Songs and Dances

Over the years, the style and form of Spanish songs and dances have changed; however, there is still a wide variety of Spanish songs and dances that exist today. Spanish dance is to be performed by talented professionals who have had formal training and a degree in Spanish dance. It may also be acquired without a degree if the dancer has had many years of experience. The costumes within each dance will differ between each region.

Traditional Songs and Dances

Click on the title for each dance to see an example of the dance.


Flamenco- Involves singing, dance, and guitar simultaneously as well as rhythmic punctuation (hand claps or other simple methods). It was originally created as a music outlet for the poor and opressed, especially in the gypsy culture. It is passed down through oral tradition and the best dancers study for many years. Males sing and strum the guitar, while women either sit and clap the rhythm or dance. Dancers must be "bailaras"- dark, full figured women. Their hair is held back by a "pieneta," a Spanish comb, that may come out during the performance. Flamenco is known for being an extremely emotional dance. The "Tablado Flamenco," sacred area where the Spanish temptress Carmen (goddess of movement) can perform, is the stage where the Flamenco is performed.

Jota-Originally from Aragon, this style of dance is typically danced in pairs while playing castanets over head and is usually accompanied by guitar, bandurria, lute, dulzaina, and drum.

Fandango- This haappy, energetic folk dance comes from Andalusia. It is performed by couples and is accompanied by guitar, along with castanets or hand clapping. Dancers will often taunt each other by the steps and gestures they use. Lyrics are made up of eight syllable lines, and the use of castanets. Singing will follow a structure of four to five verses of eight syllable lines, the first line often being repeated.

Sardana- This is a Catalonian dance and is accompanied by a cobla, a Spanish band consisting of ten wind instruments, a double bass and a small drum. It is performed by couples in a circle that join hands and take simple steps together as a group. The dance is usually separated into two sections: "curts" and "llargas." This dance is fairly simple to learn, so many tourists are able to learn this dance quickly. It is common to see this dance being taught to tourists in the streets and market places.

Bolero-This dance is from the region of Castilla. This fast, spirited dance with unexpected pauses and sharp turns is one of the oldest and most traditional dances of the region. It was originally danced by couples, but over time has adapted to larger venues to use more dancers and a bigger variety of choreography. It usually includes three verses, each of which last thirty-six bars and finishes with a dramatic pose.

Sevullanas- This happy, joyous dance, similar to the Flamenco, originated around the fifteenth century. Normally it is accompanied by guitar. Over time it has mixed with other forms of dance, such as the flamenco, creating various new styles of Spanish dance.

Here is an example of this dance being danced by a couple.

Sources

"Culture o Spain." Culture of Spain. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar 2014
"Traditional Spanish Music & Dance." Traditional Spanish Music & Dance. N.p., n.d. Web 22 Mar 2014
"Spanish Dance and Music: Overview." Spanish Dance and Music: Overview N.p., n.d. Web 22 Mar. 2014
"Jota Manilena." Jota Manilena. N.p., n.d. Web 27 Mar. 2014
"About Fandangos De Huelva." About Fandangos De Huelva. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.

History

The Iberian Peninsula

 Spain is part of the Iberian Peninsula, which has a rich history of various cultures. The Iberian Peninsula is made up by Portugal, Spain, Andorra, and the British Crown Colony of Gibraltar. On its southern tip, it is only five miles away from Africa. It is a mountainous region and has been very important to geologists because it contains rocks from every geological period. The southern parts of the peninsula have desert like qualities, but still has a winter season. It tends to be very dry during the summer, with a large rainfall near spring and fall.  This peninsula is unique because it serves almost like a portal coming in and going out of Europe. It can be considered like a cultural highway and because it has been largely influenced by many different cultures.

History of Spain

Time line of conquest

Spain has a rich history of culture. The oldest human remains on earth have been found here. The Cave of Altamira contains the drawings of Paleolithic peoples, one of the first forms of human art and aesthetics.

There is a vast history of conquering and being conquered in these lands.  One of the firs t groups of civilization in this land was the Celtic people. They were conquered by the Romans, but there is a whole region of Spain, Galicia, that is rich in this culture. There are legends and folklore that say the Celts settle in this part of Iberia before they went out to conquer Ireland.

