Music, race and class in Andalusia: the case of Flamenco Flashcards
What is the name of the reading?
The Flamenco Body by William Washabaugh
Name 3 types of flamenco forms.
Fandango, Tango and Rumba
What are flamenco forms?
Rhythmically distinct varieties of flamenco song.
Where are these forms from?
They derive from Andalusian peoples, including Muslims, Jews and gypsies as well a Latin American influence.
What are ‘The Rito documentaries’?
A series of about 100 half an hour programmers aired in Spain from 1971 to 1973. It was filmed in southern Spain and focused on various forms of flamenco.
What are the four elements of Flamenco?
Cante, Baile, Toque and Jaleo.
What does cante mean?
Voice
What does Baile mean?
Dance
What does Toque mean?
Guitar
What does Jaleo mean?
Roughly translates to ‘hell raising’ and involves the hand clapping, foot stomping and shouts of encouragement.
How does the Rito documentary encourage viewers to view cante?
As a contemplative activity. It presents it as a heartfelt song and soul stirred music. It claims Cante should be unsullied by commercialism and stresses the importance of sincerity and purity in cante.
How does Flamenco work on a spiritual level?
The documentary really pushes the point across that the performers set their minds to rid of superficial layers so that they can play with pure emotion. A number of flamencologists have argued that the emotions of flamenco songs transcend the personality and individuality of the singer.
What does Washabaugh argue that the problem with the documentary is?
He claims that they fail to recognise the centrality of the body and that they fail to understand how cante might operate best when it communicates nothing.
How does Washabaugh argue that the documentaries view on cante is inaccurate?
He says that although the comments on the sincerity and profound feeling of song in the programmers may be instructive and valuable, the comments are more confusing and don’t demonstrate the ‘physical punch’ from recorded examples of cante.
What does Washabaugh say about the performing stage?
He says that the performing stage became a complex institution in the mid nineteenth century. After 1850, popular performers were distinguished from audiences and stars became highly paid professionals in contradistinction to amateurs. New roles came about such as coaches who trained the professionals to perform properly.
