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Ritual and Geography
of Cante. Volume 1. Special Feature
‘Uncoinable’
audiovisuals
Martín Guijarro, June 2004
Flamenco is a living art which on many occasions
is born and dies at the same time it materializes before a
chosen few. Technology has taken care of capturing the ephemeral
of flamenco to make it last as sound or picture. Therefore
every record and every video currently at our reach should
be considered a treasure. And as the authors of this art are
people, when time goes by and the laws of life have been fulfilled,
they take on still greater value. That is the case of ‘Ritual
and Geography of Cante’, an entire documentary series
on cante jondo which Spanish Radio and Television recorded
and broadcast in the early '70s... still in black and white.
The collection consists of 26 DVDs including interviews, reports,
and above all, live performances of the figures who were active
at the time. Little by little, Flamenco-world.com is going
to reveal the content of each and every one of them, now available
separately.
The first volume of ‘Ritual and Geography of Cante’
is an introductory chapter presenting the series and moreover
compiles an impressive selection of the highlights throughout
the collection. With the aim of “opening exhaustive
research and search in the extensive world of flamenco”,
between March 1971 and October 1973, one hundred programs
were recorded in twenty-eight towns, predominantly in Spain.
In figures, the series amounts to 186 cantaores, 13 folk groups,
47 guitarists, 313 clappers and bailaores; and a total of
217 interviews with flamencologists, artists, enthusiasts...
The audiovisuals attempted to capture the greatest number
of flamenco styles and their performances, as well as “the
vital factors surrounding the cantaor”. To draw attention
to the importance of this uncoinable audiovisual, it is pointed
out that during the period the program was made, such relevant
figures to flamenco history died such as Juan Talega, Diego
del Gastor and Manolo Caracol.
The tape begins with the last existing recording by Juan
Talega, the now mythical Sevillian cantaor. Unaccompanied,
he sings seguiriyas which have gone down in history. With
the exquisite filmmaking the collection features, so close
to the cinema's, also displayed is toque through bulerías
by Diego del Gastor, a cante by Manolo
Caracol seated at a table in a café, a performance
at the university by a very young Enrique Morente accompanied
on guitar by Manolo Sanlúcar, a no less youthful José
Menese with Diego del Gastor on toque, Antonio
Mairena with Manuel Morao through bulerías...(watch
online video) There are also family gatherings with anonymous
cantaores, cantes saved from oblivion such as the Infante
de Lara's romance, impromptu dances and parties... And lastly,
a guitar solo by Diego
del Gastor including the flourish which serves as the
harmony throughout the ‘Ritual and Geography of Cante’
collection, testimony of a golden part of the history of flamenco
art.
magazine@flamenco-world.com
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