The Mallorcan “Xeremies” or “Xeremia” is an instrument pertaining to the bagpipe family and is the instrument that gives the “xeremiers” group its name.

Xeremia

This bagpipe consists of a leather pouch where the air accumulates and is then released through three holes: the blowpipe, through which air flows to inflate the pouch; from here, the air is distributed through one part towards the “Grall” (melodic pipe) and through another towards the “Braguer”, which is the piece that directs the air towards the bass drone, or towards all the drones when it is a three-drone “Xeremia”. The traditional “Xeremies” do not have drones. Instead, they have three “Fillols” as decoration.

Xeremies Mallorca

The “Xeremier” (person who plays the “Xeremia”) takes the instrument by holding it with their elbow and forearm and presses the pouch towards their body, inflating it through the blowpipe, and using both hands to create the melody with the “grall”.

It is not easy to get a good continuous sound, in fact it is more difficult to master the necessary volume of air to make “Ses Xeremies” sound good than to get the melodies to sound “grall”. The sound that comes out of the horn is a continuous note, like a “pedal” note, the sounder should not worry about this part of the instrument, since having a continuous air intake, the sound is reproduced automatically.

All these parts of the “xeremies” that are named above, make up the instrument. Majorcan popular culture says that, for the wood to be good and durable, the tree must be cut on the old moon in February (if it is deciduous leaf) or on the new moon in February (if it is evergreen).

The Mallorcan “Xeremies” or “Xeremia” is an instrument pertaining to the bagpipe family, instrument that gives the “xeremiers” group its name