The Romans brought a whole new element to Spain and other parts of the Iberian Peninsula as their reign and territories grew. The other huge thing that Rome brought along to Spain was Christianity, specifically Catholicism. This is the country’s main religion (70% of the population), so obviously it has had a major effect on Spain.

           
The other large group that had invaded Spain was the Moors who came from Africa. The Moors had a long reign over Spain, until they were eventually conquered during the Crusades. The Moors have left on huge stamp on Spain. The Moors themselves were heavily influenced by the Greeks, especially in various areas of academics. The Moors particularly had a heavy mathematical influence over Spain, with one example being the invention of Algebra. The Moors also heavily influenced the architect of Spain. The picture below shows the Moorish influence of architecture in Spain. When the Moors were finally driven out of Spain, their huge palaces and beautiful cities were not destroyed, rather they were simply taken over by the Spaniards. A perfect example of this is the Alhambra of Granada, a large Moorish palace built by José Contreras that is still in beautiful condition today.

Mezquita, Catedral de Córdoba

           

La Alhambra, Grenada

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Spain has also been heavily influenced by many groups of people like the Phoenicians and Visigoths (Germanic people of the fifth century). Spain also had a large group of Jewish settlers, that eventually were forced to leave in 1492 after Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabel of Castile re-conquered the land from the Moors. They are referred to as Sephardic Jews because of their origins in Iberia. They had been in Spain many years prior to their ordered removal, which prompted the Spanish Inquisition. This was a time when Spain globally was expanding under the name of the Catholic Church. This led to the battle of Latin America, with Portugal, eventually England, and other European nations. Because of this, Latin American countries have also largely influenced the culture of Spain in areas like art, language, etc.

Both Spanish and Latin American music have largely influenced the other. As Spain started bringing more of its own people and it's slaves, a blending of cultures started to happen. Spain brought slaves over from Africa to its new colonies, which had a tremendous impact on Latin American music. In return styles like Tuna (which is discussed in more detail in the "Styles of Music"), which is said to be "Spain's Mariachi Band," have tremendously impacted Spain.

 As you can see, Spain has a vast history and has been influenced by many different kinds of people. Because of its geographical location, it has served as a cultural highway in and out of Europe. From the Celts, to the Romans, to the Moors and everyone in between, it has been stamped with a very unique identity. All of these stamps have played a very important role in the creation of Spanish music and culture in general.

           

Sources

http://www.csudh.edu/global_options/375Students-sp96/spain/DEFAULT.HTM

http://linguistics.byu.edu/classes/ling450ch/reports/spanish.html

http://www.academia.edu/3166577/Sagona_C._The_Phoenicians_in_Spain_from_a_Central_Mediterranean_Perspective

http://acme.highpoint.edu/~drauga04/History%20of%20the%20Spanish%20Language/index.htm

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/iberian.htm

 

Tradition

There is a variety of music in Spanish culture, just like in American culture.The way that traditional songs that are used in everyday life are passed on in Spain is similar to the way it is passed down in America. This is done mostly by memorizing songs.  Most people learn everyday songs, like lullaby's, by having friends and families teach them through oral tradition. An example of this is how Americans learn the "Happy Birthday Song," and other childhood songs like "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," etc. These songs may be written down, but this is done only to preserve the culture.

Other music that is used for aesthetic pleasure is written down and performed. With styles of this music, performers will memorize the music, but they still learn it on paper first and then memorize it. Examples of this kind of music would be classical music, band music, some popular music, etc. As you can read in the Spanish Composers section of this article, there are many people who have published their pieces. This is a very common way for music to passed down to younger generations.

Memorized Spanish Music

Many tradtional Spanish music is memorized. Lots of dances, folk songs, and traditonal Spanish music are not written, but taught from generation to generation. Family is a very important part of Spanish culture, so families often teach the songs to younger generations. Some songs are specific to classes or geological location, but other songs are universally known. Just like the song "Happy Birthday" is known in America, "De Colores" is an example of a well known spanish song.

Festivals of Spain

Click on the title for a link to a schedule of festivals in Spain.

Spain is known for it's many festivals that take place year round. They range from regional festivals to religious festivals, but each one brings people from all over world to celebrate. 

Styles of Music

Regions of Spain

Titles are linked to clips of traditional folk music of that region.

