Palo (flamenco)

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Palo is the name for a musical form that is part of the traditional legacy of flamenco .

Origin of the designation

The Spanish word palo has different meanings. Normally it is used in the sense of “stick”, “rod”, “stake” or “post”, but in the case of flamenco the meaning is probably a designation for a set of playing cards (as in German “deck” or “sheet”) “) Is based. So it denotes a category .

Properties of the Palos

Every Palo is characterized by certain properties. These are mainly:

Each palo comprises a group of traditional melodies or songs called estilos . This word refers exclusively to individual pieces that were created in the past, either ascribed to certain singers or anonymously, and which may have developed over generations. It is not meant in the sense of "style". Any new, non-traditional song or composition that follows the general form of a palo is usually assigned to the palo as well.

The idea of ​​the Palo cannot be understood as a strict music-theoretical classification. It is rather a folk, sometimes inconsistent, classification of the chants according to comparable characteristics. For example, to determine the chants that belong to the Palo of the Bulerías , only the rhythm is used, not its key or the structure of the stanzas.

Fandangos turn have some forms in the 3 / 4 or 6 / 8 -Stroke, but later developed "free" forms, d. H. those without a specific rhythm. Most palos include dozens of traditional chants, while others, like the serrana, only include a single song. Another interesting example is that of the polo and the caña : they are almost identical and should actually be classified as variants of the same song, but are traditionally considered different palos.

Classification of the palos

When classifying the palos, different characteristics are considered. Their selection is not always consistent. Due to their traditionally ascribed origin, the Palos are often presented in the form of a family tree, which is, however, usually not compiled with a scientific claim (see web links).

Cantes a palo seco (chants without accompaniment)

The unaccompanied chants are accepted by some theorists and singers such as Demófilo , Manuel Molina and Antonio Mairena as the origin of the rest of the flamenco chants. They are among the oldest documented forms of flamenco music.

  • Debla
  • Carcelera

The debla and the carceleras are counted among the palos, but are actually variants of the martinetes. They are traditionally considered to be chants of gypsy origin. The trilla is another form of cante a palo seco that was originally sung by the peasants during their work (the word trilla denotes threshing). Another important palo of this type is the saeta , which is reserved for the Holy Week processions.

Some modern flamenco performers have also performed these palos with instrumental accompaniment, which is rejected by orthodox audiences. However, it has been pointed out again and again that some other palos, which are now recognized to be performed with accompaniment, used to be sung a cappella .

Palos related to the soleá

This group includes all chants that are played with the rhythm of the Soleá , that is, according to the following basic rhythmic pattern:

1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 11 12
. . | . . | . | . | . |

This group includes the following palos:

Most of them are thought to be of Gypsy origin.

The Bulería is a special case this group because they do not after the typical 12 / 8 is executed scheme Solea, but also 6 / 8 - or 3 / 8 may contain groups. The Palos Caña and Polo each consist of just one song, they are very similar to each other. They are only represented in this group because of their accompaniment, the melody is not similar to that of the Soleás.

The classification of the Bulerías por soleá is problematic. It can be seen as a way of playing the soleá in an even meter (instead of the usual rubato that is often found in the soleá). For this reason it is also called soleá al golpe ( soleá on the loft ). In other cases the term is used to denote a subset of traditional chants that are sung to the rhythm of the soleá.

The so-called fandango por soleá is a regular fandango in which the traditional guitar accompaniment has been replaced by a soleá accompaniment (with the necessary changes to the rhythm of the song). He is usually counted among the fandangos.

Chants related to the seguiriya

The palos of this group are:

Although the martinetes and other tonás are sometimes played with the seguiriya percussion, they do not belong in this group. The only Palo of this group that has a large number of variants ( estilos ) is the Seguiriya itself. The Palo Livianas comprises only two songs and the Serrana and Toná liviana only one each. All these Palos follow a 12 / 8 scheme with different distribution of accents. One could also say that it is the same rhythm as the soleá, but started on the eighth beat:

Seguiriya   8th 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th
| . | . | . . | . . | .
Soleá   1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 11 12
. . | . . | . | . | . |

Chants related to fandango

The fandangos in their many regional variants were extremely popular folk dances in much of Spain and Latin America during the 18th century. Numerous composers such as Antonio Soler and Luigi Boccherini used fandangos in their compositions. Although they are now often sung as cantes libres , they originally served as music for the dance of the same name. When played with even meter, they follow a 3 / 4 - or 6 / 8 -Stroke. At the end of the 19th century they outgrew folklore and became a flamenco palo.

