Discussion of the Sevillanas form
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The Sevillanas is a couples dance usually danced by groups during the Feria de Sevilla; however, it has made its way into discos as a popular dance form in recent years. It is highly structured; its 6 count rasgueado marking compas (in 3/4 time) is the same as the first six counts of that of Fandangos de Huelva.
Although the basic compas for the guitar is in 3/4 time (as are its traditional falsetas), the dance is performed in 6/8 time against it. (Orchestras and disco music accompaniments are almost always in 6/8, different from the guitar).
The form of each Sevillanas is the same; usually four Sevillanas are danced before changing partners (if that is desired).
Each Sevillanas begins with a few marking compases (beginning on count 2), while the dancers prepare. Then either the guitar or the singer performs an introductory theme called the salida (two 6-count compases); (the dancers can either enter with the salida or mark while waiting for the first paseo, or "Sevillanas step"). Following the salida the dancers perform the first Sevillanas. Then the first copla is sung or played on the guitar, consisting of 5 six-count compases. The copla is followed by a chording compas on the guitar while the dancers again perform the Sevillanas step. The second copla is then performed, again followed by a Sevillanas step.
The Sevillanas ends with the third copla, ending rather abruptly on count 3 of the 5th compas (at which point the dancers pose - if they don't fall over, it is a "bien parada" (well stopped), otherwise an "ensalada".
Thus the form of the Sevillanas is the following (repeat four times):
Marking (chording) compas ? x 6 count cycles Salida 2 x 6 count cycles Paseo (Sevillanas step) 1 x 6 count cycle First copla 5 x 6 count cycles Paseo (Sevillanas step) 1 x 6 count cycle Second copla 5 x 6 count cycles Paseo (Sevillanas step) 1 x 6 count cycle Third copla 5 x 6 count cycles
(hopefully, bien parada)
Sevillanas is accompanied by dobles or "straight" palmas, emphasizing the 6/8 nature of the dance:
This section is a result of some observations of the Sevillanas I saw performed at the Feria de Sevilla in Long Beach California??!! Since I am really a Bulerias man myself, I had not kept up too much with the corriente versions of it, assuming the old traditional falsetas were still valid. Well, they sort of still are, but things have also changed.
The Sevillanas performed today has a different rhythmic emphasis than that performed twenty years or so ago. I think that one of the basic reasons was the boom in popularity of the Sevillanas and its consequent shift in venue from its role as a folk art (generally accompanied by the guitar) to its popularity in the nightclubs. Since it is very difficult to amplify the acoustic guitar (except in the studio, of course), the role of accompaniment for live performance has been taken over by orchestras (synthesized or otherwise, or studio recordings) - the festival was a true death by (recorded) Sevillanas as observed by our friend Gilberto. They even kept the loudspeakers blasting into the one caseta when everyone was trying to hold a fiesta inside (with even live guitarists).
The original form of the Sevillanas was danced in 6/8 and 3/4, usually with the 6/8 overlaid on the 3/4 chord changes of the guitar (the 6 count compas f@(he phrases of the copla was similar to the first 6 counts of the compas of Fandangos de Huelva). The old style of Sevillanas emphasized counts 12, 2, and 4; the guitar changed from the dominant 7th to the tonic (e.g. E7 -> Am) on count 2, with the rasgueado imitating a redoble on counts (3 and a 4) as in many of the resolution phrases. Without the acoustic guitar around, the bands tend to emphasize the 6/8 structure almost exclusively, with a heavy bass on count 12 and 3. If a dancer has only learned Sevillanas in its modern context, the old Sevillanas falsetas are going to be confusing. (You can also hear many singers struggle between the old 3/4 emphasis and the newer 6/8 emphasis).
