Pili, Felice
1910-1982bagpipe maker, also a piper (or vv.) (&c.), mentioned by name
Born in Villaputzu (Sarrabus area, prov. Cagliari), he moved to Santa Giusta (prov. Oristano); He was a pupil of Antonio Lara and Efisio Melis, and in his younger days a village Launeddas player in Armungia and Mogoro; A cobbler and fishmonger, he became a semi-professional Launeddas player, and was engaged each year for the festival of Sant’ Antonio in Laconi; He made not only his own instruments, but many players from Cabras, less experienced in that art, came to him, as well; Many years he taught Daniele Casu, who was to succeed him as a regular player for the company of San Giovanni at Oristano, and, following the tradition, attended all the festivities of the company in order to assist his master; In several sources he is called "Felicino"; According to Dore, who calls him "Felicino", as well, and oddly states his age as being 84 [in 1975/6!; ws], he was "the most famous player and manufacturer of the Campidano di Oristano"; A relative of Luigi?
Instrument: Launeddas / Launeḍḍas / Launedda [sic]
Weis Bentzon, Andreas Fridolin: The launeddas: a Sardinian folk music instrument. Copenhagen, 1969, p.12 & passim.
Dore, Giovanni: Gli strumenti della musica popolare della Sardegna. Cagliari, 1976, p.54 (Felicino).
Paulis, Giulio: I nomi delle launeddas: origine e storia [with an extensive article on their manufacture]. In: Sonos (1994), p.155* (Felicino).
Lallai, Giampaolo: Il declino delle launeddas: la crisi, il recupero. In: Launeddas: l’anima di un popolo (1997), p.69, 72* & passim (Felicino).