The Jaleo and its music

The traditional festivals in every town in Minorca are related to those of Ciutadella that take place the 23th and 24th of June. Such a tradition has been preserved since the XIV century, when the three medieval estates, with the Nobility at front, followed by the Clergy and then the Peasantry, pilgrim on horseback to the Sant Joan de Misa hermitage, at the outskirts of Ciutadella.

That kind of festival was later on adopted by all towns in Minorca, while they were adopting new elements as the time passed by. The most significant of them all was the introduction of El Jaleo at the beginning of the XX century. Apparently the quiet pilgrimage passed in front of a brass band that was rendering a well know (at the time) piece, from the Zarzuela (a kind of popular light opera) “El Postillón de la Rioja” by the Spanish composer Cristóbal Oudrid. We do not know if because of the good ear of the Minorcan horse, or whatever the reason, the fact is that the horses startled and rose on their hindquarters.  It was a real mess (“Jaleo” in Spanish) and so it has been revived and remembered ever since.