HISTORICAL INTERVIEW
Transcription: Norberto Torres Cortés
(1972)

Today the evolution of the flamenco guitar has changed its original accompanying role to one of a solo concert instrument. The musical structures that it was built upon have nearly disappeared, leaving behind the new ideas that have almost completely changed flamenco. Situated between these two periods of flamenco guitar history, Melchor de Marchena is an example of a guitarist that conserves the older ways; one that is not identified with today's tendencies. He was the favorite of past greats like Manuel Torre or Pastora Pavón "Niña de los Peines", and is the guitarist most sought-after by singers today.

The square where I was born, where I grew up, there were a lot of great flamencos, and we used to buy lots of wine. I'd get my hands on some kind of guitar, usually a pretty bad one. Today I've got some excellent guitars. I loved singing and dancing, the way they talked, their own way, flamencos and gitanos. They had their own way of talking and I thought it was great. Yeah. At four in the morning, listening to those great women, those gitanas that had their own way of living. But they always had their music, and I thought it was strange. It meant something to me.

My grandson, what he wants is for me to sing. It's beautiful. I'm with my grandson, my daughter-in-law, and this guy's going to break everything in the room. And my son doesn't say a word. And this guy's going to break everything. I'm going to play the guitar that way. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Yeah, everything! He's broken everything! What a bad little gitano! Ha, ha ha!

You live in Madrid, Melchor, and although you were born in Marchena, you seem to prefer living in Madrid to living in Marchena. Are you happier to be with your family?

I like Madrid a lot, because Madrid is my life, for earning money. Which I do. And I like Marchena because I was born here. And for me, Marchena is Fernando, Alfonso, and other friends that I grew up with. Before I made it they helped me all that they could. I've got them now, but I've got a special art; an art that I'd like to share with you.

Melchor, how did you start to play guitar here in Marchena?

Like everyone that's born in a village: without knowing how to play, or anything. But I had great inspiration, in my art. I thought, and I think, that I could make it. I've made it, and except for my art, they're all better than I am. They're all incredible. But I carry my art inside. I'm going to try to create some of my art for you in this recording that we're going to do. I want it to happen, for these men who are scholars of singing and dancing. They make me sound different from everyone else. For me, everyone else is better than I am. But when I play I want to do something strange with my guitar. Always with a whiskey at my side, which is what I like best in the whole world.

Melchor, did you have some kind of teacher when you started to play the guitar?

No. I didn't have a teacher. I don't know if that's good or bad. They wanted to teach me to read music, and I said no. I carry the music inside, and I can't be mathematical, like a string section or something. What I do is mine, and I carry my purity inside.

Do you prefer to accompany a certain kind of singer?

I sure do. Hearing a great singer tears me up inside. I like Manolo Caracol because his singing is art. When he sings, I play things on the guitar that I've never played before. There's another singer that I like a lot, and that's Mairena. He's a good singer.

What singers have you played for; old singers from the past?
Manuel Torre, el Gloria, la Niña de los Peines, el Pinto, la Pompi and the ones that were good people: the poor folks.

And did you enjoy accompanying them more than the ones that you accompany now?

Yeah, twice as much.

Why?

Because they sang what I liked. They sang flamenco. Today everything is good, but the rumba... it's nice and all that, but it doesn't do much for me. I like singing por seguiriya, por soleá, por fandango puro, por malagueña, por taranta, taranto, tangos, bulería a golpe. That's the singing I like. Other styles are nice, but... When they make money they must be worth something, but... I like to hear them, but they don't do much for me. I prefer the good old "cantes puros".

Where did you accompany those singers, like Manuel Torre?

In the fiestas in Seville. Those singers didn't work too much in the theater. They sang at fiestas. I was very young, and they called on me for all the big fiestas.

Tell us about the atmosphere back then.

It was great. Artists felt great respect for each other. Singing was really good. The only thing we did back then was to drink and sing and play "puro." We used to learn a lot from those people.

So today people don't drink or sing "puro"?

No. Today people sing, but those singers from the past... Today there's good singing. Singing is lighter, it makes more money; a lot of money. Singers never used to make money. Today, anyone who sings anything can get rich. Not in the past. You had to sing really, really well, and I've heard them all.

Do you think that Melchor de Marchena has contributed something to flamenco guitar?

Well, I've played a lot for some very good singers, special singers. And they've sung some pretty strange cantes, and I've done a good job accompanying them. That's important.

You've seen both periods of the guitar, forty years ago and today. What differences do you see in the playing of then and now?

There used to be some great guitarists. There were very good guitarists. But today there are great players, too. The guitar has come a long way, and for the better.

Melchor, your son is also a guitarist.

That's right.

Do you think he plays like you, or is he more advanced?

I won't say that my son is the best guitarist in Spain, but there isn't anybody better than him. His playing is art! And his playing is modern, but he knows how to play for singers like I do. He plays better than I do; it's easier for him. For him, playing is easy.

Did you teach him how to play?

I taught him just a little. The rest is all his. Every century God gives someone a great gift, and this century it was him.

And how would you compare your playing and his playing?

When I hear him play it makes me want to give up the guitar, because he's great. He plays, and he creates. Everything he plays is his own. And he's worked hard to get where he is. He's studied the guitar a lot, because it takes a lot of work, and he's put in that work.

Transcription: Norberto Torres Cortés
Translation: Norman Paul Kliman
Extracted from "Rito y geografía del toque"