The new? guitar accompaniment of Sevillanas ( with its emphasis on a 6/8 meter) follows the castanet accompaniment (which originally were felt as counter to the 3/4); with the 3/4 emphasis gone, the rhythm begins to sound much more like a Verdiales (Fandangos de Malaga) than Fandangos de Huelva. The compas seems to have slowed down compared to the older version - for guitarists, the main problem is that the old falsetas, while still in 3/4 compas, no longer go with the 6/8 pulse very well. The original Sevillanas was a couples dance, where the entrada was an opportunity for couples to change partners, seduce each other visually and in generally carry on before entering the formal dance. In the new version, the entrada (salida) was de-emphasizedas a device to enter the copla. In the older versions, the dancers cued from the singer, ending the entrada on counts 3-4 (or 9-10 if counting in 12). The dancers I saw sort of stood around until the entrada was over and began the basic Sevillanas step on the heavy first 12 count of the orchestra (these were all recorded Sevilanas out of Spain, so I assume were corriente there. Another thing that seemed to be missing was the final vuelta that comprises the bien parado on the 12 1 and 2 3! of the final copla; the dance just seemed to mush into the last 3. (Sometimes the orchestra emphasized the 2 3", but more often just continued the 6/8 phrase to end on 3.
The Paseo (or Pasada) between coplas also seems to have been extended to 12 counts (two measures of 6/8, or a 12 count measure of 6/8/,3/4). The main reason for the above changes seems to be that Sevillanas is less and less a couples dance (due to its device as a mating ritual in nightclubs) and its subsequent dumbing down , both musically (i.e., to a flamenco waltz) and choreographically.
In the following diagrams I ve tried to illustrate some of the reasons for the confusion. The first line shows the entrada in a the new style. In the old style, the first measure would have been in 3/4, as are all of the old style guitar falstas. Notice that the new style follows the castanet accompaniment, which I ve indicated by the traditional ta ria ta mnemonic- here the guitarist plays the rasgueado on the ria's similar to Verdiales, rather than imitating the redoble as with Fandangos de Huelva.
The phrases for the copla are now often in straight 6/8 phrasing - but I ve indicated the 3/4 phrasing in the 2nd alternative. (The 3rd Sevillanas uses this sort of redoble - but nobody danced the third Sevillanas, at least while I was watching).
The Paseos did have a 6/8,3/4 emphasis, but count 9 was heavily emphasized; the redoble (ending on count 10) seemed to be thrown in as an afterthought.
For an acoustic (i.e., Flamenco) guitarist, one option is to continue to play the old falsetas, in which case everyone will look at you funny. Another option is to go with the flow and work out falsetas using 6/8 phrasing, which is more fun anyway, but a bit hard to get used to, since the old phrasing will seem to have shifted by a count or so. If you do this, the old timers will look at you funny. In any case, since you re probably having a lot of problems with the sound system anyway, everyone will clap politely and go back to the recorded Sevillanas and the Gypsy Kings.
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3. Soy el sereno, soy el sereno
(salida)
lo tire al pozo, lo tire al pozo
(copla 1)
lo tire al pozoel clavel que me diste
lo tire al pozo
que no quiero claveles
de ningun hermoso
(copla 2)
anda que ere,anda que ere
que ere la mas bonita
que ere la mas bonita
de las mujeres
(copla 3)
ay que me besaay que me besa
si el tiempo que lo tuve
si el tiempo que lo tuve
si en la cabeza
(Salida)
Azules rejas, azules rejas
(copla 1)
azules rejasentre cortinas verdes
azules rejas
