J.K.Mertz - Tarantelle

Tarantelle is among the most recognized of traditional Italian music. In the Italian Taranto, Apulia, the bite of a locally common type of wolf spider, named "tarantula" after the region, was popularly believed to be highly poisonous and to lead to a hysterical condition known as tarantism. The stated belief in the 16th and 17th centuries was that victims needed to engage in frenzied dancing to prevent death from tarantism using a very rhythmic and fast music. The particular type of dance and the music played became known as tarantella. Written by J.K.Mertz the Hungarian composer of 19 century. Performed by me on the guitar.