A book about fictional history moments entitled Decisive Moments in History was published in 1927. The author, the Austrian writer Stefan Zweig, included an enlightening foreword on what goes into creating a historical landmark.

​

Zweig highlights that every «critical moment that occurs in the world, it is decisive for decades and centuries». The essence of this idea is what surrounds the present dissertation: to explain how a song, from the very first moment it emerged, became a distinct symbol of a nation, remaining that way for more over than a century until nowadays.

​

In the Galician music history it is difficult, if not impossible, to find a song that matches the impact that Unha noite na eira do trigo produced. From the time the tune aroused, in the last third of the 19th century, the song took place throughout all kind of cultural and artistic events of the Galician diaspora. This melody embodies the migrant soul, whether in the Galician soil or wherever the Galician migration settled. Therefore, I should clarify that the concept «Galicia» is not meant to be understood as the peninsular territory that occupies in the Northwest of Spain but, in a broader sense, the term «Galicia» includes also the diverse destinations of the Galician emigration. The present investigation puts the spotlight on Galicia and Havana, Cuba, as the main port of call of the Galician migration in the 19th century, and also the place the song led me to begin with.

​

According to this preliminary approach, the first question arises: What is the reason why this song had reached a cross-disciplinary magnitude throughout history? And this one leads me to other questions such as: Why this song had so many presence in such different social strata and scenarios? Why has Unha noite been transcript and recorded in all kind of supports? Is this recognition due to the melody and the poem equally? Do any of them remain in the collective remembrance with greater intensity? Why its authorship is surrounded by so long lasting controversies?

​

Trailing the genesis of Unha noite na eira do trigo, its initial transmission in Galicia and the subsequent in Cuba, I will attempt to clarify those controversial points that I faced over the course of an extensive literature review which remains today far from receiving any convincing answers.

 

One thing that this song has demonstrated throughout its existence is an immense ability to adapt to a multitude of different contexts. For this reason, and given that it belongs the field of socio-linguistics, I have considered it pertinent to introduce in this work the approach which the varieties are treated in this discipline: diastratic, related to the different social strata; diaphasic, evidenced by its ability to adapt to different registers; diatopic, referring to the different places in which it is manifested; and diachronic, different realizations according to the historical moment.

​

As for the first ones, diatopic, it is difficult to find a song that, having spread in the popular sphere, has been able to adapt so easily to the academic stratum. According to the diaphasic variants, this song has had enough capacity to succeed, whether in the voice of a popular singer or in the voice of a renowned soprano.

On the subject of the diatopics: which Galician song, prior to the recording industry, has shown a similar capacity to take root on both sides of the Atlantic? As for diachronic variants, from 1869 to the present day, fashions have been changing, but the song has been able to adapt multiple times and has survived.

 

In light of the above-mentioned observations, the song presents its chameleon-like capability and ecumenical capacity, from the first moments of its existence. Unha noite na eira do trigo has known how to endure beyond context, place and time, becoming the unofficial anthem of the Galicianness.

​

*Summary / Extract of the Doctoral Thesis: Santamaría Cadaval, E. From Cántiga to La Galleguita. The round trip of the song Unha noite na eira do trigo. UCM: Madrid, 2021, pp. 9-10.