The performance presented by the Folk Association “Città di Matelica” is the result of stories told by elderly people and handed down from generation to generation allowing us to reproduce dances and songs belonging to our forefathers.

Verbal evidences are the only means to realize a faithful performance to those traditions of time gone by as not any written documentation on this topic exists.

For centuries under the Papal State our region maintains a rich tradition in religious music to the disadvantage of the popular music which evolved only among the simplest people having no musical background using artisan instruments made of poor common use material such as  the horn, the triangle, the ring and the cymbal.

The melody was left to the diatonic hand organ which appeared in the Marches at the beginning of the XIX century and was followed by the accordion afterwards.

The instruments were played by ear without musical score thus causing a different interpretation of music among neighbouring areas.

The “Saltarello” is beyond doubt the most famous dance of the Marches.

Known since the XVI century , it is a courtship dance mainly performed in the farmyards during harvest-time, e.g. the husking or the reaping.

On the lively notes of the hand organ, dancers performed steps and pirouettes in a fancy competition to show one’s skills to draw single girls’ attention.

During the night between 5^th and 6^th January it is still a common usage to go round the countryside, from door to door, singing the “Pasquella” a begging song of remote origin and typical of the upper areas of Macerata province.

Parents with unwed daughters used to invite “Pasquella” singers and musicians in to meet and introduce them hoping to arrange a marriage.

At present the “Pasquella” is performed by the Association with age-old music and songs while a dance choreographs the meeting among the youth.

The celebration of bountiful harvests, a primary reason of cheerfulness and gatherings among peasants,  is represented by dances of appreciation like for example “Piruli” and “Ballo in 12”.

The “Piruli” is an old-age popular dance coming before the “raspa” and made even more joyful by the song accompanying it.

The “Ballo in 12” opens with a slow rhythm which flows into a cheerful and euphoric crescendo. An heartfelt thanks to God for protecting the harvest from the dangers of  nature.

The “Fiera di Montegallo”, typical dance of the Marches and very popular in the mid XIX century, is accompanied by a song telling the story of a father who wishes to take his daughter to a dance.

With the excuse that she has not the right clothes finally she manages to convince her father to give her a new dress for the occasion.

Other dances like  the “Quadriglia”, the “Vendemmia”, the Furlana” and songs like the “Montagnola”, “Gli stornelli a dispettu” and “Il canto a Batoccu” complete the performance of the Association.