Trova
The trova is a poetic composition with a musical arrangement to be sung, characteristic of medieval troubadours. It is also one of the sources of the great tree of Cuban music. The definition of the musical genre trova is poetry with music, they are songs with poetic lyrics that tell a story of love, criticism or socio-political content.
In the 15th century, there was the French trova, which was born in the songs spread by the troubadours (from the south of France) and the troubadours (from the north of France). Around 1850 itinerant musicians known as from the island appeared, especially in Santiago de Cuba, earning their livelihood by singing and playing the guitar. The first modern trova that existed was created in Cuba with the theme of protest, but over the years it was transformed until it reached the contemporary trova and was adopted by singer-songwriters within the romantic line, which is why it is now highly identified to trova singers such as: Ismael Serrano, Ignacio Copani, Joaquín Sabina, Pablo Milanés, Silvio Rodríguez, Amaury Pérez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Tata Barahona, Facundo Cabral, Alberto Cortez, Luis Eduardo Aute, Eugenia León, Tania Libertad, Óscar Chavez, Mercedes Sosa and Juan Salvador, among others.[citation required]
The trova is especially good and significant as a cultural expression, (this art is mostly male). In the common trova, verses are sung accompanied by a certain humorous sense, and totally competitive. Generally, singer-songwriters of this genre are called "troubadours". The trova is currently very popular.[citation required]
Origins
Trova developed in France between the end of the 11th century and the end of the 13th century.
The troubadours, based in the Provence region, were inspired by the ancient Greek concept of lyrics as a vocal composition. The poetry of the troubadours is among the first literary samples in a language other than Latin, the literary language par excellence during the Middle Ages. His poems use new forms, melodies and rhythms, original or copied from popular music. The first known troubadour was William IX of Aquitaine. Most of the 400 troubadours who lived at that time were nobles or kings for whom composing and performing songs was a more chivalric ideal. Originally, the troubadours sang their poems at the noble court and often held musical competitions or tournaments; later they hired traveling musicians, the so-called minstrels, to perform their works. His favorite themes include love, chivalry, religion, politics, war, funerals and nature. Its forms of versification were the cansó cansón (usually of courtly love), the tensón (dialogues or debates), the servetensio (political or satirical song), the planto (funeral song or dirge), the alba (morning song) and the serene (night song). The musical accompaniment was generally performed with string instruments such as the viella (medieval violin) or the lute. The notation indicated the pitch, but not the tempo or rhythm. At present some 300 melodies and nearly 2600 troubadour poems are preserved. The music of the troubadours had a decisive influence on the development of medieval secular music.
The troveros developed their activity in the north of France and their work is influenced by deed songs and courtly poetry. Their songs were heavily influenced by the troubadours, sent to northern France around 1137 by Eleanor of Aquitaine, William of Poitiers' granddaughter. Eleanor settled at the Parisian court after her marriage to King Louis VII, and she brought with her the poets and musicians of her homeland. The troubadours began by copying and adapting the works of the troubadours and later developed their own genre, similar in its theme and musical form to that of the troubadours, although more epic in nature. Nearly 1,400 melodies and 4,000 poems written by trouvers are preserved, the most famous of whom was Adam de la Halle.
Cuban trova
Around 1850 itinerant musicians known as troubadours appeared in the eastern part of the island, especially in Santiago de Cuba, earning their livelihood by singing and playing the guitar. The great variety of artistic expressions, its innumerable traditions and customs, its indigenous roots, its past written in deep traces, its chains and victories, its agitating present and its enormous desire to express everything that gives it freedom. All these elements are sources of inspiration that are born in new voices.[citation required]
Cuban New Trova
After the Cuban trova of the 19th and 20th centuries, the new Cuban trova arose, of which Silvio Rodríguez and Pablo Milanés are the best-known exponents. It was based mainly on the composition for guitar and voice. The lyrics usually showed a social content related to the socialist revolution of 1959. In other Latin American countries, the word "trova" refers to styles of music that may not be related to Caribbean trova. Generally the term "troubadour" refers to the popular musician within protest songs, even in the rock genre.[citation required]