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LIVIANA. F. [lighter, possibly by an important comparison and dramatic strength of other styles.] Copla Song with four verses (7 s.) first and third, second and fourth (5 s.), rhyming in pairs. It is a simple and convenient song closely related to the siguiriya, as evidenced by its compass, although its melody and its lyrics remind of the mountains, as they deal with the fields of roads and pastors. Appears in the mid-nineteenth century and may in the beginning have been a light tona, given the fact that, as tonas, began singing without guitar, and demanded that the call was made in the contest Cante Jondo of Granada (1922). Today it is accompanied by guitar. It has always been, as now, very little interpreted, used primarily as preparation for the singer to run the mountain.
Jose Blas Vega, justifies its existence and validity this way: "We believe that the liviana came to be, once, an element of preparation for singing. The former singers called it guiding song at the beginning - within one song of same style - short, simple, to continue with two or three more difficult styles and finish with a powerful macho style or with changing intonations. The liviana, in the mountain, perfectly compleets the mission, as it prepares its interpreter with the power required by this song and not with the usual slowness of the singers.”
Hahaha.. Thanks rico. But this was what I just already read after googling. Was hoping for some more info.... Anyone accompany liviana?...is it rare? What family does our belong to? What chords does it use?
Today I had an exam accompanying liviana. Well actually we put it in front of the serrana like often is done. So I played mainly serrana, with a liviana in front and a rondena grande abandolao at the end liviana is basically a siguiriya. I really love livianas. it's very simple and very effective. I have a cd of fosforito with Paco de lucia. there is a nice liviana on there called por lo que hiciste
I also love this letra here:
Ventanas a la calle son peligrosas "pa" las madres que tienen una nina hermosa
The guitarist is shown pretty clearly--you can see what chords he's playing. As is clearly visible, he plays pa' arriba, not por medio as in siguiriyas. Even transposing siguiriyas por medio to pa' arriba, one does not arrive at the chord progressions of livianas.
The commentaries quoted support one of my pet theories. They seem typical of the earliest literary descriptions of flamenco palos. They cite the poetic structure of the letras, but they are deaf to musical aspects. The earliest commentators on flamenco seem to me to have had literary educations, but not musical ones.
Typical guitar intros to livianas could be for serranas, which harmonically are siguiriyas transposed from por medio to pa' arriba. But when the cantaor comes in, the harmonic differences quickly show up.
They seem typical of the earliest literary descriptions of flamenco palos. They cite the poetic structure of the letras, but they are deaf to musical aspects. The earliest commentators on flamenco seem to me to have had literary educations, but not musical ones.
That actually makes a lot of sense. I started listening to flamenco from a musical point of view and couldnt hear any difference between Granaina and Media Granaina to start with until I realised the vocal parts were different.
Thanks for claryfying this with the video. I thought Liviana was just another name for Serranas. The liviana verse has a change to G resolving back to E and the falsetta. The Serranas come in with the letra "en la sierra yo vivo" with the first line staying in E and the second change to C. The next time round on the letra "Si tu quisierao" the first chord chord is C. The last letra is E/G# to Amin, G to C, resolve to E (repeat). Is this a typical structure for Serranas where the changes are more or less the same every time (more like tientos), or will it depend on the singer each time as to the chord change on the first line of the letra (more like tarantos)?
The liviana verse has a change to G resolving back to E and the falsetta
indeed, but can have a diffrent form as well, where the G resolves in C like in serrana. but for the main time it's a G F E.
quote:
The Serranas come in with the letra "en la sierra yo vivo" with the first line staying in E and the second change to C. The next time round on the letra "Si tu quisierao" the first chord chord is C.
the second letra starts on G as well
quote:
The last letra is E/G# to Amin, G to C, resolve to E (repeat).
that is not a letra but a macho. this is the serrana macho
quote:
Is this a typical structure for Serranas where the changes are more or less the same every time (more like tientos), or will it depend on the singer each time as to the chord change on the first line of the letra (more like tarantos)?
this is quite typical. the only thing that could variate is that the singer can strech on one chord one compas more or more. you have to listen well to catch the moment of resolving in the singing
Thanks for that answer. I should have recognised the macho because its the same in siguirilla. Basically then you need to listen for that G to C change and be prepared for the chord changes to be stretched out.
Seriously, sounds interesting that you have such an environment. Can you explain more how or who you are learning with?
Ricardo
EDIT I saw your older posts that you are in Sevilla Cristina Heren School. Still interesting to know how learning cante accomp works there, how and exam goes etc.
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