The Piffero of the Four Provinces: Music Keeping the Apennines Alive

The piffero, a double-reed woodwind instrument, is central to the cultural heritage of the Four Provinces region spanning Piacenza, Alessandria, Genoa, and Pavia. Originating in the 17th century, it evolved from medieval oboe-like instruments and is traditionally played with the Apennine bagpipe (now often replaced by the accordion). Legendary 19th-century piffero player Draghin, from the Suzzi family in Val Boreca, was said to possess the secret of the piffero art. Craftsmen like Ferdinando Cogo of Cantalupo Ligure and Nicolò Bacigalupo (U Grisu) of Cicagna standardized the instrument's form. The tradition persists today through musicians like Stefano Valla of Cegni, who learned from Ernesto Sala, and his duo with Daniele Scurati. The Appennino Festival, founded in 2002 by Maddalena Scagnelli and Franco Guglielmetti, promotes the region's musical heritage and slow tourism, with the 2024 edition running from July 30 to September 22.