Marie Memos
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Agnes De Mille
The truest expression of a people is in its dances and its music. Bodies never lie.Isadora Duncan
Isadora Duncan : The Russian Years by Ilya Ilyich Schneider. Amazing story, amazing lady.
Flamenco history
Flamenco history is not an exact scienceThe origins of flamenco can only be intelligently guessed at by looking at Spanish cultural history. From ancient times, the Iberian Peninsular has been the home for a multitude of different races and cultures. Once you start playing flamenco and listening to the various forms, sooner or later you are very likely to ask yourself questions like, "Why does Tarantos and Granadinas sound so Arabic (Moorish)?" or "How come flamenco Rumba doesn't sound like a Cuban Rumba?" of "Was that a Buleria falseta I heard in that Scarlatti sonata?" Spanish cultural history provides some clues for the curious.
What is meant be the term "traditional flamenco"
Flamenco and 'traditional flamenco' are generic terms applied the body of music, song and dance normally associated with Andalucian Gypsies. In the broader sense, flamenco is the Andalucian folk art of the poor. The word flamenco is also used to describe a flamenco performer or aficionado.
The term traditional tends to imply something we can look back on as some sort of reliable reference which is fixed in stone, but it actually evolved gradually from a combination of Gypsy and non-Gypsy cultural influences. It is still evolving and slowly changing as we speak.
In a hundred years the music we call traditional now will probably be referred to as ancient or obsolete, and the modern music styles of today may well be referred to as traditional. Regarding the evolution of flamenco tradition as we know it today, we tend to think of gypsies as being major contributors to flamenco. They were (and are), but they were not the only contributors. The truth is that gypsies were relatively late arrivals on the scene in terms of actual influences.
Islamic influences in flamenco history
Way back in the 9th century a musician from Baghdad called Ziryab founded a singing school in Cordoba. He is credited with introducing the lute (Al-U'd) to Spain and also with adding a fifth bass string to it. It is said he knew 10,000 songs (more than your Ipod can hold) and he was largely responsible for adding Persian music and poetry to Andalucian culture.
There are many examples of Islamic music influence in flamenco. Zambra, a festive dance of the gypsies of Granada is one of the most typically gypsy flamenco dances. Zambra is Arabic for 'flute'. It was originally a lively Moorish dance and dates back to the 15th century. Another example is the Danza Mora. This literally means 'Moorish dance' and has an unmistakable Arabic flavor to it.
The Gypsies role in flamenco history
A major diaspora of Gypsies started arriving in Spain in the mid 15th century. They had come at a bad time and were not welcome. With the rise of Queen Isabella came the Spanish Inquisition. When the Moors surrendered in 1492 and Spain officially became a Christian country, Moors, Jews and Gypsies were given three simple choices. Basically, you agree to walk with Jesus, or get lost. The other choice was you would get to meet the inquisitors and try to explain why you object to being a Catholic. But conversion didn't mean freedom. It just meant you would be persecuted and live a short, miserable life instead of being killed.
Flamenco is born
It comes as no surprise that most of the Moors and Jews decided to flee and never come back. Gypsies were also part of the religious cleansing and given the choices, were forced to flee the city troubles along with the Moors and Jews. So this unlikely mix of fugitives, while not bonded to each other by race or religion, were at least allies who had a common enemy and had ample opportunity to steal music and dance ideas from one other as they camped under the stars.
That's the simple version of flamenco history. I leave the unpleasant details in the hands of bickering historians. The long and short of it is that many of the gypsies ultimately survived the turmoil and remained in Spain while the others (Moors and Jews) left the country for good. In this context it would be fair to say that at least some of the music and dance traditions of the Moors and Jews (and Christians) were assimilated and adapted by the gypsies. It's clear from this brief overview that flamenco history is not just about Gypsies, but invokes the memory of events that affected other persecuted peoples as well.
Flamenco history is all about influences
Although the Sephardic Jews disappeared from Spain in the late 15th century, echoes of their haunting music linger on in flamenco melodies such as Peteneras. Personally, I can't listen to Sephardic music without being reminded of flamenco. The well known guitar piece "Romance", (or "Spanish Ballad") is believed by some to be a pre-Inquisition Jewish song. Likewise, the Moors have long gone but the Arabic-Islamic influence is unmistakable in such things as Granadinas and Tarantos. Later influences included the Gregorian musical system as well as the Christmas carols of the Christians.
Some of this is wonderful stuff for a lively academic debate, but the main point is that flamenco did not just suddenly appear out of thin air. Flamenco owes it's existence to many cultural "influences", without which there would be no flamenco as we know it. It evolved slowly over many centuries. So although flamenco as we recognize it today has only been around for about 200 years, it's incubation period stretches way back. Flamenco history may be a little vague, but it can never be called boring.
Copyright © 2006 Sal Bonavita
Technique
"The only reason for mastering technique is to make sure the body does not prevent the soul from expressing itself." - La Meri
Audrey Hepburn
I probably hold the distinction of being one movie star who, by all laws of logic, should never have made it. At each stage of my career, I lacked the experience.Audrey Hepburn
Synchronized Dance
To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person.Bruce Lee, Tao of Jeet Kune Do
I am ready.....
Until you're ready to look foolish, you'll never have the possibility of being great.Cher
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