We continue with this proposed reflection on flamenco versions of cultured poets and authorial poems. We've already discussed the terminological difficulties, as well as aspects such as the mutual musical and literary benefits and when they emerge and increase. Now I address my humble response, including aspects such as whether there are more male artists than female artists doing these versions, the possible influence of their ethnicity, predominant metric forms, the poets' attribution to literary periods, languages, and literary genres, etc. We use the question-and-answer method. Don't miss it.
Are there more male artists than female?
There are men and women. More men, especially in years prior to the 21st century, due to more machismo in the flamenco and throughout society, despite the existence of great women's names in its history. Later, women artists gained prominence, sometimes claiming poems by women poets, such as Antonia contreras on your disk feminine singular, Rocio Marquez and Santa Teresa and other current ones like Isabel Escudero, Angelita Montoya on the CD Forgotten verses of 2017 with Concha Mendez and others, etc.
Does the artist's ethnicity influence?
Florian Homann writes, in his wonderful book Cante flamenco and cultural memory, quoting Carmen Gonzalez, around Miguel Hernández: «With great caution not to fall into stereotyping, one can observe the tendency that Hernández's poems are sung more frequently by singers of non-Gypsy ethnicity, while Lorca It is largely perpetuated by gypsy singers, recalling above all the poetic work of the Gypsy romance. Again, in the case of Hernando, we are faced with a somewhat more political activity, using a specific type of author's poetry, by non-Gypsy singers such as Manuel Gerena o Enrique Morente who follow in this respect the committed attitude of a Jose Menese, For example".
And in the case of Lorca, the gypsies do have a predilection, as demonstrated by so many versions, many of which are included on the double CD. The gypsies sing to Lorca, from 1994 and 1996, with Camarón, Pata Negra, Lole and Manuel, Diego Carrasco placeholder image, Manzanita, Hope Fernandez, Remedios Amaya y The South Barbershop.
Do versions of metrical and strophic forms closer to those of the flamenco and traditional poetry? Are only poems more memorable? flamencoSo popular are the authors, is there a preference or rejection for certain stages or themes?
Perhaps for pure logic and convenience, but not always, since there are sonnets, free verse, etc.
Homann (2021:422) writes in his book that in the case of Miguel Hernández, the singers do not primarily want to remember Hernández's flamenco activity, such as attending parties and even contributing new verses, but rather his political stance for which he became known. By rehumanizing poetry, he has become, thanks to this attitude, a true figure of remembrance and a symbol of anti-Franco resistance. His flamenco lyrics, having not been sung by many singers other than a friend of the poet, have not truly reached flamenco memory.
Insist, now on Juan Ramon Jimenez –2021:455–: «In correlation with the general characteristics of flamenco lyrics, there is a clear predominance of creations from the early sensitive stage, of creation more related to popular poetry, between 1898 and 1913, subdivided into a first stage until 1908.
Only poets of air and more popular forms, even close to the flamenco –Villalón, neo-popularists…–?
Not always. There are cases like that of Gongora -Manzanita in 1988, Diego Carrasco in 1991, Menese in 2005, Morente in 2007…–, Rubén Darío - Vincent Soto in 2000–, Peter Salinas, Vicente Aleixandre, Cernuda, Gil de Biedma, Joan Margaret...
Do you cover authors from more recent periods, especially the 20th century?
There are works from all periods of historical literary history. Many from the 20th century, but also from the 19th.Bécquer above all – and even earlier, Inb Al Arabi -Curro Pineapple in 1998–, Al-Mutamid –Morente in 1983–, Juan del Encina –Morente in 1991–, from the Golden Age or the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, like Saint Teresa, Cervantes, Lope de Vega y Quevedo –the four by Menese and Laura Vital in 2005–, San Juan de la Cruz –Splendid Morente–, etc.
As for the format, only verse? And only lyrical?
Logically and necessarily, verse is by far the most abundant, and the lyric genre. But there are also versions of prose texts: a letter from Cervantes –Enrique Morente–, Lebrijano a Saramago, Platero and me –although it is more lyrical–, works by playwrights such as Lorca or Molière, Tirso de Molina, Calderon de la Barca or, if we want, La Celestina–, essay as Eduardo galeano -work To Galeano, 2017, the Rycardo Moreno, inspired by the work The book of hugs, with the cante de Sandra Carrasco and the accordion of Joao Frade and instruments of Poti Trujillo…–.
Only Spanish-language poets?
Obviously, almost everyone, but there are exceptions: Vicento Soto a Person -Portuguese-, jesus heredia to the Catalan poets, LiPo, Lenin -Manuel Romero–, Arab-Andalusian, Sephardic poets –Exodus, last album of Vicente Gelo, Tino van der Smann y Pacifier…-, etc. jar, a Black Milk, from 2018, offers his first complete work of original compositions made with works of Zygmunt Bauman –Polish-British philosopher, 1925-2017–, Paul Celan –Romanian poet, 1920-1970– or Donato N'Dongo –Equatorial Guinean writer and poet from 1950, nominated for the prize Princess of Asturias–, among others.
