Collection of music videos

Flamenco is a musical expression typical of Andalusia and some of the neighboring regions such as Extremadura and Murcia . Its origin seems to be due to a mixture of Andalusian popular culture with the expressions of the gypsy people, as well as details of Castilian romances, Moorish music and Sephardic songs. We can say that in the 18th century flamenco was already performed, however, it has evolved to this day and continues to do so like any living being. Its three main facets are singing (the action of singing that the cantaor or cantaora develops), playing (typical of guitar players with their special technique) and dancing (characteristic of dancers). ), all of them with their own traditions and norms.

Flamenco singing has different varieties (more than 50), which are called palos , with their own and differentiated harmonic and rhythmic structures. Of them, perhaps the oldest is the fandango and, within them, the best known are the fandangos of Huelva and the fandangos of Málaga ; There are also the soleá or soleares (perhaps the most purist), the bulerías (party song par excellence), alegrías (living up to its name), the tangos (typical of joyful celebrations), the seguiriyas (sad and profound), sevillanas (the most well-known and popular), peteneras, granaínas, saetas, martinetes, tientos, rumbas, cantiñas, etc, etc, etc. Clapping is used as a rhythmic accompaniment to flamenco singing and dancing, accentuating the beginning or end of the musical phrase.

The Girl with the Combs. Pastora María Pavón Cruz (Seville, 1890-1969) was a gypsy flamenco singer considered one of the most important voices in the history of this art. He was born in a gypsy cradle; His father was the singer Francisco Pavón Cruz , known as " El Paiti " and his mother was Pastora Cruz Vargas and his two brothers, Tomás Pavón and Arturo Pavón , also singers. At the age of eight he made his first public performance; In 1901 she debuted in Madrid, at the Café del Brillante , where she met Ignacio Zuloaga , who convinced her to perform in Bilbao at the Café de las Columnas . She began to be known as La Niña de los Peines because of some tangos she frequently performed. “Comb your hair with my combs, because my combs are made of sugar; He who combs his hair with my combs even sucks his fingers... “

Alfredo Casella (1883-1947) was an Italian composer, pianist and conductor, born in Turin into a family full of musicians. Alfredo entered the Paris Conservatory in 1896 to study piano with Louis Diémer and composition with Gabriel Fauré ; in these classes, Lazare Lévy, George Enescu and Maurice Ravel were among his fellow students. Casella developed a deep admiration for Debussy's output; but he pursued a more romantic vein (derived from Strauss and Mahler ). He identified for many years with the fascist regime in Italy , only to find himself in conflict with it as his wife was Jewish of French origin. Beginning in 1943, he lived in constant fear of being separated from his wife and daughter, who were subject to arrest and deportation.

The chaconne or ciaccona , judging by Spanish literature and works from the late 16th century , is included in Spanish popular dances, with ternary meter, moderate tempo and continuous variation of the upper voices over low ostinato. In the 17th century it spread throughout Europe through Spain (although there are defenders of its Latin American origin). It originally appeared in guitar collections with common chord/bass patterns. It is originally a festive, lively dance of great eroticism.

Today we present the Variations on a Chaconne by Alfredo Casella performed by K atherine Lee .

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946), born in Cádiz , was one of the most famous Spanish composers of the last century. Since he was a child he studied piano with his mother, while his nurse sang him songs that he would remember all his life. In 1901 he met Felipe Pedrell , who awakened his interest in flamenco. In 1899 he completed his official studies at the Madrid Conservatory. obtaining the first prize for piano from said center. A few years later he moved to Paris ; However, after the start of the First World War , he had to return to Madrid , and after the death of his parents, he decided to move to his sister's house in Granada ; There he met Federico García Lorca . On September 28, 1939, shortly after the Civil War , he went into exile in Argentina , where he died.

El amor brujo is a ballet work with cante jondo with 13 scenes, considered one of the most relevant works of Spanish music. The plot is summarized in: a gypsy in love and not very well reciprocated uses her arts of magic, sorcery or witchcraft, whatever you want to call it, to soften the heart of the ungrateful; and he achieves it, after a night of incantations, spells, mysterious recitations and more or less ritual dances, at the hour of dawn when the dawn awakens the love that, ignoring itself, was dozing, when the bells exaltedly proclaim its triumph. .

Today we offer the work in concert version performed by the singer and dancer Joana Jiménez Jumilla (1977) accompanied by the UCAM Symphony Orchestra under the baton of maestro Alejandro Curzio Candelas .

