A recent doctoral thesis by Cristian Silva Bóveda, defended at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), focuses on one of the most overlooked aspects of the country's musical historiography: traditional Galician percussion. The research, titled ‘El ruido: la percusión como acompañamiento de la gaita en Galicia del S. XX. instrumentos, intérpretes y patrones rítmicos’, was supervised by Professor Francisco Javier Garbayo Montabes and examines the evolution of this cultural heritage from ethnological, technical, and historical perspectives.
The study addresses a significant gap, highlighting that despite being central to the rhythm of local festivals and celebrations, percussion instruments have been historically undervalued, with their performers relegated to a subordinate status. Silva notes that, unlike the gaiteiro—considered the 'leader' of the group—the percussionist (such as the tamborilero, caixeiro, or bombeiro) was often paid less and frequently omitted from promotional materials and historical records, often labelled as 'servant' or 'helper'.
Additionally, the thesis reinterprets the popular concept of ‘ruido’ or ‘arruídos’, historically used in the Rías Baixas region and across Galicia, demonstrating that it was not merely a cacophonous category but rather an expression of pride and cultural identity.
Establishing the Galician school of percussion
Beyond social and gender analysis, the research has a strong empirical foundation. Through the spectral and auditory deconstruction of historical recordings from the 20th century, featuring notable figures such as the gaiteiros de Soutelo and Os Campaneiros de Vilagarcía, Silva successfully isolated traditional rhythmic patterns. This work scientifically validates the existence of a Galician School of Percussion for the first time, defining its own grammar and stable rhythmic patterns for various dances, including the muiñeira and pasodoble.
The thesis concludes by examining the recent pedagogical and technological revolution of the 21st century, which spans from the emergence of the first written methods for Galician drums to the commercialisation of high-definition virtual sampler banks.
“Percussion was never merely a human metronome or an intuitive accompaniment without value, but rather a sophisticated cultural and technical system. This thesis aims to rectify historical injustices and restore percussionists to the central role they have always held in our music,” said Cristian Silva.
The research was conceived as a 'zero-kilometre' investigation, focusing on the Salnés region and the town of Carril, while also aiming for a global perspective.