The fandangos are classified as follows:

  • Fandangos de Huelva ("Fandangos from Huelva "): The more traditional estilos are rhythmic, but since the beginning of the 20th century they have also been performed as cantes libres .
  • Fandangos orientales ("Eastern Fandangos") come from the eastern part of Andalusia and the Murcia region . This subgroup contains:
  • Fandangos abandolaos : You are in an even 3 / 4 played -Stroke, including:
  • Verdiales
  • Jaberas
  • Rondeñas
  • Fandangos de Lucena
  • old malagueñas
  • and other
  • Cantes libres ("free chants"): This category includes:
  • modern malagueñas
  • Tarantas
  • Cartageneras
  • Cantes de madrugá
  • Minera
  • Murciana
  • Levantica
  • Granaína
  • Media Granaína
  • Fandangos personales ("individual fandangos"): All fandangos that do not belong to the traditional repertoire, but were invented by a singer of recent times. They represented the predominant style of flamenco between 1930 and 1960 and were later rejected by purists.

Chants related to the tangos

The group of Tango includes most Flamenco forms in 2 / 4 or 4 / 4 ¯ clock. It contains:

  • Tangos
  • Tientos
  • Farruca
  • Garrotín
  • rumba
  • Tanguillos
  • Marianas
  • Tarantos
  • other rare forms

The tientos are a slow, more syncopated form of tangos that are reminiscent of the rhythm of the habaneras . Many traditional melodies can be sung in both tango and tiento rhythms. Singers often begin with a series of tientos and end them with one or more stanzas in tango rhythm. Farruca and Garrotín were folk songs that were probably native to Asturias and Catalonia , and which were brought to Andalusia in order to obtain flamenco characteristics there.

In contrast to the tarantas, the tarantos is not a cantes libres , but a tarantas with tangos compás. Sound characteristics, articulation and harmony are identical to the Tarantas.

Cantes de ida y vuelta

The Spanish expression ida y vuelta means a round trip. The Palos who are classified in this group are believed to have been brought from Spain to the New World, especially to Cuba , where they absorbed the influence of the indigenous and colored population, and finally “re-imported” through returned emigrants to Andalusia " to become. These palos include:

Other palos

Flamenco singers often interpret other types of folk songs by giving them flamenco characteristics. Most of these interpretations are not counted as part of actual flamenco, although they have sometimes been part of the repertoire of flamenco singers for a long time. This includes:

  • Bambera
  • Nanas (lullabies)
  • Sevillanas (are usually counted as part of flamenco)
  • Villancico flamenco (Christmas carols), specifically:
  • Campanilleros
  • Zambras
  • Zorongo

List of current and historical palos

The tables below list some of the current and historical Palos in alphabetical order.

