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Understand Spanish music: flamenco Spanish music, for all intents and purposes, including Spanish music videos by today’s top Spanish music artists, has its roots in traditional flamenco music and dance. What is flamenco? Elements of flamenco dance, flamenco costumes, and flamenco guitar have literally shaped the world’s image of Spanish guitar and Spanish music in Spanish tradition. When we think of traditional Spanish dance, we always think of the women in burgundy flamenco dresses dancing to music made by two or more mariachis playing guitars of various sizes. This is flamenco. History of Spanish music New and old experts on the history of Spanish music agree that the characteristics of flamenco performance greatly influenced Spanish music, Spanish guitar, and Spanish dance. Nobody can seem to agree on the origin of the word “flamenco,” but two prominent theories suggest that it either came from Spanish “Flamende” (meaning “Flemish”) or Arabic “felag mengu” (meaning “fugitive peasant”). There are many different sources of information on flamenco online, each telling a different story of the style’s history, but all following the same historical string of events. Early flamenco was originally practiced by several minority groups in Spain, and the style was not recognized as a cultural staple of the region, nor anything worth noticing, as far as most were concerned. To the Spanish aristocracy, flamenco was nothing more than a folk ritual, passed on through oral tradition by groups like the Moors, Gitanos, and Jews. The Spanish Inquisition (15th-17th century) saw these minorities expelled to the mountainous regions of Spain. It was during these hardships that flamenco developed its more enduring characteristics. Elements of flamenco Each element of flamenco—from flamenco dancewear to music—has greatly influenced all aspects of form for Spanish dance music, Spanish folk music, and even tango. Flamenco’s origin, being mired in persecution and hardship, lends to its common themes: desperation, hope, and pride. When flamenco is accompanied by vocal lyrics, which it often is not, these themes comprise its subject matter. And why not? Some of the world’s most popular musical styles, including the blues, revolve around the hardships of life, which nearly every person can identify with. It was perhaps because of this ease with which the general public could identify with flamenco that flamenco shows in Spanish cafés became popular in the late nineteenth century. Encouraged by excited patrons, flamenco began to include highly characteristic dances performed by women in traditional Spanish flamenco dresses. By the 1870’s, flamenco had reached its so-called “golden age.” Modern flamenco You can still find Spanish flamenco dancers today, and even take flamenco lessons. It is not uncommon to see a flamenco dance video on Spanish television, though the pictures of flamenco you had in mind might differ greatly from the flamenco Spanish artists perform nowadays. Influenced by contemporary styles such as jazz music and salsa music, flamenco endures: a style heavy with emotion and sprinkled with modern beats, yet retaining that traditional flamenco class. Spanish music vocabulary If you want to listen to Spanish music and attend flamenco shows, Spanish vocabulary is important to know. Understand Spanish music after you learn some common, easy flamenco words… Before You Know It Get full Spanish vocabulary lists with your download of Before You Know It Lite. This free, revolutionary flash card program from Transparent Language guarantees perfect recall. Learn more. Download here. Flamenco guitar The flamenco style should be familiar to anyone who wants to play Spanish guitar music, or even appreciate it. Use these links to some of the best flamenco guitar sites to learn how to play flamenco guitar and Spanish guitar, as well as some Spanish guitar history and the history of the flamenco guitar… Spanish Survival Phrases Want to take flamenco classes in dancing or performance? Want to take some Spanish guitar lessons? Interested in understanding Spanish musical culture a little better? Then you’d better brush up on some core Spanish phrases… |
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