| Get to know the flamenco forms |
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| Flamenco Forms
Tangos
by Susana
Navalón
Translated by Yasha
Maccanico
(From tang, onomatopoeia for a resounding noise or for the percussion of an instrument.
It also symbolises a swaying movement. Another possible source
is from tangir, which in turn comes from the Latin tangere, to
touch). The word has been used to refer to different musical expressions
on either side of the Atlantic, which makes it difficult to track
down its origins, although any relation with the Argentinian tango
has been ruled out. Yes, it has possibly received an influence
from the American continent, resulting from contact with Cuban
music, although it was evidently in Cádiz where this style of flamenco
began, with Enrique El Mellizo. It is a style with a very lively
and heavily accented rhythm; together with the bulería it forms
the essence of any flamenco party. Its happy rhythm and measured
meter allow it to give rise to movements of great brilliance and
expressiveness when it is performed in its dance form. |
|  Its rhythm is marked and very catchy, allowing for personal postures and improvisation.
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| Dance |
It is a flamenco dance whose origins date back to the first information of which
there is evidence about this art form. It is performed
following its meter with graceful, stylish movements,
roguish gestures and slick contorsions. Its rhythm
is marked and very catchy, allowing for personal postures
and improvisation. In its simplest form, without any
of the artistic adornments that are characteristic
of professionals, it is easy to follow for persons
who have an aptitude for dancing.
Its meter is in four beats. It is quite a drawn out meter,
which is easy to recognise. The first is a silence and
the second, third and fourth beats are marked as follows:
1234/1234/1234/1234...
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| Guitar |
The majority of flamenco
tangos, as well as tientos, follow the Andalusian scale,
although there are also variations, especially in Triana
or in Granada, which use the major and minor scales. For
example, the ones of Titi de Triana are played in minor
keys, the ones from Cádiz are accompanied in modal keys,
and the ones from Málaga, or Piyayo's one, in major keys.
There is also one version in Granada that is played at
the top with a slower rhythm.
The tango and the rumba have currently almost got to the
point of merging into one another, but the main difference
between them lies in the guitar playing. They are tangos
when the guitarist's accompaniment marks the chords with
precision; when the tocaor (guitar player) marks the beats
clearly with sharp strumming. In the case of the rumba,
the guitar plays in a more continuous manner.
The basic keys are:
In the middle:
LA – B flat
At the top: E – F
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| Its first known performers were El Mellizo and Aurelio Sellés in Cádiz, Pastora
Pavón and El Titi in Sevilla, Frijones and El Mojama in Jerez,
and La Pirula, La Repompa and El Piyayo in Málaga. |
| Singing |
It is one of the basic
styles of flamenco and one of the oldest ones. There
are different varieties depending on whether they come
from Cádiz, Sevilla, Jerez or Málaga, but it almost
always finds expression as a cante (style of song) for
dancing. When it is sung to be listened to, it is a
calm and solemn cante that is much less suited to flaunting
one's skills than tientos, which are a re-creation of
tangos with a slower rhythm.
Its first known performers were El Mellizo and Aurelio
Sellés in Cádiz, Pastora Pavón and El Titi in Sevilla,
Frijones and El Mojama in Jerez, and La Pirula, La Repompa
and El Piyayo in Málaga. La Niña de los Peines was the
singer who was most responsible for spreading it, to
the point where her stage name comes from a tango lyric
which she made very popular early in her career: “Peínate
tú con mis peines / que mis peines son de azúcar / quien
con mis peines se peina / hasta los peines se chupa”.
“Comb yourself with my combs / because my combs are made
of sugar / those who comb themselves with my combs /
will go so far as to lick the combs”.
(n.b. “La Niña de los Peines”, means “The Girl of the
Combs”)
The copla (poetic compositions, in verse, used as lyrics)
is composed of four, sometimes three, eight-syllable
verses.
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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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