Current Palos

Palo origin Cante group Tact key comment
Alboreá Andalusia chico Soleá 6 / 8  +  3 / 4 , 4 / 4 minor Wedding song of Andalusian gypsies.
Alegrías Cádiz
Cordoba 		chico Cantiña 6 / 8  +  3 / 4 Major /
minor
Bamberas , Bambas Seville 6 / 8  +  3 / 4 Major /
minor 		The melodic ups and downs are characteristic.
Bulerías Cadiz
Jerez
Seville 		chico Soleá 6 / 8  +  3 / 4 Phrygian /
major /
minor 		Particularly flexible and complex form of flamenco.
Cabales Cadiz
Seville 		jondo Seguiriya 6 / 8  +  3 / 4 major
Caña Ronda
Málaga 		jondo Soleá 6 / 8  +  3 / 4
Cantiña Andalusia chico Soleá 6 / 8  +  3 / 4 major A very rhythmic alegría.
Caracol Andalusia chico Cantiña ( 6 / 8  +) 3 / 4 major The melody is very similar to the alegrías , but also the mirabrás .
Carcelera Cadiz
Seville 		jondo Martinete free Songs a polo seco .
Cartagenera Almeria intermedio fandango 3 / 4 Phrygian Cantes de Levante . According to one theory, this palo could have come from a Fandango from Cartagena .
Chuflas Cadiz chico tango 4 / 4 Humorous Tanguillo .
Colombianas Seville chico, de ida y vuelta Guajira 2 / 4 , 4 / 4 major Lively dances with influences from Central and South America.
Debla Seville jondo Martinete free Phrygian Religious chant a palo seco .
fandango Andalusia chico fandango 3 / 4 , 6 / 8 major Is considered an elementary form of flamenco. Origin of Malagueña , Taranta , Granaina , Minera u. a. Many subspecies.
Fandanguillo Huelva chico fandango ( 6 / 8  +) 3 / 4 , 6 / 8 Phrygian Also fandangos de Huelva .
Farruca Galicia chico fandango 2 / 4 , 4 / 4 minor Jagged, spectacular dance.
Garrotín Seville chico tango 4 / 4 major Mostly texts of simple content.
Granaina , Granadinas Granada
Málaga 		fandango 3 / 4 Phrygian Cantes de Levante .
Guajira Cadiz chico, de ida y vuelta fandango ( 6 / 8  +) 3 / 4 , 6 / 8 major The origin is in Cuba and the lyrics are mainly about Havana , are sad or wistful, nostalgic or express the difficulties of a poor life.
Jaberas Málaga intermedio fandango free A fandango and one of the oldest palos in the region.
Livianas Cadiz
Seville 		jondo Seguiriya 6 / 8  +  3 / 4
Malagueñas Málaga
Cadiz 		intermedio fandango 3 / 4 major The Malagueñas family comprises 18 subspecies.
Marianas Seville tango 4 / 4 minor Singing belonging to the tangos , but played more slowly than the tientos .
Martinete Cádiz (?)
Málaga (?) 		Toná free Phrygian Singing A palo seco ; sung in free rhythm, danced to the rhythm of the Siguiriya .
Milonga Argentina
Granada 		chico, de ida y vuelta fandango 2 / 4 , 4 / 4 Phrygian /
minor 		Comes from Argentine folklore .
Minera Almería
Jaén 		Taranta 6 / 8 Phrygian /
major 		Probably from the Taranta originated from the region of La Unión in Murcia .
Mirabrás Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz) chico Cantiña ( 6 / 8  +) 3 / 4 Phrygian /
major /
minor 		There are large changes in tone and octave.
Petenera Almería
Cadiz 		jondo 6 / 8  +  3 / 4 Phrygian /
major /
minor 		There is some superstition associated with this dance, as its early lyrics were often about bereavement.
polo Ronda
(Malaga) 		jondo Soleá 6 / 8  +  3 / 4 Phrygian Based together with the Caña on the Soleá. A variant of the polo natural is said to have been the lost polo de Tobalo .
Romance Cadiz
Seville 		major
Romeras Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Cádiz 		chico Cantiña 6 / 8  +  3 / 4 A cantinas .
Rondeña Ronda (Malaga) intermedio fandango Triple rhythm or free rhythm modal or major Stanzas made up of four or five eight-syllable verses. It is an old 'fandango abandolao' with a very peculiar melody, which is often used to end a malagueña . There is the rondeña for guitar and the sung rondeña, which differ in rhythm and key.
Rumbas Cadiz
Seville 		chico, de ida y vuelta tango 2 / 4 , 4 / 4 Phrygian /
major /
minor 		Often played very quickly. According to flamencologists, of Cuban-African origin.
Saetas Andalusia Toná Chant sung during the Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions in honor of the Virgin Mary . A palo seco .
Seguiriya Cadiz
Seville 		jondo Seguiriya 12 / 8 Phrygian Also Siguiriya or Siguirilla . The oldest form of cante jondo and one of the oldest of flamenco.
Serranas Cordoba jondo Seguiriya 3 / 4  +  6 / 8 Phrygian The lyrics are about bandits.
Sevillanas Seville chico Sevillana 3 / 4 Major /
minor 		Couple dance, usually danced at parties. Today often in a modernized, popularized form that is no longer counted as real flamenco.
Soleá Cádiz
Cordoba
Seville 		jondo Soleá ( 6 / 8  +) 3 / 4 , 12 / 8 Phrygian Originally an accompaniment song. Today it is one of the most diverse palos.
Soleá por Bulerías Soleá 12 / 8
accents on
3, 6, 8,
10 and 12 		Phrygian A Soleá with Buleríasharmonie, a little faster than Soleares .
tango Cádiz
Málaga
Seville
Granada 		chico tango 4 / 4 Major /
minor 		Not to be confused with the Latin American tango .
Tanguillo Cadiz chico tango 4 / 4 Major /
minor 		Developed from the tango , with various tempo changes.
Taranta Almería
Jaén 		jondo tango free Phrygian Belongs to the Cantes de Levante and in it to the Cantes de las Minas .
Taranto Almeria jondo tango 2 / 4 , 4 / 4 Phrygian Similar to the Taranta , but acompasado .
Tiento Cadiz
Seville 		jondo tango 2 / 4
slowly 		Phrygian One of the older forms of the cante jondo . Not to be confused with the tiento of art music.
Toná Cadiz
Seville 		Toná 2 / 4 One of the oldest forms. The lyrics deal with the tragedy of violent conflicts and hard work. There are 20 variations including martinetes and deblas .
Verdiales Málaga chico Malagueña 3 / 4 Major /
minor 		A form of the Fandango from Malaga. Possibly of Moorish origin.
Vidalita Málaga chico, de ida y vuelta Milonga Singing of Argentine origin, which has been flamenced over time and therefore belongs to the cantes de ida y vuelta . Similar to the milonga .
Zambra Granada chico tango 2 / 4 , 4 / 4 Phrygian Arabic inspired dance form.
Zánganos Puente Genil
(Cordoba) 		fandango A form of fandango .
Zapateado Cadiz chico tango 2 / 4 , 4 / 4 major Developed from tango , with a changing speed of the rhythm.

