(From the Portuguese fado, which means traditional dance and singing, and from the Latin fatus, fate). It is a musical form that is characteristic of Spanish folklore, which has experienced a process of aflamencamiento (lit. flamencoisation; that is, changes that are undergone as a result of the influence of flamenco) as it settled in a concrete area that belongs to the province of Huelva. Although other varieties of fandangos exist in different regions of Andalucía, the ones from Huelva have certain special characteristics that set them apart from the rest.
Dance
It is a very old style of popular dancing, which has been progressively acquiring the peculiar traits of flamenco. Essentially, it is a dance for couples that has the rotations that are typical of courtship dancing.
However, it is not very well known outside of the province of Huelva. The meter is in three beats. The fandango is a basic example of a ternary beat:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Some fandangos cannot be danced to.
Products we recommend:
- El baile flamenco. Fandangos, sevillanas y boleras. Vol. 2
- El baile flamenco nivel avanzado. Fandangos y Garrotín. Vol. 11
- Baila conmigo por Fandangos
- El baile, el toque y el cante a compás por Fandangos
- Fandangos de Huelva. Sólo Compás
Guitar
The fandango is bimodal, starting off in an Andalusian scale and then passing over to the major scale, during the singing, to return to the Andalusian scale for its conclusion.
It was the guitarist Niño Ricardo (Manuel Serrapí Sanchez, Sevilla, 1904-1972), who invented this form of accompaniment. In the major mode sections that provide backing to the singing, in many
instances a system that is free of rhythm is used to allow the cantaor to express himself without any obstacles whatsoever.
The guitarist often limits himself to responding to the cantaor with the chords that correspond to the tonality that the latter is delivering.
The basic keys are the following:
At the top: E – LA minor G – F – E
In the middle: LA – D minor C – B flat - LA
Products we recommend:
- Guitarra Flamenca. Vol. 5: Fandangos
- Tratado de guitarra flamenca. Vol. 4
Song
Although in the beginning it was a cante (style of song) for dancing, at present many of its variations are songs that are only for listening. The themes are usually of a sententious nature, some carrying important socio-political messages or concerning amorous themes.
They can be sung with musical accompaniment or “a palo seco” (sung straight, without accompaniment, a capella), that is, striking a table with a closed fist for the first section, and progressively opening out one's fingers, rhythmically, during the next two sections.
The range of fandangos is immense although they can be roughly divided into three main categories:
a) Regional fandangos (from Huelva, from Lucena, from Málaga ...)
b) Personal fandangos, or those created by individuals (the ones of El Gloria, Pérez de Guzmán, Vallejo, Cepero ...).
c) Malagueñas, rondeñas, granaínas and murcianas are derived from fandangos.
Some of its early performers were El Niño de Cabra, Rafael Pareja, Pérez de Guzmán, El Gloria, etc., but it was Pepe Marchena who moved fandango away from its classical regional moulds, earning it generalised popularity. The path that Manolo Caracol followed is different although, like Marchena's, it is of a personal nature, but full of feelings and of gypsy jondura (depth, an attribute to express solemnity, depth of feeling, a primitive or archaic flavour).
The coplas (poetic compositions, in verse, used as lyrics) are made up of four or five eight-syllable verses, which sometimes become six due to the repetition of one of them.
Products we recommend:
- Antología del fandango de Huelva
- Fandangos. El Chocolate
- Fandangos de Huelva. El Cabrero
- Fandangos del Gloria. La Paquera de Jerez
- Fandangos caracoleros. La Paquera de Jerez
- Quejío. El rey gitano por fandangos. Rafael Farina
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