entre cortinas verdes
azules rejas
(copla 2)
azules rejasesteban dos amantes
azules rejas
esteban dos amantes
da'ndose quejas
(copla 3)
y se decia quesolo con la muerte
y se decia que
solo con la muerte
se olvidarian
(Salida)
Soy el sereno, soy el sereno
(copla 1)
Soy el sereno, elque ronda tu calle
ole morena, el
que ronda tu calle
soy el sereno
(copla 2)
soy el serenono te digo la hora
soy el sereno
no te digo la hora
pa que no quiero
(copla 3)
si quisieralo reloj minuto
si quisiera
lo reloj minuto
yo te dijera
(Salida)
Ay Sevillana, Ay Sevillana
(copla 1)
Ay Sevillana, dela gracia se baile
ole ole morena
de gracia se baile
mi alma que es Triana
(copla 2)
Ay mi Trianaque barrio de salero
ole ole morena
que barrio de salero
mi alma y de gitana
(copla 3)
y la gitana enel cante y el baile
y la gitana en
el cante y el baile
mi alma son soverena
(Salida)
Mi mare me dijo me que tu cariño olvidara
(copla 1)
que tu cariño olvidarami mare me dije a mi
ole, ole, ole, ole,
mi mare me dije a mi
que tu cariño olvidara
(copla 2)
que tu cariño olvidarapero yo le respondi
ole ole ole ole
pero yo le respondi
que contigo me casaba
(copla 3)
Ole ole ole oleque pa tu querer me muero
sin ti no puedo vivar
y amiga de mi alma
esto lo hizo por ti
(Salida)
da le que suene, da le que suene
(copla 1)
da le que suenegolpe a esa guitarra
ole morena
golpe a ese guitarra
pa le que suene
(copla 2)
da le que sueneque esto me amor absenta
ole morena
que esta mi amor absent
a ver si viene
(copla 3)
anda que Jereza la no serve
anda que Jerez
a la no serve
ni pa clavele
(Salida)
Para que quiero llorar, si no tengo que me oiga
(copla 1)
si no tengo quien me oigapara que quiero llorar
ole ole ole ole
para que quiero llorar
si no tengo quien me oiga
(copla 2)
si no tengo quien me oigalo que me tiene que oir
ole ole ole ole
esta viviendo en la gloria
y no se acuerda de mi
(copla 3)
ole ole ole olearriba con los faroles
lo morena que yo quiero
esta llena de lunares
hasta la punto del pelo
(Salida)
que si te quiero,que si te quiero
(copla 1)
que si te quierola gente me pregunta
ole ole Dolores
la gente me pregunta
que si te quiero
(copla 2)
que si te queirola mentira le digo
ole ole Dolores
la mentira le digo
la verdad niego
(copla 3)
por que la gentela verdad no le digo
por que la gente
la verdad no le digo
mentira siempre
(Salida)
Sombrero negro, al hombre, mi alma mira que pena
(copla 1)
Mira que penasombrero negro al hombre
ole ole mi vida
sombrero negro al hombre
mi alma mira que pena
(copla 2)
mira que penapor esto me morena
ole ole moreno
por esto me morena
mi alma, blanca le lleva
(copla 3)
y en la (badajana)un letrero que dice ole
que en la (badajana)
un letrero que dice
mi alma, viva Triana
(Salida)
Delila infame, Delila infame
(copla 1)
Delila infamemientra Samson dormia
Delila infame
mientra Samson dormia
Delila infame
(copla 2)
Delila infamela hebra de la fuerza
quiso cortale
la hebra de la fuerza
quiso cortale
(copla 3)
serva de avisomejor confianza
serva de aviso
mejor confianza
mejor peligro
(Salida)
Estan combatiendo, estan combatiendo
(copla 1)
estan combatiendodos poderosas naves
estan combatiendo
dos poderosas naves
estan combatiendo
(copla 2)
estan combatiendouna va al abordaje
l' otra va huyendo
una va al abordaje
l' otra va huyendo
(copla 3)
quien tal dijeraque dos naves tan finas
quien tal dijera
que dos naves tan finas
se combatieron
(Salida)
Algo se muere en el alma cuando una amigo se va
(copla 1)
Cuando una amigo se vaalgo se muere en el alma
cuando una amigo se va
algo se muere en el alma
cuando una amigo se va
(copla 2)
cuando una amigo se vay va dejando una huella
que no se puede borrar
y va dejando una huella
que no se puede borrar
(copla 3)
No te vayas todavia,no te vayas por favor
no te vayas todavia
que hasta la guitarra mia llora
cuando dice adios
