NPR

Folk Duo Maria i Marcel Shines Light On The 'Very Real Taboo' Of Spain's Civil War

The Catalan musicians use their culture's tradition to connect difficult memories of the Spanish Civil War to Spain's democracy today.
Catalan folk duo Maria i Marcel are not afraid to discuss the atrocities of Spain's Civil War through music. "There's a change of mentality," Marcel Bagés<strong> </strong>says.

Catalonia, a culturally distinct and politically embattled region of northeast Spain, has held on to its distinct culture through centuries as it has struggled to redefine its relationship with the rest of the country.

These deep questions of identity and allegiance are heard in the music of modern Catalan folk duo Maria Arnal and Marcel Bagés. Drawing on traditional folk songs and archival field recordings, Maria i Marcel's debut album , revisits

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