Because sometimes you just need a Five Dollar Footlong.

"The Basques like it." pg. 109

I was way too excited for a normal person when I saw this, mostly because I knew who the Basques were! Oddly enough, I came about this bit of knowledge through playing in a wind ensemble (similar to Roncalli's marching/concert band, but slightly smaller) at the University of Indianapolis. The song was called "Basque Rhapsody" and our conductor explained that the Basques were like a folk people of Spain, which is made evident in The Sun Also Rises. The composer (who isn't dead yet, I think) grew up with this kind of music and was saddened at the amount of available printed music in this style, so he composed the piece. What helps get an overall "flavor" for the music is that it's a rhapsody. When most people think of that word they think of (if born before 1950) "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin or (if born after 1950) "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. The word "rhapsody" comes from a Greek derivative meaning "to sew or stitch together." When applied to music, it refers to a song in which different sections of the song could stand alone as it's own song, yet when put together, creates the entire piece. If you think about either of the examples or if you happen to know any other famous rhapsodies, my attempt at explaining what a rhapsody is may make a little more sense.

Anyway, I found a recording by a different wind ensemble (we were better, AND they cut out a section, those butchers), so enjoy some music of the Basques, but even more importantly, check out all the nerdy band kids.