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Posts: 429
Joined: Jan. 7 2005
From: Iasi, Romania
Rafael Riqueni
I dont know much about this player.But I've seen the encuentro video and the tesoro tv show.(he has a piece called fantasy ..u can learn that and present it to a classical guitar professor ...I wonder what he'll say about it (i understand that maybe i should wait before knowing all the palos right))
I'll try not to comment more,cause I got to get me some experience.
somebody shoot him for his bulerias 1and 2 and 3...
what joke ...he plays like mad ..and then say "ahora ...spanish things" (now,lets practice this ....lentamente)
Yeah ,sure ...like I'm gonna learn this in 10 years.Still I like him for taking it slow ...thats generous of him,also he explains the technique like he was a good teacher(he is)...also he has some classical vocabulary(he seems to know some spanish classical or at least he listened some) and not saying like others "ohh...this little thing i'll play it 20 beats slower,but that's it".
Gee...this guy won some famous competition at 15 years of age.
Seville, 1962. Guitarist. Since 1977, when he won the Ramón Montoya Prize for Concert Guitar in Cordoba, at the age of only fifteen, he has had a serious, consequent performing activity.
An exquisite musician, composing and concert performance are important facets of his work, at live performances and in his record catalogue, although he has not ceased to accompany cante, as he is convinced that "it is very important for the solo guitarist to know the cante, because that is what provides firmness when playing alone". He is an imaginative, fertile creator and his work has that unequivocal aroma of Triana where he was born. Suite Sevilla is surely his most important single work to date; an ambitious, beautiful creation that is not actually flamenco, as it also draws near to Spanish classical music, and in fact he performs it with a classical guitarist
Imo his best albums:Mi tiempo, Alcázar de cristal both worth having.
Riqueni has a complete classical education. He can (and does it) write down all his music in correct notation (No tab). He gives lessons in writing down compositions. He was one of the first players who started so compose in different tunigs. Hes amazing! Than he had big personal problems..and had a long pause. Now I heared hes back.
ORIGINAL: sorin popovici Gee...this guy won some famous competition at 15 years of age.
Not unusual in Spain. Emilio Maya won his first flamenco competition aged 8 and then began working professionally. Since the age of 5 he had worked selling perfume door to door so he had a pretty big incentive to make a change. Apparantly he wanted to be a flamenco singer but said the guitar was easier
aha ....I guessed he knows some dots ,he writes in the begining of the encuentro video....and I tried to write for somebody that tried to learn guitar, and I could tell ...by the handwriting he didnt started yesterday writing scores .
But still ....when did he begin?...cause I tend to suspect that at that time that he won the RM prize ... he didnt have it.
people in classical music ...start dictation and solfegio and harmony very very young usually.
ORIGINAL: nealf I have never heard him accompany - can you tell us what CD's he is accompanying on, I'd like to take a listen.
I have what I think is his first album Maestros. Enrique Morente had a whole box of them in his studio and gave one to Harold. Morente produced and released this on his own independent label, which may be why it was not a great financial success, no fault of Morente but due to lack of Record Company backing, promotion, distribution etc . He may sing on it as well, but I'll have to give it a listen and let you know The album is a tribute to Sabicas, Niño Ricardo and Sanlucar. I just did a google on Riqueni and read a few articles, one about a tribute for him after recovering from an illness written by Estela, and another about a live show where they beg him to make an album which sounds like it could be 'Maestros'. Neither article is dated which makes it impossible to know how recently they were written.
is an excellent album - one of my favorites. I think his best (and I think his first) is an LP titled "Flamenco". As far as I know, its never been re-issued as a CD, but if you ever see it - grab it! Its really great! Cheers, Norman
I thought I'd just add a thing or two since I've liked Riqueni ever since I first heard him around 1990.
His first solo recording is called Juego de Niños. There's a thing or two that are decent but I don't think it's his best (I think the owner of Flamenco Connection would disagree with me). Alain Faucher and Claude Worms have transcribed some things from this 1986 recording (the fandango in the Encuentro book is from this recording too). Claude Worms Duende Flamenco edition Tangos, Tientos Farruca 4C has a transcription of the tangos from this recording. This cd is still available.
His second recording was called "Flamenco". This was released on LP in 1987, but never on CD. It contains some of his best work. Part of the bulería from this recording is in the Encuentro book/video. Alain Faucher has transcribed 6 pieces from this recording, notably a really nice guajira which I started to learn then dropped because it is pretty difficult (I plan to try again in the coming months). The bulería is really good, I plan to learn it as well as the alegría for solo material. Here's a link to Alain Faucher's transcriptions (which are excellent by the way): http://www.moltengold.com/cgi-bin/eBzget6A.pl?shop=shops/77/21/AffedisFl&trolley=946235&page=http://www.affedis.com/catalogue2.html I can provide a CD with Flamenco on it for any of you who want it. No cante at all, pure solo guitar, not even cajon. The only thing percussive other than the guitar is that you can hear his foot tapping the floor.
Riqueni's third recording is called Mi Tiempo, which was released in 1990. There are some great pieces here too, especially an alegrías and a tangos with strings. The tangos are the same as the ones in the Encuentro book, I just spent weeks trying to get the falsetas down, they are pretty tough. This CD is still available and is one of his best in my opinion.
Next came Suite Sevilla in 1993, with José María Gallardo, a kind of classical/flamenco blend. I haven't been too big of a fan of this one, but I do own one copy. There is some cante on it, it's really kind of a strange recording.
In 1994 he released Maestros, all compositions of Sabicas, Niño Ricardo and Esteban Sanlúcar. The last track has some cante, Morente. 10 of the 11 tracks are solo guitar. There aren't many copies of this floating around but if you search used shops and other odd places you may find one. Morente should get a distributor or another music company to sell it and should do the same if he can get his hands on Flamenco from 1987.
