Flamenco down the aisle!

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Stu

Posts: 2521
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

Flamenco down the aisle!

My partners best pal is getting married next year in Mallorca.
The ceremony will be in an idyllic location, outside, overlooking the sea.

I've been asked if I'd like to play some 'Spanish Guitar' as they are walking down the aisle. I've said I'd be honored so I'm now thinking about some suitable material. My plan is to record a few snippets of some different flavors and see which they think is best.

I asked a similar question in the past, but that was for general 'flamenco at a wedding' more of a small performance vibe.
But this is to play them down the Aisle!!

I don't feel pressured as the focus will and should be firmly on the bride... And groom. But I am finding it difficult to find any music with the right tone for 'The Aisle'. Everything that's emotive to me had that typical flamenco melancholy weaved in. It can probably only be some kind of Algeria.. I mean this is the most joyful part of the wedding. But is Alegria too jolly??

Or maybe not

Any thoughts?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 9:12:33

Ricardo

Posts: 14797
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Flamenco down the aisle! (in reply to Stu)

I have done either Guajiras, or some romantic rumba in the past for this.

I agree it's a silly and awkward request of which you almost wish Agujetas would suddenly appear and deliver a devastating siguiriyas, slightly off compas and out of tune and higher than his normal tono range, that would simply leave the wedding guests with a taste of blood in their mouths and the wedding party in stunned silence.....

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 11:49:07

Stu

Posts: 2521
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

RE: Flamenco down the aisle! (in reply to Ricardo)

Actually yeah, guajiras was an option I thought fit. Gonna def record some of that and send to see what they think.
Hasn't really considered rumba. So thanks.

quote:

you almost wish Agujetas would suddenly appear and deliver a devastating siguiriyas, slightly off compas and out of tune and higher than his normal tono range, that would simply leave the wedding guests with a taste of blood in their mouths and the wedding party in stunned silence.

That would be something!!!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 12:51:09

Dudnote

Posts: 1805
Joined: Nov. 13 2007

RE: Flamenco down the aisle! (in reply to Stu)

Seguiriyas y Martinetes

_____________________________

Ay compañerita de mi alma
tú ahora no me conoces.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 15:04:32

Mark2

Posts: 1868
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco

RE: Flamenco down the aisle! (in reply to Stu)

I've done it dozens of times over the years and I think the best piece for the walk is romance. It's easy to play, and the two sections can be repeated as needed for the different amount of time it takes the wedding party to make it to the alter. For the recessional I usually do Guajiras, which has an uplifting feel suitable for the moment.
I have played so many weddings I never want to go to another one unless it's for my daughters and I won't be playing at those.

Once a guy called me about his wedding, saying he was really particular, and that he had interviewed several flamenco guitarists about playing his ceremony. I told him to come over my house and I'd play a few things and he could decide. He choose the romance and asked how much it would cost. The gig was 15 minutes but an hour or so drive from my house. I told him $700.00 and he said that was way more than any of the other guys quoted. I told him the music was free. You are here in my house, and I'm playing for free. The 700. was for me to leave my house, drive to his wedding, show up on time, appropriately dressed, and play the piece perfectly. The guy understood and pulled out his checkbook. The day of the gig, it turned out the drive was longer than I thought, and I was almost late. I'm driving thinking, after all that BS I spewed I'm gonna blow it. But I didn't-got there ten minutes before the ceremony and the gig lasted another ten minutes.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 16:14:32

Blondie#2

Posts: 530
Joined: Sep. 14 2010

RE: Flamenco down the aisle! (in reply to Stu)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Stu
I've been asked if I'd like to play some 'Spanish Guitar' as they are walking down the aisle.

I do this stuff all the time, have done for about ten years!

Firstly, are you talking the bride's entrance or the happy couple's exit at the end? Sounds like the latter but just thought I'd check...

If it is, then actually my suggestions are pretty much same as Ricardo's, Guajiras works well (not the slow end of things...) and some solo rumba stuff like Paco Pena or Juan Martin. Some classical pieces can work quite well too.

If you are talking Bride's entrance, I agree with Mark - Romance is one of the most common pieces I play for this.

-Strangest request I ever had for the bride's entrance?: theme to the Good the Bad and the Ugly. All the ushers, best man and groom joining in with the whistling and 'ahh ahhs'

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 18:16:18

Cervantes

Posts: 503
Joined: Jun. 14 2014
From: Encinitas, CA USA

RE: Flamenco down the aisle! (in reply to Stu)

My daughter's wedding was recently and we hired my guitar teacher to play.
At my daughter's request he played the Beatles song In My Life.
At the end of the ceremony he played Columbianas which I love and I think fit well.
Afterwards he played a variety of stuff including Flamenco.
So why not ask the bride what she would like you to play?

_____________________________

Ah well, there was a fantastic passion there, in my case anyway. I discovered flamenco
very early on. It grips you in a way that you can't get away - Paco Pena

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 12 2017 19:52:48

Stu

Posts: 2521
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

RE: Flamenco down the aisle! (in reply to Blondie#2)

Yeah I will ask. Like I said. I'll send them some options. But I'm posting here for suggestions too help me compile that list. Thanks for the input. I thought that romance was a safe bet.

quote:

I'm driving thinking, after all that BS I spewed I'm gonna blow it.

😂😂

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 13 2017 18:24:45

kitarist

Posts: 1715
Joined: Dec. 4 2012

RE: Flamenco down the aisle! (in reply to Stu)

I'd vote for Guajiras. Played slightly slower, even just cycling through A - E7 - A.. in the compas seems to evoke just the right mix of joy, playfulness, romance and sweetness that seems appropriate for a walking-down-the-aisle music.

I imagine something like this played at an appropriate slower tempo (taken from PdL's Guajiras de Lucia):

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Konstantin

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 13 2017 18:41:58

Stu

Posts: 2521
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

RE: Flamenco down the aisle! (in reply to kitarist)

Yeah cheers, kitarist. I was playing about with slowish guajiras last night. And parts of Pacos classic are in my locker. May well go with a bit of that.