Cobla

The cobla is the band which provides the highly unusual music for the dancing of Sardanas and the building of Castells. It consists of eleven players, and is made up of woodwind and brass, together with double bass.

The shrill oboe-like tenora long ago replaced the bagpipe as the leading instrument. The music is lyrical, somewhat repetitive, and fun; sounding like an odd mix of Bavarian Um-pah-pah and Middle Eastern music. The most celebrated cobla band, and the official band of the Generalitat, is La Principal from la Bisbal.