$Unique_ID{COW03365} $Pretitle{379} $Title{Spain The Various Languages of Spain, a Live Cultural Inheritance} $Subtitle{} $Author{Embassy of Spain, Washington DC} $Affiliation{Embassy of Spain, Washington DC} $Subject{spanish language spain de national languages madrid public theatre world} $Date{1989} $Log{National Library*0336501.scf Pedro Almodovar*0336502.scf Table 29.*0336501.tab Table 30.*0336502.tab } Country: Spain Book: Spain 1989 Author: Embassy of Spain, Washington DC Affiliation: Embassy of Spain, Washington DC Date: 1989 The Various Languages of Spain, a Live Cultural Inheritance In the 16th century, Castilian acquired primacy over the other languages of the Peninsula. Its use in the colonization of America as the language of the Spanish conquistadores made it synonymous with Spain and the Spanish language, as it became known throughout almost all the world. However, Castilian is not the only Spanish language; at present, there are, and there was, even in those times, other Spanish languages which make up a singularly rich linguistic patrimony. In the present day, Castilian is the official language and the language of culture of almost 300 million people the world over. Of these, more than 220 million speak it as their mother tongue. These figures make the official language of the Spanish state the most widely-spoken romance language, an expressive instrument of a community which embraces two different worlds and which is spoken by people of all different races. The Royal Academy of Language, located in Madrid, is entrusted with "purifying, clarifying and giving splendour" to the language, in close contact with other Latin American academies, and mitigating the problems arising from the use of a language spoken in such a large geographic expanse. Its members are recruited from among the most prestigious literary creators and erudites. The Constitution recognizes the right of the Autonomous Communities of the Basque Country, Galicia, Catalunya, the Balearic Islands and the Community of Valencia to use their own languages without jeopardizing the use of Castilian (ie. Spanish). The rest of the Spanish languages represent the principal feature of cultural identity of these Autonomous Communities where they are spoken: Basque, Gallego, Catalan and Valencian; this latter is very closely related to the Catalan language. Romanticism awoke Spanish regional literature, which had a rich literary tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, from its temporary lethargy. The Francoist dictatorship prohibited, at first, and then hindered the use of these languages, which found themselves confined to use in the home and encountered serious difficulties for their development as a cultural vehicle; this was only overcome thanks to the tenacity of private institutions which preserved their study and fostered their use. At present, these languages are spoken by some 9 million persons, the most widely spoken being Catalan, which is also the official language of the Principality of Andorra, and is spoken in certain areas in Sardinia, Italy, and in the French region of Roussillon. Among the most important Catalan writers of today, the poets Joan Brossa and Pere Gimferrer, stand out, along with the novelist Manuel de Pedrolo. Two well-known writers in the Gallegan language are Alfredo Conde and Carlos Casares. In Basque, the work of the late Koldo Mitxelena is known as the true author of the unification of euskera batua. Three Hundred Million Spanish Speakers, the Basis of a Powerful Publishing Industry In the last few years, literature and journalism have had a great influence on each other. A few novels written by women have been successful, and the knowledge of Latin American literature, equal to that of other languages, increases day by day. The climate of liberty and far-reaching means for disseminating information allow for a great optimism with respect to the future evolution of Spanish literature, which is awaking a growing interest the world over. The extension of the Spanish language has determined the existence of an important publishing industry, centred, above all, in Barcelona and Madrid. Since 1981, Spain has occupied fifth place in the world regarding titles published and fourth place for its volume of exports. Publishing is divided into three principal categories: books for children and teenagers; textbooks; and Spanish and Latin American literature. In the latter category, Spanish production increased almost 16% in just 1987, offering 38,314 titles. In spite of the difficulties that are posed by greatly competitive market and constant technical renovation, the Spanish publishing world is a very dynamic sector and has indisputable economic and cultural impact. [See National Library: The Biblioteca Nacional (National Library) is the custodian of the nation's cultural past. The facade of the Library. Madrid.] According to figures of readership, based on a recent survey carried out by the Ministry of Culture, 46% of the