Décima
A sung ten line stanza that trovadores improvise over jíbaro music, often as a verbal duel between two singers. The audience proposes the subject and the singer has to resolve it in rhyme, on the spot. You hear it at mountain festivals and at Christmas gatherings.
Example
In a controversia the audience throws out a subject and the two singers answer each other in décimas until one runs out of road.
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Frequently asked questions
Is it really improvised?
Yes, that is the whole point. The singer composes on the spot on a given subject within a fixed rhyme scheme.
Where can I see it?
At jíbaro music festivals, mountain patron saint celebrations and Christmas programs.