The guitar is an essential element to Spanish music. It is found in most Spanish music and has been adapted into many different styles, shapes, and sizes. Click here for a full history of the guitar. Flamenco Guitar, sometimes referred to as "Toque," came from Andalusia.  Flamenco is a way of playing a guitar that encompasses "cante," the Spanish word for song. In Flamenco Guitar playing, the guitar is played in a way that weaves together charismatic rhythms and melodies. This style of guitar playing was originally developed to accompany "cante".

Andalusia and Murcia

The southern region of Andalusia is best known for Flamenco music. Flamenco music can trace its roots all the way back to the 1500's. Though the origins of Flamenco aren't exactly known, the most accepted theory is that the gypsies created it when they arrived in Spain. Flamenco usually includes guitar, singing, dancing, and hand claps. It is characterized by an importance of words and driving rhythms. Melodies and harmonies are not the most important part like in most western music. No two performances of flamenco are the same. The dancing is very spontaneous and the singing is interpreted differently by different singers. There are different styles of flamenco called Palos. There are over 50 different Palos, but only twelve are commonly played. Meter or time signatures in Flamenco are called Compas. Compas are one of the most important parts of flamenco. Rhythm in flamenco requires much more precision than in any other western music. Click here for a video of legendary flamenco dancer, Carmen Amaya.

One instrument that originated in the Andalusia area is the Gaita Rociera, which is a tabor pipe played with one hand while the other plays a drum. Gaita Roecieras are often included in a type of musical group called Panda de Verdiales. Other instruments in these groups include violins, guitars, tambourines, and the bandurria.

Aragon, Extremadura, La Rioja, and Navarre

One type of music popular in this region is the Jota. The Jota is a traditional Spanish courtship dance. Jota can also be a genre of folk song that precedes and accompanies the dance or is sung only. It is danced by a couple holding castanets. Castanets are a shell-shaped instrument made of hard wood, ivory, or plastic. They are attached to a string or piece of leather which is wrapped around the thumbs. The rest is held by the remaining fingers. Practiced castanet players can make a variety of sounds, from a dry click to a warm roll. Castanets are most often used to accompany, but can also be used as a solo instrument. Click here for another example of the Jota dance.

An instrument called the Guitarro came from this region. The Guitarro is a five-stringed guitar that was created in the Baroque period. It is not intended as a solo instrument; it is solely intended to accompany in a plucked style.

Asturias, Cantabria, and Galicia

The music in this region of Spain is very unique. Galicia, also known as Galiza, is one of the Celtic countries. It's Celtic history goes back 2,000 years. The people in this region characterize themselves as more Celtic than being a part of Spain. The music here is almost identical to music of Ireland. They use an instrument called the Gaita, which is a Spanish bagpipe. One famous musician that came from this area is a Gaita player named Carlos Nunez. Click here for another example of the Gaita.

Carlos Nunez

Balaeric Islands

The Balaeric Islands are known for a traditional music ensemble called Xeremiers or Colla de Xeremiers. Xeremiers consist of flabiol, a five-hole tabor pipe, and xeremies, or bagpipes.

Basque Country

Basque Country is known for Trikitixa. Trikitixa can either refer to a style of music or to an instrument. The instrument is a diatonic accordian unique to this region. It is commonly heard with a tambourine. It can also provide a strong rhythmic accompaniment to larger musical ensembles.

Canary Islands

Children in the Canary Islands are taught a unique language called Silbo. Silbo is a language consisting solely of different whistles. This language was created as a means of communicating over long distances. Silbo began dying out in the twentieth century, but has had a resurgence due to the official protection it has recieved.

The Canary Islands are known for having a few instruments unique to the area. The Timple is a traditional four or five-stringed instrument. The old Timples had only four strings, but a fifth string was introduced in the late nineteenth century. Timples are very similar to a Hawaiian Ukelele. Another instrument from this region is the Bandurria, also known as the Mandurria. The modern Bandurria is made up of six pairs of strings. It is very similar to a mandolin.

Castile, Madrid, and Leon

This region is known to be a musical melting pot, but it does have some music very unique to the area. One type of music here is called Salamanca. Salamanca is very different than traditional Spanish music. Most Spanish music is known for its guitar. Guitars are secondary in this music. The melody is often played by an instrument called the Dulzaina, which is similar to an oboe. Other instruments include, pipe instruments, percussion, and bagpipes.

