Martinetes
Encyclopedia
Martinetes are a flamenco
palo
belonging to the group of the tonás
or cantes a palo seco
. As the rest of the songs in this group, it is sung with no accompaniment. In some dance
shows for the stage, though, it is accompanied by percussion played with the compás
of siguiriya. The percussion instruments chosen for this are frequently a hammer and anvil, to evocate the origins of this palo, attributed to Gypsy smiths. It is not probable, though, that they were real work songs: they demand too much effort and faculties to be sung while carrying out a heavy task like that of a smith. They were more probably sung in family gatherings.
Although martinetes are often classified under the toná
group on the grounds that they share its a cappella
nature, the melody types differ strongly from the rest of tonás, so it is now generally considered to be a different palo. A characteristic that differentiates them from the tonás, normally in major mode, is their modulating character, constantly going from major
to phrygian mode
.
The stanza
of the martinete is the cuarteta romanceada: four eight-syllable lines, rhyming in assonance abcb. The subject matters often contain allusions to persecution, prison, and the environment of the forges.
Carceleras are usually considered a subclassification of martinetes, with prison as the subject matter of their lyrics. The debla, a rather rare style, is considered by some flamenco fans as a type of martinete, while other consider it as a palo
on its own.
MARTÍN SALAZAR, Jorge: Los cantes flamencos, Diputación Provincial de Granada
ROSSY, Hipólito: Teoría del cante jondo, CREDSA, second edition, 1998 (first edition 1966)
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
palo
Palo
Palo may refer to:*Palo , developed by slaves from Central Africa in Cuba*Palos, long drums used in the music of the Dominican Republic*Palo , the name for a musical form in flamenco*Palo , a Mallorcan liqueurPlaces...
belonging to the group of the tonás
Tonás
Tonás is the name given to a palo or type of flamenco songs. It belongs to the wider category of Cantes a palo seco, that is, palos which are sung without accompaniment or a cappella. Owing to this feature, they are considered by traditional flamencology to be the oldest surviving musical form of...
or cantes a palo seco
Cantes a palo seco
The Spanish term Cantes a palo seco refers to a category of flamenco palos traditionally sung a cappella or, in some cases, with some sort of percussion...
. As the rest of the songs in this group, it is sung with no accompaniment. In some dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
shows for the stage, though, it is accompanied by percussion played with the compás
Compas
Compas may refer to:* Compas music, a Haitian musical genre* Compás, a flamenco time signature* COMPAS, a Canadian polling company* Rob Compas , Dutch cyclist...
of siguiriya. The percussion instruments chosen for this are frequently a hammer and anvil, to evocate the origins of this palo, attributed to Gypsy smiths. It is not probable, though, that they were real work songs: they demand too much effort and faculties to be sung while carrying out a heavy task like that of a smith. They were more probably sung in family gatherings.
Although martinetes are often classified under the toná
Tona
Tona is a municipality in the province of Barcelona, part of the autonomous community of Catalonia, northeastern Spain. It located in the Plain of Vic, in the comarca of Osona.As of 2007, the estimated population stands at 7,800. -External links:***...
group on the grounds that they share its a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
nature, the melody types differ strongly from the rest of tonás, so it is now generally considered to be a different palo. A characteristic that differentiates them from the tonás, normally in major mode, is their modulating character, constantly going from major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
to phrygian mode
Phrygian mode
The Phrygian mode can refer to three different musical modes: the ancient Greek tonos or harmonia sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set octave species or scales; the Medieval Phrygian mode, and the modern conception of the Phrygian mode as a diatonic scale, based on the latter...
.
The stanza
Stanza
In poetry, a stanza is a unit within a larger poem. In modern poetry, the term is often equivalent with strophe; in popular vocal music, a stanza is typically referred to as a "verse"...
of the martinete is the cuarteta romanceada: four eight-syllable lines, rhyming in assonance abcb. The subject matters often contain allusions to persecution, prison, and the environment of the forges.
Carceleras are usually considered a subclassification of martinetes, with prison as the subject matter of their lyrics. The debla, a rather rare style, is considered by some flamenco fans as a type of martinete, while other consider it as a palo
Palo
Palo may refer to:*Palo , developed by slaves from Central Africa in Cuba*Palos, long drums used in the music of the Dominican Republic*Palo , the name for a musical form in flamenco*Palo , a Mallorcan liqueurPlaces...
on its own.
Sources
ÁLVAREZ CABALLERO, Ángel: La discoteca ideal del flamenco, Planeta, 1995MARTÍN SALAZAR, Jorge: Los cantes flamencos, Diputación Provincial de Granada
ROSSY, Hipólito: Teoría del cante jondo, CREDSA, second edition, 1998 (first edition 1966)