zata -> RE: Some observations and a cante question or 2. (Sep. 30 2003 11:33:40)
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What a lot of misinformation is getting thrown around...I hardly know where to begin. Some key points, and be advised that I never present opinion as fact: 1) Soleá por bulería, bulería por soleá and bulería pa' escuchar are all one in the same cante. There are no more than four or five styles and yes, they represent a separate and distinct cante *and toque*...anyone who says otherwise hasn't learned to tell the difference so finds it convenient to say it's the same as soleá. The distinction is not helped by the fact that many singers mix soleá por bulería with soleá, most notably Fernanda and Bernarda de Utrera. The tempo is never an indicator...soleá can be fast, soleá por bulería can be slow. The marching strum of the latter might give the impression of speed. The person who said that these cantes used to simply be called "soleá" in some places is right, and I've heard this from many oldtimers. The new terminology came in gradually and wasn't widespread until the early sixties. Characteristics of this cante: While soleá nearly always (but not always!) has a 4-line verse, soleá por bulería is nearly always 3. Half compases are liberally employed by the singer, including interjections such as "mare de mi alma", "gitana mala" and the like, which reinforces the feeling of half-compases. The guitarist keeps to 12 no matter what, unlike in bulerías where he may indulge in sixes. 2) Positions. No cante is dependant on any specific position. Traditionally certain postions were used for years, with associated falsetas that kept a certain sound. Nowadays the whole thing is wide open musically...the only thing that matters is that the singer be in a comfortable tone, but with cejillas the guitarist can play in a wide range of positions. Juan Talega sang siguiriya por arriba. Some singers voices just don't fit certain positions because the guitarist would have to play on the tenth or eleventh fret. Singers who don't play guitar couldn't care less what position you play in, and there are simply no guidelines. 3) There are a number of malagueñas that are traditionally accompanied with abandolao strum (like verdiales) as opposed to free-style. The malagueñas of Concha la Peñaranda, Juan Breva and Frasquito Yerbagüena are the most famous that come to mind, the latter commonly used to finish off malagueñas. Unless you know cante, it just sounds like verdiales. Estela 'Zata'
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