La festa di Sant'Antuono a Macerata Campania - La preparazione delle mazzette per i tini

In the folk orchestra of the battle, the peasant instrument that sustains the rhythmic dynamism, struck by the mazzarelle, is the vat. "The mazzette are used to play the vat," olive wood is used for their production, "because it is assumed that the olive wood fiber is much narrower and has no grain, and therefore does not tend to split." The vat players use gestures closely linked to the sounds they produce: the two mazzarelle alternate in quick strokes, starting with the right forearm brought to the middle of the torso, followed by the left. Rarely, in more intense strokes, both sides strike together, or, again, in particularly dynamic passages, the right/left order is suspended, with the right strike repeated twice. The sharp strokes are alternated with rolling phases, or, in recent years, the mazzarelle are often rubbed together, becoming a stand-alone instrument, producing a higher-pitched sound. The sound of the vats is the constant rhythm of the battles; The different marching movements seem to evoke those of military drummers confidently accompanying an army of strikes, containing the most atavistic sounds of barrels and scythes, imparting cadence and musicality. Date of survey: 2020/02/02 Reference project: The Feast of Sant'Antuono in Macerata Campania: Tradition and Reinterpretation (co-financed by the Campania Region and the University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli") Scientific Project Manager: Professor Claudia Santi (University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli") Field Survey Manager: Dr. Matteo Enia