population of over 14 years of age spend an average of 41 hours per quarter reading, which is equivalent to 3,2 hours per week, although 63% of the population spends less than two hours per week. The condition of Spanish libraries was one of the aspects that most needed attending to; great deficiencies still exist, in spite of the efforts of the public powers in the last few years. A basic point of these endeavours has been the reform plan of the National Library, directed towards having this great centre fulfill its function as a depositary for the country's cultural memory and a place for privileged research. The extension of the system of libraries and its computerization are two other goals that are being pursued at present by the Spanish policy for libraries. Spanish publishing production is exhibited both in National Book Fairs and in the most important international ones. In 1983, the International Book Fair (LIBER) was created, which is held alternatively in Madrid and Barcelona, and offers a complete panorama of publishing activity in the Hispanic linguistic area. Public institutions, and, above all, the Ministry of Culture, encourage reading through Promotion Campaigns of Children's and Youth Literature, itinerant expositions and subsidies for publishing certain books. Since 1984, there also exists a fund to help translate and edit Spanish literature in foreign languages, which is beginning to produce optimum results. [See Table 29.: Books published in Spain] Spanish Musicians and Performers Have Triumphed on the International Stage The Spaniard's musical tradition has remained a force for the greater part of this century. In the post-war period, such important composers as Joaquin Rodrigo (composer of El concierto de Aranjuez) and the Catalan Frederic Mompou became world famous. In the world of classical music today, composers such as a Cristobal Halffter, Carmelo Bernaola, Luis de Pablo and Tomas Marco are internationally renowned. With respect to performers, many Spanish names currently form part of musical history: the guitarists Andres Segovia and Narciso Yepes; the harpist Nicanor Zabaleta; the pianist Alicia de Larrocha; the conductors Antoni Ros Marba, Miguel Angel Gomez and Jesus Lopez Cobos; and, of course, the great opera singers Placido Domingo, Alfredo Kraus, Montserrat Caballe, Teresa Berganza, Jose Carreras... In the last few years, the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with Autonomous and municipal institutions, has promoted a national network of auditoriums. The one in Madrid, which has been recently inaugurated, allows the Teatro Real to return to its original function as an opera house, and the Teatro de la Zarzuela will be the site of Spanish light, comic opera and of dance. Since 1983, the following have been created: the National Youth Orchestra of Spain, the National Ballet of Spain, the Centre for the Diffusion of Contemporary Music and the Centre of Musical Documentation. The great orchestras, with the Orquesta Nacional heading the list, have made frequent tours both in and outside of Spain. There are also regular opera seasons in Barcelona, in the Gran Teatro del Liceo, in Madrid, Oviedo, Bilbao and other Spanish cities. There are also a number of music festivals which are regularly held, among which the most important are those in Granada, held in the Alhambra, in Santander, and that of religious music in Cuenca. There is also the jazz festival in San Sebastian and the Fall Festival organized by the Autonomous Community of Madrid. One of the most majestic musical settings is the Palacio de la Musica in Barcelona, which is, at the same time, a modernist architectural jewel. Record sales have increased from 28 million in 1975 to 39 million in 1987, 93% of Spanish homes have some type of sound equipment. Spanish music is heard with increasing frequency beyond Spain's borders, and State funding of international tours of different groups, soloists and orchestras has increased over the past five years 200%. Theatre, A Genre Reborn Of Both Tradition and The Avant-garde A series of symptoms mark the recovery of theatre in Spain, in spite of the difficulties presented by increased costs and the popularity of other types of entertainment. The total number of theatre-goers has risen appreciably. According to the aforementioned survey, 9% of the Spanish population attends theatrical performances every three months. Moreover, fifty theatres have been rehabilitated throughout the country in the last few years, to which a budget of 7,500 millions pesetas has been devoted. At the same time, the number of theatrical productions and the presence of Spanish theatre abroad has also risen. In Spain, private and public theatre coexists; the former receives funding by means of subsidies for a specific production or by means of cooperation with companies and the theatres themselves to put on performances. Among the public centres for theatrical productions several stand out, such as the Teatro de la Zarzuela, the