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Flamenco Forms
Caña
and Polo
by Susana
Navalón
Translated by Yasha
Maccanico
According to historical data that is currently available, both the caña and the
polo appear to pre-date the soleá, and they sound very similar.
Nonetheless, it is easy to distinguish them because they include
a repeated leitmotif that was apparently once sung as a chorus,
which involves reiterated “ays” sung in perfect agreement with
their corresponding guitar chords. |
|  Dance created by Carmen Amaya, according to her own declarations, in the thirties
of the last century with the assistance of musician Monreal
and guitarist Perico el del Lunar
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| Dance |
This dance was created by
Carmen Amaya, according to her own declarations, in the
thirties of the last century with the assistance of musician
Monreal and guitarist Perico el del Lunar, based on don
Antonio Chacon's cantaor version of this style, but it
is also possible, as indicated by some old performers,
that it used to be danced previously, although there is
a lack of documentation to support this.
The meter is in twelve beats and, like the soleá, it
can be marked in two ways:
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
or else,
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
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| Guitar |
| The caña and polo are two identical styles. However, the caña follows the Andalusian
scale, whereas the polo is in a major scale, although
it ends in the Andalusian scale. It is usually played
at the top, and it has a basic E-F key.
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| Compared with the polo, which is a vigorous style whose performance is usually
bursting with force, the caña is a cante that is rough, harsh,
long, which sounds like a lithurgy. |
| Singing |
Compared with the polo, which is a vigorous style whose performance is usually
bursting with force, the caña is a cante (style of song)
that is rough, harsh, long, which sounds like a lithurgy,
melancholic, full of melismas (when several notes are
played over the same syllable), which is finished off
by a macho (an important variation found mainly in the
most authentic flamenco “cantes” that is bold and breaks
the monotonous melody) that has a different metre and
more thrust, sometimes a soleá. It is difficult to execute
and requires exceptional physical qualities of the cantaor
(singer). It does not use the jipío (sharp sound like
a prolonged “ay”) as an expressive element, which is
why it remains defiant and gallant in all of its tercios
(each of the verses that make up a copla in flamenco
singing). The caña begins with a gutsy “ay” which is
followed by an initial paseíllo (ceremonial entrance
or introductory series) of “ays”, while the polo starts
by singing the copla (poetic composition, in verse, used
as lyrics) straight away.
At present, there are very few cantaores who include
cañas or polos in their performances and records. The
caña that is usually sung is the kind that was made popular
by don Antonio Chacón, which is performed outstandingly
by Rafael Romero, Enrique Morente, Fosforito and Alfredo
Arrebola. It is a cante that has coplas made up of four
eight-syllable verses, with the second and fourth ones
rhyming. |
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Getting
started in flamenco
What is meant by cante jondo, duende, jondura, quejío, garbo…?
Everything you need to know to get started in flamenco.
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You
can start dancing straight away
Finding a jersey, skirt, fan, or dance school is easier than
you think: the technique can be learnt, but only you can put
the magic into it.
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Flamencoing
in Madrid
Madrid is undoubtedly the flamenco capital: schools, tablaos,
taverns, bars and festivals. Everything that you mustn´t miss
out on.
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Choose
the best skirt
The skirt shapes your figure and highlights your movements.
Here you can learn how to pick the one that suits you best.
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Paso
a Paso.
Flamenco Forms
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