siguiriyas

{{short description|Style of flamenco music}}

{{Expand Spanish|Seguiriya|topic=cult|date=January 2015}}

Siguiriyas ({{IPA|es|seɣiˈɾiʝas}}; also seguiriyas,

siguerillas, siguirillas, seguidilla gitana,{{cite book|author= Federico García Lorca|editor= Norman Thomas di Giovanni|title= In Search of Duende|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Tdw_76l_DnMC&dq=Siguiriyas+gypsy&pg=PA4|year= 1998|publisher= New Directions|page= 2|isbn= 978-0-8112-1376-9|quote= The name deep song is given to a group of Andalusian songs whose genuine, perfect prototype is the gypsy siguiriya}} etc.) are a form of flamenco music in the cante jondo category. This deep, expressive style is among the most important in flamenco. Unlike other palos of flamenco, siguiriyas stands out for being purely Romani (Calé) in origin.{{cite journal|last= Manuel|first= Peter|title= Evolution and Structure in Flamenco Harmony|url= https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D8902FFS/download|journal= Current Musicology|publisher= Columbia University Press|year= 1986|volume= 42|issue= 42|pages= 46–47|doi= 10.7916/D88051HJ|s2cid= 193937795|doi-access= free|quote= Other cantes, although Andalusian in a general sense, originated from Gypsy subculture and lack non-Gypsy counterparts; these would include siguiriyas, soleares, bulerias, and tonas}}{{cite book|last=Koster|first= Dennis|title= The Keys to Flamenco Guitar|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=JLxVHINCFCgC&dq=Siguiriyas+gypsy&pg=PA73|year= 2015|volume= 1|publisher= Mel Bay Publications, Incorporated|page= 73|isbn= 978-1-61065-764-8|quote= Of ancient and purely Gypsy origins, siguiriyas is the most tragic and intensely emotional expression in all Flamenco.}}{{cite book|last= Pohren|first= Donn|author-link= Donn Pohren|title= The art of flamenco|location= Spain|publisher= Society of Spanish Studies|year= 1990|page= 143|isbn= 978-0-933334-38-0}} Siguiriyas are normally played in the key of A Phrygian with each measure (the compás) consisting of 12 counts with emphasis on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 8th and 11th beats as shown here:

:

: [1] 2 [3] 4 [5] 6 7 [8] 9 10 [11] 12

This rhythm can be contrasted with the rhythmic pattern of the soleares, which also has 12 beats, but the accents fall differently. Taking the unusual accenting into account, it can technically be seen as a measure of 3/4 (counted in eighth notes) starting on "2", then a measure of 6/8 followed by the "1 and" of the 3/4. Every note is evenly spaced apart. For example:

File:Palmas-Flamenco.jpg]]

:

: [2] and [3] and [1] 2 3 [4] 5 6 [1] and

However, this presents difficulties in counting and is counted more simply in 5 beats, with three "short" and two "long" beats:

:

: [1] and [2] and [3] and uh [4] and uh [5] and

In this case, the 1, 2, and 5 are the short beats and the 3 and 4 are long beats.

Siguiriyas are also often counted as a soleá started on 8, so the accents fall on:

[8] 9 [10] 11 [12] 1 2 [3] 4 5 [6] 7{{Cite web|last=Fitzgerald|first=Andy|date=January 29, 2019|title=Seguiriya|url=https://ravennaflamenco.com/palos/seguiriya/|website=Ravenna Flamenco}}

Siguiriyas are often played with rubato which allow the singer to sing more expressively during a performance. During a performance, singers and dancers will increase and decrease the tempo for dramatic effect.

The compás often includes counter rhythms played by the guitar, palmas or the footwork of the dancers, creating interlocking rhythmic patterns.{{Cite web|last=Zussman|first=Bennet Thomas|date=1995|title=The Siguiriyas song form in flamenco guitar : a historical and comparative study|url=https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=2106&context=etd_theses|access-date=2020-12-18|website=San Jose State University SJSU ScholarWorks}}