Spanish Music

Paper Summary:

This paper examines Flamenco and its dance Paso Doble. The paper describes the musical style of Flamenco and its musical instruments, including their physical description, sounds, uses and how to play. The paper describes many different styles of Flamenco music and offers examples as well as providing details about the dances of Paso Doble and its origins and impacts on Spain. This paper connects 13th century Flamenco to today's 21st century modernized Flamenco. The paper concludes that the history, form and instruments of Flamenco have helped to shape a culture and carve a piece of notable music today.

From the Paper:

"Flamenco originates from Andalucia, a region in the South of Spain. It is theorized that the name Flamenco refers to a slang used by Spaniards in the 16th century towards the returning Flemish courtiers and soldiers known for their bright coloured clothing and conspicuous manners. Other theories suggest that the name Flamenco refers to the name erroneously given to Gypsies in the 14th century when they first entered Spain and created this form of music. It is suggested that Flamenco is derived from the words "fellah mangu" which translates to "a labourer who sings" referring to gypsy songs sung while working in mines accompanied only by the rhythmic sounds of the hammer and anvil pounding. It was not until the 17th century that Flamenco came into its own form. Through the 18th and 19th centuries it began to flourish in the cafA(c)'s of Andalusian townships and by the 20th century the music began to spread outside remote area's of Spain and into the surrounding world. Flamenco has reached audiences worldwide and will continue to do so because it is constantly modified and updated to appeal to newer and younger audiences while remaining tied to its proud heritage."

More papers on Spanish Music:

• Essay # 52564 : "Puerto Rican Music"
• Essay # 59902 : "History of Jamaican Music"
• Analytical Essay # 132737 : "Brahms' Symphony No.1 - A Review"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: