Romanceiro tradicional das Ilhas dos Açores: 1 Corvo e Flores (review)
Bonnie Irwin
Reviewed by Bonnie D. Irwin Eastern Illinois University Romanceiro tradicional das Ilhas dos Açores: 1 Corvo e Flores (Traditional Ballads of the Azores: Volume 1, and Flores). By Joanne B. Purcell. (Lisbon: Angra do Heroísmo, 2002. Pp. 247, preface, 3 photographs, 2 maps, 6 indices, glossary.) The late Purcell spent much 1969 1970 documenting rich oral traditions Azores, first volume her ballad research on islands has recently been published under auspices Azorean Secretary Education Culture. Thirty-three texts are presented, generously cross-referenced with other variants collected from Luso-Iberian tradition. also includes musical transcriptions [End Page 502] indices informants, terminology, lines. Açores represents just a small sampling over one thousand seventy ballads during field in nine Azores. This contributes richly to both Iberian European studies, as herself acknowledged: "Como os são uma zona muito conservadora devido ao seu isolamento localização na periferia da Europa, minha colecção fornece elementos indispensáveis para um melhor conhecimento romanceiro português, de grande utilidade estudos comparativos pan-ibérico pan-europeu" (p. 30). (Because Azores very conservative zone, due their isolation location at periphery Europe, my collection will provide indispensable elements for greater understanding Portuguese balladry be greatly useful comparative study pan-Iberian pan-European balladry.) Indeed, sees this selection Purcell's fieldwork Carolingian ("Conde Claros ea Princesa," "Conde Vestido Frade"), historic ("Morte Príncipe Afonso," "Batalha Lepanto"), classic ("Florbela Brancaflor"), captive ("A Irmã Perdida," "O Cativo," Conde Arnaldos"), wide variety domestic love, seduction, betrayal. editors have used article, "A Riqueza Outras Tradições Orais nas Açores" (Atlântida 14: 223–52, 1970), an introduction volume. In it, cogently writes experience, range she collected, along ballads. These latter samples include some 450–500 traditional stories, told mostly men, well tongue twisters, popular theatre performances, legends, riddles, proverbs. Of particular interest were interviews whale hunters, who terminology borrowed nineteenth-century English-speaking whalers New England. discussing notes that storytelling was far more among had longer periods time perform narratives while night fishing runs or rainy days when they not working. Women preferred ballads, which sang involved activities ranging washing dishes weaving kneading bread dough. Despite environment protected many these traditions, recognized fragility; located ninety-two-year-old informant before woman leave United States. Modern culture emigration depleting pool informants thirty years ago, conducting fieldwork. Today, we might reasonably assume further deteriorated, leading us await eagerly publication valuable collection. With death 1984, however, dependent upon goodwill talents those scholars survived publish texts. best scholarly folklore works, only it is comprehensive well-researched collection, but several folklorists other...
Journal of American Folklore