Last one I know of is Alcázar de Cristal 1996. This one is truly odd, I think he was descending into the depression that crippled him as he was composing this music. The sevillanas divert shortly into a blues/jazz thing then return to more sevillanas, but it's very strange that he did that. Maybe it was just for fun.
But seen his Taranta -Tangos on tesoros tv show,and I liked it very much. I believe that one was from Alcazar de Cristal,so I think that would be very interesting at least.
I dont know who did it first ....but Chicuelo has in his encuentro a similar idea ...like do in tono de taranta tangos, rumba and whatever u want. Maybe that's a common idea ...and not that important ...but as I watched first the his tesoros before seeing Chicuelo....I noticed that.
I dont know ....but I tend to think that guitarists they somehow listen to each other, and pick up at least the technical ideas. I dont know ... some little things are already standards now,and everybody plays them(I remember Nunez saying in his encuentro,that he did the pizzicato first in flamenco...so I guess these things matter to players. I wonder when they gonna do tambora ..or other things.Also classical music seems to be influenced also ....they are learning little rasguedos from flamenco U learn a little rasgueados to do the 1st part in Aranjuez ).
Is quite interesting ...as I have no idea ...what new things they will invent. Tremolo on artificial flajeoletes maybe....what it will be next ?Also that thing from jota (Tarrega) ,simulating a drum...is it already in flamenco and I didnt know about it ?
Oh,sorry ...Sabicas did that.Also I've seen Pepe Romero doing taping (like in electrical guitar)...Nunez doing "slap".
If there was between piano...and guitar ....guitar might win,cause of the new "technology"
Anthony, that was a great post. Said all the things I wanted to say, plus I learned quite a few things, thanks for that.
Sorin, the fantasia idea is not really new, but he was going for different forms all in a special tunning, with a certain "aire". Chicuelo's thing seems similiar, but actually he is very dance oriented. If you know about dance than you can find his stuff really useful. The fact that you took notice, means you learned something about baile too.
You are getting the musical sections of a Taranto dance. Something libre, the slow Taranto markings, the up beat tangos, and the rumba finale. Very typical. Later you get the same stuff for Solea (in Mi, or E phrygian). The dance can have the free and lyrical sections, the sloooow melody, the solea por bulerias, and of course bulerias finale. Then he gives you Alegrias, again, different sections for baile. Medium speed, slow "silencio" and the bulerias de cadiz if you will. His vid is a really important learning tool IMO. I saw him live, and he really gives up the goods in this vid. He played all that Taranto stuff for Poveda's sister. He does not reveal the cante sections, but that stuff is covered in other people's vids.
Also, check out Rito y Geografia. Pepe Martinez was doing pizicato, tambura, etc way back. I remember hearing Carlos Montoya slap or something. Van Halen loved Carlos Montoya. As far as new technical innovations, I don't know. Who knows, maybe someday someone will figure out how to play flamenco with a pick! Oh, wait....
ORIGINAL: nealf p.s. Kate, thanks for the tidbit on Emilio - I always find these true life success stories very uplifting and enriching. The part thats thoroughly depressing (considering my profound lack of playing ability) is that he found guitar easy!!!
I think he meant he found the guitar easier than singing cante. Not that the guitar is easy.
Hi Kate! The topic of the article is: Emilio talks about his >new< cd. His CD is faboulous. What CD did he release before, too? I would be happy to hear it.
ORIGINAL: Doitsujin Hi Kate! The topic of the article is: Emilio talks about his >new< cd. His CD is faboulous. What CD did he release before, too? I would be happy to hear it.
That was talking about his first and only CD ' Temple' . Maybe we'll make another one some day, we're talking about it but we still hope to get major distribution for 'Temple' so far we're still selling it independently.
ORIGINAL: Guest There aren't many copies of this floating around but if you search used shops and other odd places you may find one. Morente should get a distributor or another music company to sell it and should do the same if he can get his hands on Flamenco from 1987.
Hi Anthony,
Even when you are Morente its the same old problem of getting a record company and distribution. The major record labels focus on creating hits, and they rarely make money on releases that sell less than a few hundred thousand copies.
Emilio was offered a distribution deal which had him delivering the CDs to them and them paying him back less than the cost of the CDs, and even keeping 70% as a retainer against returned copies. Needless to say he did not sign. We do our best to make sure it is available online and in specialist flamenco shops.
I hear through the flamenco grapevine that Gerardo Nuñez has started a guitar orientated record label, which is good news for all you guys here. We're hoping he may pick up on Emilio's album as they met up the other day and Nuñez was interested.
It's depressing to hear how little solo flamenco guitar cds are valued in the marketplace.
I have bought Emilio's cd and like it quite a bit. A friend (who'll be introducing himself here soon) met Emilio recently and had wonderful things to say about his playing.
"it seems like flamenco guitarists all want to be composers and I think it's very important to be familiar with the legacy of those who went before and then, of course, play whatever music you feel like playing..."
Thanks for the recommendation. I was just talking to the guy who produced Miguel Ochando's recent CD and he has also been unable to get distribution so basically the CD is not available. He didn't want to go for indpendent distribution as we have done. Its a real shame. There's a lot of talent here.
Printable Version
(i understand 
,what cd?
The album is a tribute to Sabicas, Niño Ricardo and Sanlucar. I just did a google on Riqueni and read a few articles, one about a tribute for him after recovering from an illness written by Estela, and another about a live show where they beg him to make an album which sounds like it could be 'Maestros'. Neither article is dated which makes it impossible to know how recently they were written. 
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