Tradizioni bandistiche e marcia sinfonica nel Mezzogiorno d'Italia: tra pietà popolare e identità stilistica

Italian popular culture has always played a key role in transmitting faith and collective identity, often through artistic and musical expressions. This study explores two seemingly distinct yet deeply connected phenomena: popular piety and the symphonic march. Popular piety represents the spirituality experienced by the masses through devotional practices, processions, and tangible symbolism. At the same time, the symphonic march, which emerged in Italy between the 19th and 20th centuries, along with the funeral march, became a pillar of the southern band tradition, combining operatic and symphonic elements with the need for public enjoyment. Through the analysis of emblematic examples, this essay highlights the role of these practices in preserving historical memory and strengthening the sense of community belonging in Southern Italy.