They are sung versions, yes, in Spanish, except in some cases, such as when an expression in Arabic is used, for example.
Homann joins the concept of Hispanic cultural identity, which is understood here as an updated interpretation with the integration of multiple peripheral social groups.
What formula is used?
There are several possibilities in the same work or album: a single author or a single poet, completely or largely –Tina Pavon o Rocio Marquez to Juan Ramón Jiménez, Calixto a Antonio Machado, Diego Clavel a Gerardo diego, Miguel Poveda to Lorca in Maddened…–, a single author to several poets –Morente on several albums, Antonia Contreras on her latest album to several poets, Calixto Sánchez on From lyric to cante, Alfredo Arrebola en Moon of the 27th…–, two or more authors to a single poet –collective album to Juan Ramón Jiménez de la Huelva Provincial Council, focused on Platero and me…–, two or more authors to several poets, etc.
¿Is the poem taken as a whole or in fragments? Is it adapted or modified?
Depending on the time available or personal taste and intention, the complete poem may be given, or part of it if it is very long, if there is a part that is not interesting, etc.
Florian –2021:419– writes about The Goatherd and the sonnet "The Rain", already highlighted in the previous article and one of my favorite versions, whose very slight modifications consist of the addition of the y to the second verse and the repetition of the second part of the last verse "no, he has not died", serving as auction musical.
Let's see the text of the cited sonnet and the link to it cante, live on Stops, in 2012, with the guitar of Rafael Rodriguez:
Suddenly the afternoon cleared up
because the thorough rain is already falling.
It falls or it fell. Rain is a thing
which certainly happens in the past.
Whoever hears it fall has recovered
the time when luck struck
sale revealed a flower called rose
and the curious color of the red.
This rain that blinds the windows
will bring joy to lost suburbs
the black grapes of a vine in a certain
patio that no longer exists. The wet one
late brings me the voice, the desired voice,
of my father who returns and who has not died.
But it is common for the artist to delete some parts of the original text. The singer-songwriter Rosemary of Saint John presents a flamenco version by solea por bulerías in his album Pausetime –2000–, in which he uses the first two verses as a chorus, as González Sánchez reminds us –2016:183–, and also deletes five stanzas. Likewise, that in Neither gold nor silver –2004–, Onion NanasLole Montoya recites the first 42 verses of the poem without omissions, repeating lines 7, 26, 29, and 30; and then omits the following three stanzas to conclude his lullabies with the tenth seguidilla, completely omitting the last two stanzas.
Florian tells us, surprised, that the only stanza of Onion Nanas that has never been sung by anyone flamenco This is it, so let's see if you're encouraged:
The flapping flesh
sudden eyelid,
and the child like never
colored.
How much goldfinch
soars, flutters,
from your body!
Are only versions made for the canteWhat about dancing, or guitar, or other instruments?
Logically, it is the cante the main protagonist, but there are also tributes from the guitar and even other instruments on albums or shows with or without cante, and dance performances that are also recreations and tributes inspired by poems and poets.
Guitar, with or without cante: Manuel Cano y serranito, disk Tension of sounds for two flamenco guitars. Songs of García Lorca, 1967; Manolo Sanlucar en Madness of breeze and trill -with Carmen Linares-; Paco de Lucía offered a record to Lorca, Twelve songs by García Lorca for guitar; Juan Habichuela, CD 8 hugs for Lorca, 2023 ...
Dancing: the dancer Lucero Tena offers his castanets and his dance in Lucero Tena and the world of García Lorca; the flamenco company of Carmen Cortes premiered the show in 2004 La Celestina; the dancer Javier Baron, in 2002, premiered Dime, about Lorca; Maria Pages in various shows; Patricia guerrero su Mariana Pineda at the Seville Biennial in 2024, etc. Also, of course, other instruments may appear, something common today and that already come from the years of the new flamenco the last century.
Is the role of the guitar important in these versions?
Generally, a lot, since they are not strictly poems flamencos it is necessary to adapt the lyrics to the music, or vice versa, and in this, as in other processes of the same flamencoThe guitar guides, accompanies, creates, and recreates. Singers and guitarists alike strive to create convincing versions.
Who are the most covered?
Apart from Manuel Machado, which is more so because of its poetry totally suitable for the flamenco, for his lyrics, let's say, we frequently see Lorca, Antonio Machado, Miguel Hernández, and, to a lesser extent, Bécquer, Juan Ramón Jiménez or Alberti, among others…
Here is the text and the version of The dawn of New York of Lorca that Morente does with the guitar of Vicente Friend on the CD Omega. In this case, in this YouTube link, live, Enrique Morente's last concert on November 23, 2010 at El Molino –BCN–, accompanied by David and Israel Cerreduela –guitars– and José M. Ruiz Moto Bandit -percussion-.
The dawn of New York has
four columns of silt
and a hurricane of blacks palomore
that splash the rotten waters.
The dawn of New York moans
up the immense stairs
searching between the edges
tuberoses of drawn anguish.
The dawn comes and no one receives it in their mouth
because there is no tomorrow or possible hope there.
Sometimes coins in furious swarms
They drill and devour abandoned children.
