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I finally finished learning the entire piece a few months ago. Thanks to Grisha for the tutorials of the beginning. I am wondering why PDL paid homage to Lecuona in the title. I have played the classical guitar transcription of the piece and the PDL's rendition does not seem to have all that many similarities. I ask this because there are flamenco pieces that are quite similar to each other but do not give the same deference. Just a curiosity.
Sabicas recorded it (double-tracked) on Sabicas Vol. 2 in 1957, and Lucía probably got the idea from that (although his arrangement is quite different).
I would be interested in hearing Sabicas' rendition. I'll look for it on youtube. You wouldn't have the name?
Cheers
Here it is:
Paco was inspired by that version as Paul said. The reason for the distinction was that when Paco recorded this thing with a group of guitarists, he also played his own flamenco Malagueña in contrast. So there is a video of Paco mixing the two pieces (probably what you learned as he only touches on the Lecuona themes here and there). For me it is cool to see but in modern context it is a bit “cheesy” as both guys are playing into the hands of the ignorant who believe the word “malagueña” to be a universal song title such that it is synonymous with flamenco. The Lecuona piece is NOT FLAMENCO…it is a classical musicians interpretation of what flamenco sounds like. But because it was a popular piece for classical guitarists to use to invoke the Spanish sound since the times of Segovia, especially to the English speaking world, the poor flamenco guitarists have to encounter the request too many times to count. I personally accept these requests and always launch into a loud vocal rendition of the Malagueña de Mellizo, just to enjoy the shock on their faces as they don’t recognize what the heck is happening. I recommend listening to the old cantaores singing various versions of Malagueñas, they are quite beautiful and have absolutely zero to do with the Lecuona piece.
Here is Paco mixing it up, where he starts with the traditional falseta (not Lecuona), and his own stuff. After the resolve that leads in the cante, he begins instead the silly Lecuona melody, but quickly reverts to vicious picado and a verdiales or Rondeña type copla melody. Then concludes with more crazy picado that his own stuff. So really just a brief quote of the Cuban composer.
Here is the guitar ensemble that includes Cepero, his brother, and Enrique del Melchor. They play much more of the Lecuona Melodies here, borrowed from Sabicas:
I was playing a wedding reception solo and played the malaguena riff as the group did a conga line into the ballroom. For some reason I was peeved, so I transitioned into bulerias por arriba. It was like watching a train derail, as they couldn't find the beat and the conga dance fell apart.
[/quote]
Here it is:
Paco was inspired by that version as Paul said. The reason for the distinction was that when Paco recorded this thing with a group of guitarists, he also played his own flamenco Malagueña in contrast. So there is a video of Paco mixing the two pieces (probably what you learned as he only touches on the Lecuona themes here and there). For me it is cool to see but in modern context it is a bit “cheesy” as both guys are playing into the hands of the ignorant who believe the word “malagueña” to be a universal song title such that it is synonymous with flamenco. The Lecuona piece is NOT FLAMENCO…it is a classical musicians interpretation of what flamenco sounds like. But because it was a popular piece for classical guitarists to use to invoke the Spanish sound since the times of Segovia, especially to the English speaking world, the poor flamenco guitarists have to encounter the request too many times to count. I personally accept these requests and always launch into a loud vocal rendition of the Malagueña de Mellizo, just to enjoy the shock on their faces as they don’t recognize what the heck is happening. I recommend listening to the old cantaores singing various versions of Malagueñas, they are quite beautiful and have absolutely zero to do with the Lecuona piece.
Here is Paco mixing it up, where he starts with the traditional falseta (not Lecuona), and his own stuff. After the resolve that leads in the cante, he begins instead the silly Lecuona melody, but quickly reverts to vicious picado and a verdiales or Rondeña type copla melody. Then concludes with more crazy picado that his own stuff. So really just a brief quote of the Cuban composer.
Here is the guitar ensemble that includes Cepero, his brother, and Enrique del Melchor. They play much more of the Lecuona Melodies here, borrowed from Sabicas:
I am aware of the Malagueña classical style along with other styles in the Spanish classical guitar repertoire. But I wonder why the the piece includes Lecuona in the title since, from what I hear in the piece, it is basically quoting the general style.
Now that I have heard it again I have vague recollection of the Sabicas' Malagueña.
Not sure why the animosity towards people who conflate Malagueña with flamenco. I would think it would help increase exposure of the genre like rumba has also done.
Not sure why the animosity towards people who conflate Malagueña with flamenco. I would think it would help increase exposure of the genre like rumba has also done.
Well, every time it is requested of a proper flamenco artists and the Lecuona version is performed INSTEAD of a real Malagueña that the title implies and pretends to be, it placates, reinforces, and spreads the ignorance. In case you haven’t yet noticed, the main goal of flamenco artist and aficionado meetings is to proliferate and educate on the ever more unknown aspects of the art form, and reinforce the strong classical aspects in order to keep it alive and evolving within the traditional limitations. The animosity comes from when the opposite of that ideal is happening.
In regards to your concern of the Paco version you might have learned not being Lecuona ENOUGH for the title, I hoped that that video of the guitar ensemble cleared it up. Of course I doubt Paco would call that solo version “Lecuona”…it was just a nice Segway made by his SON curro in the video that showed his dad performing something LIKE the piece from the story….which was most likely more like the SAbicas/guitar ensemble version he had worked up back then. The issue, therefore is not with PACO calling it Lecuona due to a single melodic theme executed, but on the others that proliferate the confusion. Since you are “well aware” of what’s going on, you need to accept that flamenco labeling is often half-assed. Check out Carmen Amaya and Manuel Torre’s Rondeña for good example.
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