Saltarello felix

"the rhythm has something magical; it even makes us believe that the sublime belongs to us." GOETHE

The ancient dances of the Latin people, called Saltationes, continued to be popular also after the Christian religion replaced paganism. While musical transcriptions of Saltarello, made during the Renaissance period, have survived, we do not have detailed information on similar dances from an earlier age. It is worth remembering (see page on musical instruments) that the "ephemeral" musical instruments, popular in our territory until a few decades ago, were realized to play specific melodies to accompany lively dances.

At the Italian courts the Saltarello was danced up to the XVI century and appreciated by poets (G. Belli), painters (Lundbye, Diofebi, Pinelli, etc.) and composers (Rossini, Mendelssohn) up to the XIX century. The Saltarello was an extemporized dance that was danced everywhere, during the work breaks, at the end of agricultural work (grape and early fruit harvest, reaping) in every season and at any time. The dances were accompanied by music and songs; today the songs of the Saltarello are performed by poets who extemporize them with rhymes, in the Roman countryside, in the territory of the Tuscia, of the Sabina, of the Roman Castles and of the suggestive land of the Lepini Mountains. The love that Roman people had for this dance in the past, was well expressed by the proverb " Nothing is more beautiful than the Sartarello" .