Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
Posts: 181
Joined: Mar. 17 2005
From: Seattle, Washington, USA
Manolo San Lucar Tauromagia
Hi forummers,
I've been listening to the Tauromagia album and I enjoy it immensely. Problem is the album does not have the info about the toque of each song (i.e. Solea, Bulerias, etc)
Posts: 15242
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Manolo San Lucar Tauromagia (in reply to DavidT)
Hi. I have gotten into arguements about some of these, so you need to take what I say and discover things for yourself, (so eventually you can see why I am right and everyone else is wrong. ) Keep in mind this work is to be taken as a whole, it is a concept album, so Manolo did not put palo names on purpose. Think like these are compositions BASED on the palos, not blue print model examples of the palos. Indeed when Manolo plays anything from this album, it is note for note like a classical piece, no improvisation in the traditional flamenco manner.
1. Nacencia-nana, a lulluby type thing, very loosely based in 3 but you can just think of it as free time with no meter if you want.
2. Maletilla-tangos. He is in key of B, so not the typical key, and there are a couple of weird rhythmic moments. But pretty clear tangos.
3. Oracion-Rondeña, that being the guitar solo version not the cante form. Refer to Ramon Montoya for the model of rondena. Tuning is DADF#BE. Key is C# phrygian, but you notice Manolo starts in B phrygian, then goes to E phrygian, then finally gets into it. Also notice the Gypsy Kings stole that opening melody for love and liberte.
4. Maestranza- Just a 3 beat abandolao type rhythm, fandangoish, but to me you can hear the aire of Jaleo throughout. These rhythms are all closely linked. Very spanish, very flamenco, without cante these falsetas can be used in various applications.
5. De capote, probably the most clear flamenco form on the album, solea por medio. Though some call this solea por bulerias or bulerias por solea, and even just Solea. I accept all of these, and that is where arguements arise. The letra refers to Triana, but I don't recognize this melody in the Solea de Triana examples I have, but perhaps it is. This letra is a standard nowadays for solea por bulerias, but not sure it is old, or just based on this album.
6. Tercio de Vara-bulerias. Specifically, it is in Rondeña tuning, so you could say "Rondeña buleria" or "bulerias por Rondeña" if you like better.
7. Banderilla-Fandango de Huelva. The copla is pretty clear. he plays again in B phygian like Tangos. I guess he was into that key. Notice the Estribillo, the sung chorus, is not "cuadrao" or an even number of beats/measures.
8. De muleta-Cancion or Cuple por bulerias. If you are not familiar with this type of slow melodic bulerias, refer to Lole y Manuel, pretty popular duo. The speed is slow with the rhythmic feel of solea por bulerias/alegrias, but the minor key rather than modal key gives that special aire needed for the "cancion" type singing rather than improvising short letras like normal bulerias.
9. Puerta del Principe-Alegrias or Bulerias de Cadiz. Anyone who accompanies dance a lot will make the connection here. The chorus is not really alegrias, it is better fit to the groove of bulerias de Cadiz. But the guitar plays a lot of Alegrias type melodies, (playing off the 1 not the 12) very up tempo, so it is sort of trapped between the medium feel Alegria and fast speed bulerias. So you could say it is a slow bulerias de Cadiz, or a fast Alegria. For a guitar solo piece either designation is fine. Again, opinions will very.
Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON
RE: Manolo San Lucar Tauromagia (in reply to DavidT)
Thanks Ricardo! I just picked this one up too and am loving it, but had issues identifying palos...Tercio de Varas was pretty easy to recognize, and Maletilla too. Hmm, and I figured "Banderillas" was an alegria just because of the tiritrans, but I guess not