The songs of the majorales or pabordesses of the Roser confraternity, accompanied by tambourines or square drums, were present in many villages of Catalonia. The lyrics turned the "table clearing" after weddings, baptisms, sung masses, and local festivals into a female-voiced oracle where community relationships were woven. The money earned through this feminine conquest of the stage was used to cover the expenses of the Roser Virgin's celebration.
The drum, fully painted with sacred images and decorated with ribbons and bells, is the most significant and spectacular object remaining from that activity. Since the late 19th century, some folklorists hurried to collect the remnants of a festive world that was disappearing. Now, with this exhibition at the Museu de la Música, we aim to showcase the world evoked by the testimonies of the last majorales.