Flamenco goes orchestral

October 7, 2007 3:14 AM

Flamenco guitar is such a subtle and delicate mean of expression that it looks like arranging flamenco music for a number of musicians isn't practical or efficient. Nevertheless, many attempts have been made to use flamenco phrasing or colors within large ensembles : in a classical piece like The Aranjuez Concierto, in jazz when Gil Evans teamed with Miles Davis to greate several pieces entitled Sketches of Spain, or more recently, with the beautiful work of Maria Schneider, or the small units of Louis Winsberg. One of the most convincing score has been recently produced by Juan Carmona, a gipsy guitarist from Marseille, a work performed by many philarmonic orchestras.
posted by nicolin (11 comments total)

For a 'pop' take on this genre, see Rodrigo y Gabriela
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:15 AM on October 7, 2007

This has to be one of my all-time favorite performances. Not scored exactly but they do all know what's going on...
posted by shokod at 4:58 AM on October 7, 2007

I too thought immediately about Rodrigo y Gabriela, but there's nothing scored about them!

Scoring seems antithetical somehow, Flamenco and Cante Jondo are such visceral, individual and often spontaneous forms of music.
posted by Wilder at 6:30 AM on October 7, 2007

Previous 'flamenco guitar' thread (with lots of YouTube performances).
posted by ericb at 7:50 AM on October 7, 2007

Charo ("Cuchi-Cuchi") plays Bolero, Caliente, etc.

FYI -- she received the "Female Pop Album of the Year" award at the Billboard International Latin Music Conference for her 1995 flamenco inspired platinum album, "Guitar Passion."
posted by ericb at 7:52 AM on October 7, 2007

Charos' got chops.

I mean, before she was even "Charo" "!".

I'm not convinced by the orchestra playing flamenco, but it's a valiant effort.
posted by From Bklyn at 11:04 AM on October 7, 2007

Sublime. Wonderful post nicolin. That Vicente Amigo of your first link is such a hottie. Beautiful hands and glorious music.

A little about New Flamenco.
posted by nickyskye at 11:23 AM on October 7, 2007

Thank you for this post--I am now listening to the wonderful, brilliant compositions of Maria Schneider while reading MeFi...how 'bout her conducting style, eh?
posted by SixteenTons at 9:13 PM on October 7, 2007

What, no Esteban? =)
posted by stenseng at 9:47 PM on October 7, 2007

correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Sketches of Spain contain at least part of Aranjuz?
posted by lumpenprole at 10:58 PM on October 7, 2007

You're right. The difference with the version of Aranjuez that's presented in the post is that Miles' version is a rewriting using the theme from Aranjuez. Paco de Lucia is the featured soloist of a performance of the original score, but he adds his original phrasing feeling, which is much different from a classical one.
posted by nicolin at 12:03 AM on October 8, 2007