The Carnival in Cádiz, Andalusia

While some carnivals in the world, show the spectacular, the glamorous, or the scandalous in costumes, Cádiz shows itself with fertile imagination, criticism, sarcasm, and the irreverence of parody. It is traditional to paint the face as a mask.
It is easy to get involved in the fiesta even if one is a visitor and knows no Spanish. On Saturday, everyone wears a costume, which, many times, is related to the most polemical aspects of the news. However, the Carnival of Cádiz is most famous for the satirical groups of performers called chirigotas. Their music and their lyrics are at the center of the carnival.

Carnival groups in Cádiz

The most famous groups are the chirigotas, the choirs, and the comparsas
 

The chirigotas ( 7 to 12 people ) are satiric groups that train for the whole year to sing about politics, topics in the news, and everyday circumstances, while all of the members wear identical costumes. There is an official competition in Teatro Falla, where many of them compete for a group award.
The music of their songs is original, and no matter whether the group is formed by family members, friends, or colleagues from work, each chirigota has a wide repertory of satirical songs.
They sing in the streets and squares, and in established open-air tablaos (tableaux) organized by the carnival clubs.
 

The choirs (coros, 15 to 45 people) are larger groups that travel through the streets on open flat-bed carts or wagons, singing, with a small set of guitars and lutes. Their characteristic composition is the "Carnival Tango", and they alternate between comical and serious repertory, with special emphasis on lyrical homages to the city and its people. The costumes are the most sophisticated and elaborate of all.
 

The comparsas (7 to 15 people ) are another main groups in Cádiz. Poetic lyrics and criticisms are their main ingredients. They usually tend to have a more elaborate polyphony, and they are easily recognized by the typical countertenor voice.
 

Other groups can be found in the streets: the quartets (cuartetos), that can be composed of five, four, or three members. They don't bring a guitar, only a kazoo ( a type of mirliton) and two sticks, that they use to mark the rhythm. They use set-piece theater scenes, improvisations, and music, and they are purely comical.  

Songs

• The Couplet (Couplé )is sung by the chirigotas, comparsas, choirs, and quartets. They are short satirical songs with a refrain that is always related to the costume and the characterisation (“ tipo “ in Spanish ) of the group.
• The Pasodoble is a longer song without a refrain, and it is usually (but not always) serious, criticising something that happened during the previous year or rendering an homage to someone. They are sung by the comparsas and the chirigotas.
• The Tango, with its characteristic gaditano rhythm is sung only by the choirs, accompanied by their orchestras, and they are mostly poetical compositions.
• The Potpourri, sung by all of the groups, changing the lyrics of well-known songs ( i.e., Yellow Submarine by Beatles ) or any other kind of music, sometimes depending on the group's tipo.

Other musical forms, including short improvisations and theatrical skits are featured, mostly by the so-called illegal chirigotas, that don't submit to any rule or contest. They just roam the streets singing and performing as they wish. 

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This is the music and lyrics of an old "Tanguillo"

Some chirigotas, in action ...

 

Spanish Music Page