The Violin in Goan Culture

The Violin, Music & Goan Culture.

Music has been deeply rooted in Goan culture, be it western or Indian classical. The violin, in particular, has really made a place for itself in every Goan Mando, Dulpod, Deknni or even in modern Konkani folk and pop songs.  Goa is well known for its Mando internationally. Music has been like food of love for every Goan. 

Reflecting on the days gone by, it may be rightly said that we owe this talent to the old Parish schools where learning music was a must. These old catechism schools were attached to the churches, and it was in one of these churches that the first Goa ‘Mestir” was educated and taught music. Besides hymns, children also learnt to serve Mass in Latin, music notation and singing the Gregorian Chant. The art of violin playing reached its highest peak in the 16th century.
Since then, the ‘Mestir’ (Choir Master or Teacher) made his presence felt markedly at all public and private functions, from Solemn High Mass of any feast to the sung Litanies in homes, village chapels and at roadside crosses. The ‘mestir’ in turn strictly trained young musicians in the art of violin playing and singing. It was not unusual at times to see the violin bow landing sharply on the head of some young lads who sang ‘false’ or ‘desafinad’.

Many famous brands of violins made their way into Goa in the 16th century including big names such as Gasparo de Salo, Nicolaus Amatus, Joseph Guarnerius, Jacobus Stainer and Antonio Stradivarius. Violins were subsequently manufactured in Goa by the Rodrigues family of Santa Cruz and Jose Caetano Fernandes and his son Custodio Jose and grandson Antonio Baptista and Antonin Francisco at Varca.

The art of teaching the violin playing has greatly changed since the days of learning at the old local parish churches and of the age of Primeiro Grau’ or ‘Segundo Grau’ at the Escola Primaria level, as music is now taught in high schools as well as in private music schools. May this art be kept going by fostering the love of music and encouraging the talent for playing the violin in the children of the modern generation.