''Farruca'' () is a

form Form is the shape, visual appearance, or configuration of an object. In a wider sense, the form is the way something happens. Form also refers to: *Form (document), a document (printed or electronic) with spaces in which to write or enter data ...

flamenco Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...

music developed in the late 19th century. Classified as a

cante chico The cante flamenco (), meaning "flamenco singing", is one of the three main components of flamenco, along with ''toque'' (playing the guitar) and ''baile'' (dance). Because the dancer is front and center in a flamenco performance, foreigners ofte ...

, it is traditionally sung and danced by men. Its origin is traditionally associated with Galicia, a region in northern

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. An instrumental adaptation of the farruca was developed by guitarist

Ramón Montoya Ramón Montoya (November 2, 1879, Madrid, Spain – July 20, 1949, Madrid, Spain), Flamenco guitarist and composer. Born into a family of Gitano (Romani) cattle traders, Ramón Montoya used earnings from working in the trade to purchase his first g ...

and flamenco dancer Faíco in the 20th century. Others who stylized and expanded farruca include Antonio de Bilbao, Manolito la Rosa and El Batato.Claus, p 102 Although there are female flamenco dancers who exclusively danced farruca too (such as Rafaela Valverde "La Tanguera"), these female dancers originally danced the farruca wearing male clothing. Women dancers such as

Carmen Amaya Carmen Amaya Amaya (2 November 1913/1915 – 19 November 1963) was a Spanish Romani flamenco dancer and singer, born in the Somorrostro district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. She has been called "the greatest Flamenco dancer ever Clarke, Mary ...

and

Sara Baras Sara Pereyra Baras (born April 25, 1971) is a Spanish flamenco dancer and choreographer born in San Fernando (Cádiz) who has established her own dance company. Biography Sara was born in San Fernando, in the province of Cádiz Cádiz ( ...

have also created well-known versions of the dance.

History

Farruco is a way of calling the Franciscos and the Asturians in Andalusia. Farruco was also the name that people from Andalusia used to denominate people from Galicia, from where this song likely originates. In Flamenco, being mostly an oral tradition, the lyrics often give valuable hints about their origins, and Farruca lyrics undoubtedly allude to the Galicia region. Further proof can be established from the descending melody that is performed on the vowel 'a' at the end of each couplet and to close the "cante" (Spanish for song or singing), which in a certain way tends to imitate the Galician melos. Another feature of Farruca cante is the use of

glossolalia Speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, is a practice in which people utter words or speech-like sounds, often thought by believers to be languages unknown to the speaker. One definition used by linguists is the fluid vocalizing of sp ...

, "con el tran-tran-tran-treiro", which is reminiscent of the Galician region. It has to be stressed, though, that to this day its geographic origin has not been proven scientifically.

Dance

The original dance version is due to the Sevillian dancer Faíco who was accompanied by Ramón Montoya, who is said to have invented the typical farruca melody for the guitar. The success was thunderous and from then on many other dancers stylized and expanded this flamenco style, such as El Gato or Antonio Gades. Montoya's dance adaptation of the farruca is seldom sung.

Paco Peña Paco Peña (born 1 June 1942) is a Spanish flamenco composer and guitarist. He is regarded as one of the world's foremost traditional flamenco players. Biography Born in Córdoba, Spain, as Francisco Peña Pérez, Paco Peña began learning to pl ...

. ''Toques Flamenco'', p.4 It is commonly played in the key of A minor, with each

compás Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and ...

equivalent to 2 measures of 4/4 time with emphasis on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th beats: '' 2 '' 4 '' 6 '' 8 The dance often has fast turns, quick intense footwork, held lifts and falls, dramatic poses and bursts of filigrana (often with a flat hand). It can also be danced with a cape.

References

Bibliography

* Flamenco styles Spanish dances {{music-genre-stub