Historic palos

This article or the following section is not adequately provided with supporting documents ( e.g. individual evidence ). Information without sufficient evidence could be removed soon. Please help Wikipedia by researching the information and including good evidence.
Palo origin Cante group Tact key comment
Canasteras Cadiz
Seville 		fandango Has the basic structure of fandango .
Endecha Dirge
Fandangos Mineros Almería
Murcia 		fandango The melody and lyrics refer to the work in the mines.
Gilianas Seville Romance that tells a monotonous story.
Jabegotes Málaga 3 / 4 Also cante de los marengos
Pregón Phrygian /
major /
minor
Rosas Cadiz chico Alegría 6 / 8  +  3 / 4 major Also Alegrías por rosas . Slow, melancholy melody.
Temporeras Cabra (Cordoba) Andalusian peasant chant that was sung at harvest time.
Zarabanda Málaga
Zarandillo 6 / 8  +   3 / 4
Zorongo Andalusia chico Soleá ( 6 / 8  +) 3 / 4 , 6 / 8 minor Originally a dance by American blacks that enjoyed great popularity as a ballroom dance.

literature

  • Domingo Manfredi Cano: Geografía del cante jondo . Colleción El Grifón, Madrid 1955, ISBN 84-7786-958-8 (p. 87 ff .: description of traditional attempts at categorization up to the mid-1950s).
  • Andrés Batista: Arte flamenco: toque, cante y baile . Editorial Alpuerto, Madrid 2008, ISBN 84-381-0428-2 (Revised new version of the Manual Flamenco: Maestros y estilos , Madrid 1985).
  • Gerhard Graf-Martinez : Flamenco guitar school . tape 2 . Schott Mainz, 1994, ISBN 3-7957-5084-9 (listing and description of the Palos is based on Batista 1985, see above).
  • Paulino Plata Canovas: Flamenco Guide Andalusia . Crabaciones La Isla, SL, Málaga 2002, ISBN 84-8176-448-5 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Martinetes. In: Flamencopolis. Faustino Núñez, accessed March 23, 2018 (European Spanish).
  2. ↑ Ángel Álvarez Caballero: El cante flamenco . Alianza Editorial, Madrid 2004, ISBN 978-84-206-4325-0 , p. 50-52 .
  3. ↑ Rondeñas. In: Flamencopolis. Faustino Nuñez, 2011, accessed October 21, 2018 (European Spanish).