Flamenco history
Flamenco history Flamenco had
a painful birth
Flamenco had it's beginnings during a turbulent
time in Spanish history. When persecuted people are cast
out of their homes and told to leave the country or else,
it's no surprise that there would be a lot of anguish and
personal suffering in the air. When outcasts
of different cultures and religions flee their
oppressors one can expect a certain amount of communication
between them, despite their differences. It was a time of
day to day survival and an uncertain future. Left to their
own devices in a peaceful world, these people would have
simply lived their lives and passed into obscurity
unnoticed.
But certain unpleasant events forced people of unlike
cultural backgrounds (Moslems, Jews and Gypsies) to become
allies of a sort with a common enemy at their heels. It's
an interesting fact that despite the political events
that shape history, it is not the actual events or the
rulers and conquerors that are best remembered. It is
the creative products left behind that have the
greatest impact on us, long after all the powerful rulers
have passed away. Who really cares about Kings and
Queens and all the political intrigues during their
lifetimes.
What has a lasting effect on future generations is the
art. It's the architecture, songs,
literature and other tangible evidence of how people lived
and related to each other that we are generally most
interested in when we look back
at history. It is through the art that we gain an
insight into how previous generations expressed themselves
emotionally and spiritually. It is through the visual art,
the written words and the songs that were passed down
through the generations that we come closer to
understanding what their dreams and aspirations were. These
are the things that have the most value.
Flamenco is sometimes described as the
folk art of the poor. More poignantly, flamenco music can
be defined as an expression of the human condition.
Therefore, it is not surprising to know that the intense
sorrow expressed in the original flamenco song forms is a
reflection of the conditions faced by the people at the
time of it's birth.
Allright.
Enough preamble.
It's time to open your history books.
Now don't
complain.
You want to learn how flamenco
started don't you?
Just pretend you're watching an adventure
movie.
Continue
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