Jota is also common in this area, though it has been changed and adapted by the people of this region. It is much slower in tempo than the traditional Jota. One other style of music unique to this area is the Tuna. The Tuna is often referred to as Spain's version of the Mexican mariachi band.

Catalonia

The music of Catalonia is some of the oldest music of Europe.

The Sardana is a traditional dance that is danced in a circle while holding hands. This dance was banned after the Spanish Civil War because it displayed Catalan nationalism. In 2010, the government recognized it as a national dance. The music that accompanies the Sardana is played by a band called a Cobla. The band consists of ten wind instruments-five brass and five woodwinds, a double bass, and a tambori. The dance is not terribly fast and is easy for newcomers to learn. The professional Sardana dance groups are called Colles.

Catalonian Rumba is a newer type of music of Spain. It's a blend of traditional flamenco and Afro-Cuban music created by gypsies in the 1950's. It is generally hated by flamenco "purists." It's generally a pretty light-hearted, fun genre of music.

Valencia

Valencia is one of the musical centers of Spain and his know for its high levels of musical innovation. Jota is very popular in Valencia. Religous and working songs are also very common. This region is very well know for it's unique blend of contemporary and folk music.

Sources

Bryant, Tony. "Flamenco - Verdiales." Verdiales, Flamenco in Andalucía, Music, Art and Culture of Southern Spain. Andalucia, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

"Canarian." Performing Arts. Cultural Infusion, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Jota (Spanish Dance and Folk Song)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

"Music in Salamanca, Spain." Music in Spain. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

"Music." Simply Valencia Music Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

"Pages." CelticLand. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

Reilly, Rachel. "The Language Made up Entirely of WHISTLES (and, Believe It or Not, It's Used on the Canary Islands)." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 04 July 2013. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

Romer, Megan. "Castanets." About.com World Music. About, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

"Sardana." Spanish Dance and Music:. Spanish Arts, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

Warner, Gregory. "Trikitixa." Public Radio Broadcasting. BBC World Service, 04 Aug. 2008. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.

http://www.songsofthecosmos.com/encyclopedia_of_modern_music/G/guitar.html

Texts

The following two songs are two examples of traditional Spanish songs. There is a reoccurring theme of love present, which is characteristic of Spanish music.

 Click on the Spanish title to listen to the song.

Descúbrase el Pensamiento de mi Secreto Cuidado

 Enrique Granados

Descúbrase el pensamiento

de mi secreto cuidado,

pues descubrir mis dolores,

mi vivir apasionado;

no es de agora mi pasión,

días ha que soy penado.

Una señora a quien sirvo

mi servir tiene olvidado.

Su beldad me hizo suyo,

el su gesto tan pulido

en mi alma está esmaltado.

¡Ay! ¡Ay de mí!

Que la miré, que la miré

para vivir lastimado,

para llorar y plañir

glorias del tiempo pasado.

Let Me Unveil the Thought ( English Translation)

Let me unveil the thought

of my secret love,

and reveal my anguish,

my life of suffering.

My passion is not new;

already I've suffered endlessly.

I am servant to a lady

who has forgotten my servitude.

Her beauty enthralled me,

and her shining face

is set in my soul.

Ah! Woe is me

who gazed on her

only to live in grief,

to weep and lament

glories of times gone by.

Ah! She has forgotten my servitude.



El Majo Discrete

Enrique Granados

Dicen que mi majo es feo.

Es posible que sí que lo sea,

que amor es deseo

que ciega y marea.

Ha tiempo que sé

que quien ama no ve.

Mas si no es mi majo un hombre

que por lindo descuelle y asombre,

en cambio es discreto

y guarda un secreto

que yo posé en él

sabiendo que es fiel.

¿Cuál es el secreto

que el majo guardó?

Sería indiscreto

contarlo yo.

No poco trabajo costara saber

secretos de un majo con una mujer.

Nació en Lavapiés.

¡Eh, ¡eh! ¡Es

un majo, un majo es!

English translation…

The Discreet Lover (English Translation)

People say that my beloved is homely,

and that may be true,

for love is the longing

which masks and conceals.

There are even times

when love blinds.