Centro Dramatico Nacional, integrated into the European Theatre, together with those of Paris and Milan, the Centro Nacional de Nuevas Tendencias Escenicas and, since 1985, the Compania Nacional de Teatro Clasico. Public financial support for theatre does not come only from the central state, but also from the Autonomous Communities, the provincial administrations, the City Halls... Thanks to these, Dramatic Centres in Catalunya, Galicia, Valencia and Extremadura have been created. In Catalunya, there are several extremely active theatrical groups such as the Teatre Lliure, Els Joglars and Els Comediants, Dagoll Dagom and La Fura dels Baus. Theatrical names such as Buero Vallejo or Fernando Arrabal continue to reap triumphs all over the world; while actors and actresses such as Fernando Fernan Gomez, Jose Maria Rodero, Nuria Espert and Jose Luis Gomez (these last two are also directors) have obtained world-wide recognition, as has the director of theatre and opera Luis Pasqual, who, despite his youth, has achieved sensational international triumphs. The stupendous success of Valle Inclan's Luces de Bohemia, El Publico, by Federico Garcia Lorca, both performed by the National Drama Centre and directed by Pasqual, have allowed demanding publics in Paris and Milan, among others, to discover the high quality of Spanish theatre. A New Spanish Cinema Is Becoming Internationally Known The Spanish cinematographic industry is confronted with the same problems as those in most European countries: the reconversion of movie theatres, competition from videos and television, the increasing influence of American movies on the public... Nevertheless, the cinema is one of the most celebrated media for the Spanish public: 37% of those over 14 years of age go to the cinema at least once every four months. The policy of the Ministry of Culture has been centred on financial support given according to the project, on box-office receipts, on the basis of special quality and on the opening of external markets through showings of Spanish cinema abroad. Following in the footsteps of the indisputed master, Luis Bunuel, J. A. Bardem, Luis Garcia Berlanga and Carlos Saura have also won international repute. Recently, Jose Luis Garci won an Oscar, for the first time in Spanish cinematographic history, for the best foreign film. Special interest has been shown the works of Victor Erice, Basilio Martin Patino, Manuel Gutierrez Aragon, Jose Luis Borau, Gonzalo Suarez and Fernando Fernan Gomez. In the last few years, a new type of urban comedy has arisen which was initiated by Colomo and Trueba and whose principal and most well-known exponent is Pedro Almodovar. [See Pedro Almodovar: One of the most important exponents of Spanish avant-garde cinema. A poster of his "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown".] [See Table 30.: Cinema: Earnings and spectators] Sports and Bullfighting, the Principal Pastimes of the People Spanish sport has recently produced such figures of international repute as Pedro Delgado in cycling. Sito Pons, the deserving successor of Angel Nieto in motorcycle racing, the Sanchez Vicario family in tennis and Severiano Ballesteros in golf. In spite of the increasing interest for other sports which were in the minority recently, until football continues to be the great spectator sport capable of drawing huge crowds of Spaniards every week. Basketball has awakened a growing enthusiasm among young people and the same has happened with track and field and tennis. The increase in the practice of sports which has been registered in Spain will be enhanced by the holding of the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992. The Fiesta Nacional, as bullfighting is known in Spain, is experiencing an unexpected revitalization, with a great increase in spectators and the appearance of a new generation of bullfighters who alternate with the confirmed masters. Bullfighting, as it is known today, began to become popular and was first performed in Sevilla in 1761. It is omnipresent in Spanish popular festivals, as both the main attraction and a side show. It is the raison d'etre of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, in Navarra, and bullfights have acquired an undisputed prominence in such festivals as the Fallas of Valencia, the April Feria of Sevilla and the San Isidro Fair of Madrid. Together with these popular events, the various celebrations of Holy Week in many different Spanish cities should be mentioned: the most important is that in Sevilla. The democratic City Councils have played a foremost role in the restoration of traditional festivals. Romerias (celebrations held near a shrine). Mardi Gras carnivals, among which stand out those of the Canary Islands and Cadiz, dances and parades owe a great part of their recuperation to the work of the local administrations. At present, the public has had recuperated all types of national folklore: especially in the resurgence of sevillanas the national dance of Andalucia.