Spain

Flamenco music – Cultural history and background

  • It is a unique blend of European and north African cultural characteristics

  • It was born in Andalusia—southern region of Spain

  • Vibrant music—featuring singers, guitar, rhythmic clapping and heel-stomping

  • Also incorporates audience participation in handclapping, dance, vocal interjections

The Vocals

  • It was originally for voice alone (called cante)

  • Incorporates the strained timbre and heavy use of melisma typical of Arabic vocal traditions

  • Cante has three forms deep, intermediate, and light—determined by subject matter

  • The vocalist—the cantaora – can be male or female, but male predominates

  • Often sing in high vocal range with strained timbre—makes the music more passionate

  • Intricately ornamented melismas have emotional effect—make singer sound like crying/wailing

  • Lyrical content—death and love common themes

Modern Flamenco

  • Flamenco in modern form—from 19th century

  • Gypsy musicians sang the cante with instrumental accompaniment

  • 1840’s - had Cafés cantantes—clubs devoted to flamenco with guitar becoming standard

Rhythmic Vibrancy 

  • Hand clapping (palmas) and finger-snapping (palillos or pitos) are common

  • They articulate the basic beat

  • Also interlock claps to create thick rhythmic density

  • Lots of syncopation

  • Dancers

    • Add rhythmic vibrancy through toe and heel stamping

    Improvisation

    • A key element between voice, guitar, dancer, hand clapping

Places of Performance

  • Traditionally was performed in intimate settings where performer and audience could interact—bar, café, home, restaurant, side street

  • More modern – concert stage

 
Harmony and Meter

  • Minor keys predominant

  • Triple meter most common

  • Syncopations common

  • Some shifting meters between duple and triple

  • Some rhythmically free passages

The Guitar

he top is often made of spruce for its bright snappy sound

The back and sides are often made of cypress – a light and resonant wood

Low frets/low string height makes it easier to play fast notes up and down the neck

A thinner flatter neck makes it easier to play chords

Flamenco has one of most virtuosic guitar styles—

  • It uses intricate strumming technique

  • Use fleshy part of fingers for some sounds

  • Strummed flourishes and solo work (melodic) use fingernails

  • Percussive accents from slapping the face of the guitar—emphasize a melodic passage or articulate specific rhythm

Elements

The traditional elements of flamenco include singing (cante), guitar playing (toque), dance (baile), and handclaps (palmas)

El cante - singing
[el cantaor/la cantaora - the singer]

El baile - dancing
[el bailaor/la bailaora - the dancer

La guitarra- guitar playing
[el/la guitarirsta - the guitarist]

Las palmas - rhythmic hand clapping
[el palmero/la palmera - the hand-clapper]

Los jaleos - calls of encouragement
[el festero/la festera - the person who animates]

and the taping sounds made by the dancer

Playing tech

  • Using the Capo, it can range the pitch.

  • Strumming with 4, 3, 1 fingers

  • Using the right-hand thumb.

  • Picado: alternating the index and middle finger

  • Arpeggios: playing the notes of a chord in sequence rather than simultaneously to create a more melodic line.

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