstrels going from town to town entertaining the crowd for gratuities and think of how this eventually derived into today's buskers. Yes, street musicians keep working for peanuts and having a hard life. This image was taken last December in Vic, Osona during the local medieval market held each year. Check this video found on YouTube showing more or less what the medieval market looked like. In fact the old city streets do create a fantastic scenario to get the idea about medieval times.

Jota Players: Old Mates

This image I rescued from my archives. Two jota players dressed in traditional costumes from the Spanish region of Aragon. I liked the expression on their faces and really enjoyed their professional performance in Barcelona. I covered this show here in the past: Spanish Traditional Dance: The Jota (three more links in that post)

Hammered Dulcimer Player on Portal del Angel, Barcelona

I am no music expert but after some research I would say this is a modest variant of a hammered dulcimer or psaltery (salterio in Spanish). There is some confusion about the terms dulcimer and psaltery whether the strings are plucked or hammered but experts say both words have been used indistinctly through history. As you can guess this is a very old instrument. It appeared in Persia about 2000 years ago and our modern piano evolved from this peculiar wooden box. This woman was in the middle of Portal del Angel flooding the place with sweet melodies that evoked ancient times. If you want to feel the same take a look at this marvelous video: Mermaid Medieval Hammered Dulcimer.

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Barri Gotic Musicians: A Little Chat

Musician in Barri Gotic, Barcelona

Musicians like Barri Gotic to perform.

The narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona are pleasant to stay in the shade, away from nearby noisy streets. Besides, acoustics is great.

Many times there are small groups playing on the same site as they are supposed to play on spots assigned by local authorities. So you probably meet the very same artist depending on what time of the day or the week you visit a determined street.

This man here was about to start and was having a little chat. There was this sun ray falling directly on his head acting as a natural spotlight. If you want to know more or check a full view of the street don't miss: Barri Gotic: Street Musicians Paradise?

Sitar Player, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

To grow my collection of musical instruments here is a picture of a sitar. The musician was playing in Barri Gotic, a quarter that gathers a good amount of street artists who are attracted by the many tourists and special accoustics of its narrow alleys. Here is a famous video in which George Harrison is taking sitar lessons with Ravi Shankar

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Barcelona Drummer: African Beat

We are going to park the bikes for a while cause this is not a motor site. Not that today's picture shows precisely anything about Barcelona but you know I am prone to changing topics easily. In fact, to make it a drastic change, I shifted color for BW. Portraits are not my speciality but I like the way the face insinuates the hands' drumming. For the other part of this photo check my previous link: African Drummer in Barcelona.

Cello Duet: A Close Look

Recently I went to see my daughter play the piano. She attends a music school called Tritó, one of the many small academies subordinate to the Municipal Conservatory of Music of Barcelona. Twice a year, students are supposed to play in front of an audience and seniors are sincerely worth listening to. In the picture, you can realize how near my chair was from the musicians, so close, these two cellos wouldn't fit completely in my viewfinder. Not that you haven't seen a cello before but it was curious to notice how aesthetic it is when both hands catch up in a similar position, both bows being parallel and all. The cello duet, made up of teacher and student, did quite well and we enjoyed some classical moment in an almost intimate atmosphere. To add some mood to the post, here is a cello video I came across on YouTube: Bach Cello Suite No1 i-Prelude.

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Flute Player in BW, Tres Tombs Parade, Barcelona

Black and white pictures are scarce in Barcelona Photoblog as many of you know. There are a few exceptions though. Take the case of this flute player, this flutist girl I captured during last Tres Tombs parade at Sant Andreu quarter. I loved the original image but sometimes I get so carried away by the light that I end up choosing the bw option. I know I am not good at black and white photography but you never know if you don't explore other fields. Not that there's anything special in the action or the subject but I do like the way she spots the camera as she walks and gives me this wary look.

Contrabass Player at Barcelona Cathedral

This contrabass or double bass player was part of a small band performing in front of a group of sardana dancers. The place is the square facing Barcelona Cathedral or Santa Eulalia Cathedral (video). If you check blogger labels below you'll find other musicians or instruments featured in Barcelona Photoblog in the past.

Violin Player or Fiddler

This man was playing the violin in a clear country music style. I think the beard totally characterizes this fiddler in his role so I decided to post it for you.

Musician Playing Celtic Melodies

This woman was playing celtic tunes with this beautiful anglo concertina in Sant Iscle de Vallalta near Barcelona.

Flute Player, Flautist or Flutist?

This musician was performing with the rest of his quintet some sort of celtic music at the Mushroom Fair in Sant Iscle de Vallalta, near Barcelona. There was not much to photograph since the audience was there for the food and the last bright sunny days of the fall. I thought the pose by itself denoted concentration so I applied some blur effect to isolate him from the rest of the world. I think I did him a favor.

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Cello Player

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Pure Classical Music at Park Guell, Barcelona, Spain

Double-bass playing classical music and girl at Park Guell

A street musician playing for money at Park Guell in Barcelona.

The well tempered sound of the string instrument, a double bass I suppose, attracted a curious visitor who invaded the scene, something that I really, really appreciate. Classical music really touched the pure fibers of this baby cause she stood there like a grownup with a musical background.

Funny Classical Musicians Drawings on Tibidabo Billboard

Drawings on Tibidabo Billboard

I rarely take pictures of another picture or sign, cause I think that if it is done is done, is not my work but someone else's but I found this funny and colorful, and worth showing.

I just can't figure out who the artist was but his/her drawings are common in school books and TV cartoons in Barcelona. If anyone knows please drop me a line.

The place where I took the photo: one of the side exits in Tibidabo Amusement Park (the way things are going I'll have to create a digital album on amusement parks and Tibidabo soon).

Check labels to find out more.

Singers Rehearsing at Colonia Guell, Barcelona

The day we visited Colonia Guell in the outskirts of Barcelona it was a complete surprise to come across these singers rehearsing in front of the entrance to the crypt (the small church built by Gaudi). They were singing traditional Catalan songs and were supposed to walk towards the center of the small town to enter by surprise in bars to entertain clients.

Places I stumbled upon today: Running the Numbers

Barri Gotic, Barcelona: Street Musicians Paradise?

There is a story behind every anonymous artist performing in the narrow streets of Barri Gotic, the ideal place with all the ingredients to earn a decent sum to survive: solitude to perform, great acoustics, and lots of tourists with pockets full of money.

Many of these artists have a solid musical education and make the tour more pleasant, but according to local authorities some others don't. Recently, the Ajuntament (City Council) started a project to regulate their activities. Artists have been assigned 6 permanent spots in the Gothic Quarter where only Classical or Melodic music can be played.

The rest of genres are to be performed out of this area on 13 other spots. No percussion, no noise over the decibel map in the district. No space exclusivity for any of the artists either. Law breakers can be fined and backsliders' instruments shall be confiscated. Each of the artists can play 4 hours a day divided in sessions of 2.

These measures made neighbors happier and really have pissed musicians off!. Especially when you see illegal performers sneaking away from the police in the light of day in spite of cameras like the one in the picture. By this I don't mean anything against this man working perhaps according to regulations, I really enjoyed his performance anyway!