Ethnic-musical group of the Panganoti Cimbri
Our organization is called the Ethnic-musical group of the Panganoti Cimbri. It was founded by Fausto Albertini
and is made up of workers, students, graduates, retired people, amateur and professional musicians,
current and qualified students at the E.F. Dell'Abaco conservatory in Verona, and people interested in traditions and folklore.
The original group formed in the 80s but it was only in 1998 that the organization was
legally recognised. It's based in Novaglie, a little town in our valley
the Valpantena.
The organization aims to rediscovering the culture and popular traditions of the Panganoti Cimbri; its main activity is the research of many fields with the intent to gather material
and spread it.
Such material is very broad and explores the human knowledge from the historical, musical, musicological, ethnic,
artistic, linguistic, literary, philosophical and religious point of view.
Moreover the organization strives to promote the younger components' creativity.
Our main activities are:
- Rediscovery of Cimbric traditional songs, dances and music
- Rediscovery and restoration of musical instruments typical of our tradition
- Research into the historical field (in particular on the pre-Christian and medieval period together with the Emperor Franz Joseph of Habsburg's time)
- Research into the linguistic field ( rediscovery and study of the Cimbric dialect, research on the toponymy of the various places in our valley and in the Cimbric territory)
- Volunteer work for the disabled and those in retirement homes
- Concerts with the aim to spread the results of our research
... in general we try to find out about everything which concerns our history and traditions.
Our activities are led by no parochial logic, on the contrary our intent is to rediscover and spread our original culture together with the awareness that our past can still teach us a lot.
Since this is a non-profit organization, all our activities are either self-financed or subsidized by the concerts' proceeds.
The organization has performed many concerts in Italy and abroad, has organized meetings and lectures and
taken part in many folklore and traditonal music fetivals and in television programs.
Among the numerous projects in progress at the moment, the most important ones are the publication of books
and the foundation of a museum which would contain all the instruments that we have found and restored.
We believe in the value of tradition and of the knowledge left behind by the elder generation; we think we have the duty to protect and promote this inheritance because whoever loses his/her traditions, also puts at risk his/her freedom.
In particular we believe that folk music belongs to no one but rather the whole of mankind. It has its origin in everyday life and is based on the usages and customs, on the repetition of gestures, rituals, episodes and habits. Folk music is not conservative but is subject to the changes which appear in everyday life and history of man; it develops generation after generation and is the product of its age. In our opinion this is the right way to conceive it.
