runner -> RE: PdL too clinical (Sep. 8 2011 13:47:00)
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There is a simple explanation for the explosive growth of flamenco guitar compared to cante: the average person who has not grown up listening to cante will be repelled by it. Cante is harsh, slurred, often strongly and disturbingly emotional, and sung by people with "untrained" and raspy voices. Out of a random group of 1,000 people, 900 will like flamenco guitar, 900 will like baile (José Greco once said that all women wanted to be loved by José Greco and that all men wanted to be José Greco), but only one person will really like cante. Among modern-day flamenco aficionados, such as those populating this Foro, the number of those enjoying cante will be larger than one out of a thousand, but it will still be far, far smaller than those whose afición is centered on the guitar. Cante is just not everybody´s cup of tea, and that´s why it never, ever could have spread flamenco throughout the world to the extent that the guitar and the dance have--no surprise at all there. Again, none of this is to detract from the mastery of PdL or the beauty and grandeur of the best flamenco guitar (that does not accompany cante, its traditional and original role). But are the millions out there who may be grooving on the various guitar gods of flamenco being exposed to the full essence and core of what flamenco is/was? I don't think so, and, if they were, a huge majority wouldn't like flamenco at all (all that nasty, screeching "singing"--who likes that??). Just sit somebody down and show them Agujetas singing his martinete on Saura's Flamenco DVD, and see how long they last. Deniz, I'm happy to answer your question. My interest in flamenco is strictly that of a non-performing aficionado. I fell in love with cante flamenco back in the 1950s, and have loved it ever since, even though everyone I've ever exposed to cante has hated it, though they love the guitar and the dancing.
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