Why does this tarantella music from Apulia sound like music from the Appalachian region of the US?

[Sikeliot]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEVB_QAtgwI

It sounds like something from the Carolinas, Tennessee, or Georgia. Like square dancing.

Salento is historically Greek land, so where does this style of music come from?

[Mark]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEVB_QAtgwI

It sounds like something from the Carolinas, Tennessee, or Georgia. Like square dancing.

Salento is historically Greek land, so where does this style of music come from?

The fiddle arrangement and acoustic guitar is giving that vibe and to a lesser degree, the accordion giving a slight Cajun feel.

[Sikeliot]

I can hear how it is similar to other tarantella music but it sounds southern US at the same time.

[Peyrol]

Are you serious?

The pizzica is the traditional salentine dance.

[Sikeliot]

Are you serious?

The pizzica is the traditional salentine dance.

Pizzica is a form of tarantella, it has a different name in each region of the south. But it does sound like music from the southern US, at least that one song. I at first suspected Celtic influence as a reason but Apulia never had any.

[Dombra]

inb4 the musicians played American style intentionally

[Tacitus]

It's the acoustic guitar that's throwing it off a bit, but the violin and organetto are standard fare in pizzica.

[MINARDOWICZ]

This sounds like stuff from where I live... xd. I thought celtic influenced too but it doesn't make sense... crazy.

[Peyrol]

Pizzica is a form of tarantella, it has a different name in each region of the south. But it does sound like music from the southern US, at least that one song. I at first suspected Celtic influence as a reason but Apulia never had any.

These northwestern songs are more pseudo-celtic than Pizzica...



(the ''Baghet'' is the traditional lombard Bagpipe)

[Vesuvian Sky]

I've been a musician for more then half of my life....

That being said:

Basically, all the fiddle is doing is providing melodic fill. Its almost certainly not part of the standard arrangement in any sense (aka whats on the sheet music).

The fiddler playing may intentionally be drawing from other sources or not. Or its just the timbre of the instrument plus notes/way he's playing.

No reason to suspect an ancient substratum here.