Bertsolaritza, or bertsolarism, is the art of singing improvised songs, called bertsos, in the Basque language according to various melodies and rhyming patterns. A bertso may be composed for a variety of occasions and is generally performed onstage by one or more bertsolaris, whether in a dedicated competition, a homage ceremony or informally among friends, a tradition historically dominated by men but increasingly practiced by women today.
Facts
Place of Origin Notable ExampleBertsolari Txapelketa Nagusia (Great Bertsolari Championship) 1 Defining TraitImprovised verse combined with a melody 1 Sources
1. Bertsolaritza, Wikipedia
Lead section
the art of singing improvised songs in Basque according to various melodies and rhyming patterns
Section on the championship
has been held (with considerable gaps due to the Second World War and the Spanish Civil War) since 1935
Section on the structure of a bertso
two main components: the spontaneous verse and the melody to which it is sung
View the SourceReader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.