But if my beloved is not a man

whose beauty shines and astonishes,

then he is a man who is discreet

and able to keep the secret

that I entrust to him,

knowing that he is faithful.

What could this secret be

that he is guarding?

It would be indiscreet

for me to reveal it.

To expose the secret binding

of a man and a woman requires no insignificant efforts.

He was born in Lavapies.

Uh-huh!

He is a man, a man is he.



The Catholic Mass

Catholicism was brought to Spain through the Romans. Since this time, Catholicism has been the country's main religion. Seventy percent of the population practice, while eleven percent claim another Christian faith and the final nineteen percent claim atheism as their main religion. This is a huge percentage, proving how important Catholicism is to the country.


The following is text for the order mass for the Catholic. Traditionally, the mass would all be sung in Latin, using Gregorian Chat (except in certain situation) serving as the musical notation of the melodies. Click here to listen to the full mass.

The Order of Mass

Priest dialogue is italicized.

Congregation dialogue is in bold.

Both priest and congregation dialogue is in normal font.

Introductory Rite

· Entrance

· Greeting

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Amen

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all

And with your spirit

· Penitential Act

And so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries

Have mercy on us, O Lord

For we have sinned against you

Show us O Lord your mercy

And grant us your salvation

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life

Amen

· Kyrie

Lord have mercy

Lord have mercy

Christ have mercy

Christ have mercy

Lord have mercy

Lord have mercy

· Glory to God

Glory to God in the highest

and on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you, we bless you,

we adore you, we glorify you,

we give you thanks

for your great glory.

Lord God, heavenly king

O God, almighty father.

Lord Jesus Christ,

Only Begotten Son,

Lord God, Lamb of God,

Son of the Father,

You take away the sins of the world,

have mercy on us;

You take away the sins of the world,

receive our prayer;

You are seated at the right hand of the Father

have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the father

Amen

· Collect

Liturgy of the Word

· First Reading

· Concluding acclamation:

The word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

· Responsorial Psalm

· Second Reading

· Concluding acclamation:

The word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

· Gospel Acclamation

The Lord be with you
And with your spirit
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to (insert gospel)
Glory to You, O Lord

· Gospel

· Concluding acclamation:

The Gospel of the Lord

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

· Homily

· Profession of Faith (on Sundays, solemnities, and special occasions)

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God, begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit
was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

· Universal Prayer

Liturgy of the Eucharist

· Presentation of the Gifts and Preparation of the Altar (all sing)

May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good, and the good of all his holy Church.

· Prayer over the Offerings

· Eucharistic Prayer

· Preface:

The Lord be with you

And with your spirit

Lift up your hearts

We lift them up to the Lord

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God

It is right and just

· Sanctus (all sing):

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

· First half of prayer, including Consecration

· Mystery of Faith (memorial acclamation) (all sing):

The mystery of faith,

We proclaim your death oh lord and profess your resurrection, until you come again.

· Second half of prayer, ending with Doxology

Through him and with him and in him

Oh God almighty father

in the unity of the holy spirit.

All glory and honor is yours forever and ever

AMEN

· The Lord's Prayer

At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching we dare to say:

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive those who trespass against us

And leave us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

Deliver us Lord we pray from every evil

Graciously grant peace in our days

That by the help of your mercy

We may be always free from sin and safe from all distress

As we wait the blessed hope and the coming of our savior Jesus Christ.

For the kingdom the power and the glory are yours now and forever

· ​Sign of Peace

Lord Jesus Christ who said to your apostles,

Peace I leave you, my peace I give you.

Look not on our sins but on the faith of Your Church

and graciously grant us peace and community in accordance to Your will.

Who lives and reins forever and ever.

Amen

The peace of the Lord be with you always

And with your spirit

Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

· Lamb of God (Agnus Dei) (all sing)

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,

have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,

have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,

grant us peace.

· Communion

Behold the lamb of God,

Behold him who takes away the sins of the world.

Blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb.

Lord I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed

· Prayer after Communion

Concluding Rites

· Optional announcements

· Greeting and Blessing

The Lord be with you

And with your spirit

May Almighty God bless you,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Amen

· Dismissal

Go forth the mass has ended

Thanks be to God

Sources

http://www.npm.org/Chants/order.html

http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=625
[http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=12570 http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/get_text.html?TextId=12570 ]