The first ones to come out understand with their bones
that there will be no paradise nor love without leaves;
They know that they are going into the mire of numbers and laws,
to games without art, to sweat without fruit.
The light is buried by chains and noises
in an impudent challenge of science without roots.
In the neighborhoods there are people who hesitate sleeplessly
as if they had just emerged from a shipwreck of blood.
Which artists have offered the most covers?
We could highlight several names, each, of course, with their own peculiarities and personality in every aspect: Alfredo Arrebola perhaps the most, although neither he nor his versions are as well-known. We could follow others like Vicente Soto or Enrique Morente—the most recognized and most successful of some of his versions—and then a group of artists like Carmen Linares, Calixto Sánchez, Hope Fernandez and many more.
We see the text of The ultimate journey, by Juan Ramón Jiménez, perhaps my favorite poem, and link to Carmen Linares' version.
… And I will go. And the birds will stay
singing;
and my garden will remain, with its green tree,
and with its white well.
Every afternoon, the sky will be blue and placid;
and they will play, as this afternoon they are playing,
the bells of the belfry.
Those who loved me will die;
and the town will become new every year;
and in that corner of my flowery and whitewashed garden,
my spirit will wander nostalgic…
And I will go; And I'll be alone, homeless, treeless
green, no white well,
no blue and placid sky ...
And the birds will stay, singing.
Can the text be traditionalized, losing the perception of its strong authorship, of its clear origin? Are there, let's say, great hits, iconic songs that are sung by others?
Florian –2021:418– writes: «If we are dealing with poems by better-known authors, in a certain way canonical for Hispanic literature, the phenomenon of complete anonymity of authorship does not usually occur. The execution of the text in a palo flamenco In this exceptional case, homage is usually paid to the author of the literary medium rather than to the supposed creator of the musical style. flamenco in which the poem is sung.
As for success and echo among other poets, I think there are some truly successful models or versions. Not many, but some: the four muleteers by Lorca, sung by Pepe Marchena, the sonnet in bulerías The rain by Borges for The Goatherd, The dawn of New York from Lorca or It's night of San Juan de la Cruz by Morente, the alegrías based on texts by Alberti that Calixto Sánchez sings on the album From lyric to cante, etc.
Do I miss versions of any poet?
The list of those covered is frankly long, especially in recent decades, and fortunately continues to grow. In any case, I personally perhaps miss the presence, or greater presence, of poets like Angel González, Gloria Fuertes, Eloy Sánchez Rosillo, Javier Salvago, Juan Peña…And you will miss many others. The curious thing is that some great poets and at the same time lyricists and researchers and disseminators of the flamencoas the Antonio Murciano, Fernando Quiñones, Caballero Bonald, Ricardo Molina o Manuel Rios Ruiz, appear as lyricists, but with versioned poems, poems not intended for cante, do not appear or appear very little, almost as a testimonial, perhaps because they already do so precisely with their lyrics for the canteIt is strange that others do not appear or hardly do, who, due to their neo-popularist imprint or their poetry and/or significance of social denunciation, would be more likely to do so, such as Jose Maria Peman, Gabriel Celaya, Pablo Neruda, etc.
What balance can we make or what conclusion do we reach?
We have seen that it is a symbiosis or mutual interrelation or benefit and influence, as well as that there are great successes, although not everything is wonderful. There are many difficulties in some cases. There are versions or tributes not only in the cante, but in the playing and the dancing. The list of artists who cover songs is extensive, as is the list of authors covered, and it is a phenomenon that is growing in the 21st century, where both the number of female performers and poets covered has increased. The flamenco versions we have discussed are a vivid and magnificent example of the artistic capacity of the flamenco and flamencos, of the union of tradition and modernity, that art flamenco not even in the cante It is not something static, but dynamic, open, universal.
I leave you some bibliography on this matter and I hope that this topic of versions of cultured poets interests you as much as it does me.:
– Cárdenas, José C., song and poem blog, https://cancionypoema.blogspot.com/
– Gelardo Navarro, José, Miguel Hernandez and the flamenco. Earthy flavor, Seville, Signature Editions, 2011.
– González Sánchez, Carmen, The reception of Miguel Hernández in flamenco music, 2016 doctoral thesis, unpublished.
– Gutiérrez Quesada, Balbino, «Enrique Morente: paradigm of creativity and freedom»
artistic», Research journal on flamenco The dawn, no. 7, 2012.
-Homann, Florian, Cante flamenco and cultural memory, Iberoamericana / Vervuert, Madrid / Frankfurt am Main, 2021.
– Pérez González, Rosalía, «Classical poetry alive in the flamenco: the 'Romance of the Bitter' by García Lorca and Camarón» Journal of Modern Languages, no.. 19, 2013, p. 591-600.
-Puente Pérez, Ángel Ricardo, blog Multimedia poetry anthology, https://antologiapoeticamultimedia.blogspot.com/
-Vadillo, Juan, «Flamenco sing poetry», Virtual Symphony: Classical Music and Musical Reflection Magazine, No. 46, 2024, pp. 1-13.