Gabriel Pierné , (1863-1937), was a French organist, composer and conductor; The son of a piano teacher and a singing teacher, he entered the Paris Conservatory , where he sang with César Franck and Jules Massenet . In 1890, upon the death of César Franck , he replaced his teacher on the organist platform of the Church of Saint Clotilde . As an orchestra conductor he achieved a great reputation and as a composer, he left abundant chamber music for solo and accompanied piano, as well as beautiful symphonic pages, among which those dedicated to the Basque Country such as the incidental music of Ramuntxo or the Fantaisie basque for violin and orchestra; Also notable are his oratorios, his symphonic poems and his numerous comic operettas, as well as his ballet works.

Ramuntcho is incidental music written by Gabriel Pierné in 1908 for a stage version of Pierre Loti 's 1897 novel Ramuntcho , which was performed at the Théâtre de l'Odéon in Paris . In 1910, Pierné arranged the music in two orchestral suites from which today we offer his Overture , or rhapsody of Basque themes. Although the composition of the original work reaches melancholic sensations in many moments, like Basque music in general, in this multicolored overture that sensation is enriched by happy popular dance rhythms, one of whose protagonists is the quintuple rhythm (5/8) of the zortziko .

Today we can see it thanks to the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra conducted by maestro William C. White .

Paco de Lucía (1947-2014) was an Andalusian guitarist considered the best flamenco guitarist of all time. He began his musical education with his father, also a guitarist, and soon took contact and influences from Niño Ricardo and Sabicas . With his brother Pepe he was part of the group Los Chiquitos de Algeciras ; He later collaborated with Fosforito and El Lebrijano . As time went by, he began to come into contact with new styles and collaborate with different artists of ethnic music, jazz, bossa nova, and even classical music ; The reform of flamenco began while involving artists of the stature of Tomatito and Camarón de la Isla in the work. He recorded 38 albums, made successful tours through Europe, America and Japan and received numerous important awards.

Iggy Azalea (Amethyst Amelia Kelly 1990) is an Australian rapper, songwriter and model. Due to being bullied at school, she dropped out of high school at the age of fourteen. Before turning 16, he traveled to the USA in search of opportunities for his career as a hip hop singer. Her stage name is a mix of the name of her childhood pet dog, Iggy , and the main street of the neighborhood where she grew up, Azalea Street . He rose to fame in 2014 with the release of his first studio album titled The New Classic , which reached third position on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum. Among her recognitions, she has been a winner at the American Music Awards and the Teen Choice Awards on two occasions. Likewise, he has received multiple nominations for the Grammy Awards .

Flamenco dance . Flamenco is an art originating in Andalusia that combines several elements such as dancing, singing and the guitar. The result of the gypsy, Arab, Christian and Jewish cultural mix, flamenco is, today, an art recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO since 2010. The strong emotional charge that the artists put on stage during their performances and the atmosphere created in a tablao, make seeing a live flamenco show a highly recommended experience. The male and female dancers perform each piece with arm movements, body movements and 'zapateos' according to each flamenco style , accompanied by the melody of the guitar and the deep voice of the singer. (Extracted from El Palacio Andaluz )

Sara Baras (1972) is a flamenco dancer and choreographer born in Cádiz who began her artistic training at the school run by her mother, Concha Baras , in San Fernando . She was part of different companies until in 1988 she formed her own company, Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras, with which she premiered different shows that were awarded valuable awards. From now on she combines performances with her own company with performances as a guest artist in other companies. Among the numerous and precious awards received, we will highlight the National Dance Prize 2003, the Gold Medal of Andalusia 2004 and the British Olivier Award 2020 .

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) was a French composer, pedagogue, organist and pianist, considered one of the most outstanding French composers of his generation; His musical style influenced many composers of the 20th century . Among his best-known works are the Pavane, the Requiem , the Nocturnes for piano and the songs Après un rêve and Clair de lune . Among his mentors was Camille Saint-Saëns , who became his lifelong friend. When he achieved success, he held the important positions of organist of the Madeleine church and director of the Paris Conservatory . His legacy has been described as the link between the end of Romanticism and the Modernism of the second quarter of the 20th century .

The Pavane in F sharp minor , op. 50, is a composition for orchestra (and optional choir) by Fauré , written in 1887. With a slow pace, this work evokes the pavane , a 16th century dance that was danced at the Spanish court. The piece is characterized by the elegance of the melody and harmony typical of the French composer. Today we offer it choreographed for the young talent program Prodiges on French Television .