Misplaced Pages

The trikiti (standard Basque, pronounced [trikiti]) trikitixa (dialectal Basque, pronounced [trikitiʃa]), or eskusoinu txiki ("little hand-sound", pronounced [es̺kus̺oɲu tʃiki])) is a two-row Basque diatonic button accordion with right-hand rows keyed a fifth apart and twelve unisonoric bass buttons. The onomatopoeia trikitixa, apparently stemming from the sound emitted by the tambourine, originally referred to a traditional Basque ensemble, made up of the instrument which now bears the name as well as alboka, txistu and other instruments.

Probably introduced by Italian immigrants coming from the Alps, the trikitixa's first written evidence is attested late in the 19th century, exactly in 1889, when diatonic accordion was used for music in a popular pilgrimage festivity of Urkiola (Biscay). In 1890, a trikiti appears in a picture taken in Altsasu (Navarre), a railway junction. Therefore, some point to the instrument's import to the Basque Country from Italy through the port of Bilbao, while other sources suggest that this kind of diatonic accordion was brought in by Italian railway workers from the Alps. The diatonic button accordion itself was devised in Vienna in 1829, expanding thereafter all over Europe.

The pair of diatonic button accordion along with tambourine gradually grew in popularity and was adopted to perform in local and popular festivities, where the young danced to its tunes (fandangos, arin-arin etc.), despite the Catholic Church's resistance, who dubbed it "hell's bellows" on the grounds that its dance-inciting and lively music would lead Basque youths into temptation.

That playing pattern remained unchanged up to the 1980s, when Kepa Junkera and Joseba Tapia started to develop unprecedented ways of playing trikiti. While both authors came in for much criticism for their novelties and experimenting, they caught on and both styles, traditional and modern trikiti, have found their way and consolidated their separate paths. Both performers remain nowadays key figures of trikiti accordion. There have been influences of Tejano artists like Flaco Jiménez and other international players. Other renowned players include Alaitz Telletxea, Iñaki Malbadi, Maixa Lizarribar, Xabi Solano, Xabi Aburruzaga, Iker Goenaga and the Catalan Carles Belda.

Currently traditional style ensembles consist of a pair playing trikiti (diatonic button accordion), tambourine and voice. Players typically use a highly ornamented and swift style, along with staccato triplets.

See also

• Bandoneon
• Accordion

References

1. Euskaltzaindia (Basque Language Academy): "trikiti", Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia (Dictionary of Euskaltzaindia).
2. Fabricio Cardenas (2 October 2011). "Les instruments basques (2) : Le trikitixa et le pandero". Musicam scire (in French). Retrieved 25 April 2016.
3. "What is trikitixa?". Euskal Herriko Trikitixa Elkartea. Retrieved 2019-06-03.
4. "Trikitixa, soinu diatonikoa". Euskal Herriko Trikitixa Elkartea. Retrieved 2008-02-27. Site in Basque

v t e Music of Spain
Styles	Bolero Catalan rumba Chirigota Copla Cuplé Endecha Ensalada Fandango Folia Isa Jácara Jota Muiñeira New flamenco Nova Cançó Pasacalle Pasodoble Rock català Rock urbano Seguidilla Sevillana Tajaraste Tiento Tonadilla Tono humano Villancico Xiringüelu Zarzuela Género chico Romani Flamenco (palos) Alegrías Alboreá Bambera Bulerías Cante Cante jondo Cantes a palo seco Cantes libres Cantiñas Campanilleros Cartageneras Farruca Flamenco jazz Garrotín Granaína Guajiras Malagueñas Martinetes Peteneras Polo Rumba Saeta Siguiriyas Soleá Soleá por Bulerías Tango Tarantas Tientos Tonás Verdiales Zambra Romani (Gypsy)
Music by region	Andalusia Aragon Balearic Islands Basque Country Canary Islands Castile and Leon Catalonia Extremadura Galicia, Cantabria and Asturias Murcia Navarre and La Rioja Valencia
Music by genre	Spanish folk music Spanish jazz Spanish hip hop Spanish opera Spanish rock
Music festivals	Benidorm International Song Festival Eurovision Song Contest Benidorm Fest Festival Internacional de Santander OTI Festival
Musical instruments	Alboka Bandurria Castanets Catalan shawm Chácaras Cross-strung harp Dulzaina Fiscorn Flabiol Gaita gastoreña Gralla Guitarra de canya Guitarro Kirikoketa Palmas Psalterium Rabel Tambori Timple Trikiti Txalaparta Txistu Vihuela Viol Xirula Zambomba Gaita Asturian de boto Cabreiresa Galician Odrecillo de saco Sanabresa Sac de gemecs Xeremia Guitar Baroque Classical Flamenco Latina Morisca
Music ensembles	Cobla Charanga Chirigota Comparsa Rondalla Tuna

• Accordion
• Basque musical instruments
• Spanish dances
• Spanish folk music
• Music of Spain