Alegrías

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Alegrías

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FelipeFlamenco

Posts: 1
Joined: Nov. 3 2007

Alegrías

I´m a little bit confused about the traditional structure of Alegrías...
I read that in traditionally Alegrías one strophe of the "letras" consists of 4 verses. Further I read that there is a "llamada" between each strophe. My problem is that I could not recognize that in the Alegrías that I have. I `ve got a "Solo-Compás"-CD, too. There´s no "llamada" after 4 verses at all! The "letras" last over 11 or 12 "compases".

Any help would be great!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 3 2007 19:22:59

Ricardo

Posts: 14884
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Alegrías (in reply to FelipeFlamenco)

I am thinking 3 letras, and you can tell by the melody starting with higher and higher registers. The last letra will be the highest pitch, the "macho" or "valiente". For example in the key of E major, the first melody starts with A and G#. The second starts on the higher E note, and comes down the scale. The third starts on the B note and goes UP to E, above it and back down to E. And has higher notes obviously. Camaron often puts the first melody (A-G#) last, but an octave HIGHER so it is really "macho".

Remember not to confuse the "colatilla" as part of the letra. For example Camaron sings (E melody that comes down the scale):
Que a mi me vio de nacer
Bendita sea la tierra
Que a mi me vio de nacer.
Cien años que yo viviera
Simpre la recordaré

That is the letra, and you can repeat or not the last two lines, each line is roughly a compas starting after 1. That is 7 compases. The next part is the colatilla and not related to the Alegrias letra, but it is also "cantiñas". Usually the melody is a "pick up" after the 10 so each line crosses a compas, with a breath around count 3 that lets the guitar answer with a chord accent. It seems like part of the other letra because the singer jumps right into it with no breath.

Con la luz del Cigarro yo vi el molino
se me apago el cigarro, perdi el camino
perdi el camino mare, perdi el camino
se me apago cigarro yo vi el molino.

So together they make 11 compases, not including any repeats or breaths in the first part. But they are really two separate letras. Hope that helps.

Ricardo

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 3 2007 21:29:35

marduk

Posts: 600
Joined: Feb. 3 2010

RE: Alegrías (in reply to Ricardo)

I have been reading a couple of threads around the net about alegrias, and looking for a video or audio example of an alegrias with a "macho" at the end. I have been told that alegrias does not always have a macho.

could any of you expand on that info, and if you know of a link please share it

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 18 2011 5:03:58

mezzo

Posts: 1409
Joined: Feb. 18 2010
From: .fr

RE: Alegrías (in reply to marduk)

Sadly when it come to cante questions there's only a few members who have the knowledge to answer properly.
Also IMO interest in this subject is less than for others...

According to the excellent Ricardo's description, i'm gonna try to explain how i understand it with this concrete vid

So this alegria is a 4 letras long

0:33 - 0:42 = intro, tirititran
1st letra: 1:05 - 1:38 / then 1:38-1:50 colatilla
2nd letra: 2:05 - 2:35 / then 2:34- 2:48 colatilla
3rd letra: 3:05- 3:36 / then 3:36-3:46 colatilla
4th letra (as MACHO) : 4:08-4:39 / then ending colatilla(?) : 4:39-4:55

I'm not sure at all of this. So if nobody confirm it do not take it for Truth

What i don't get in the Ricardo post is

quote:

For example in the key of E major, the first melody starts with A and G#

What's that G#? I don't see this chord in the E progession accomp

edit : maybe this g# = the (423422) chord

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"The most important part of Flamenco is not in knowing how to interpret it. The higher art is in knowing how to listen." (Luis Agujetas)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 18 2011 16:18:37