World Music with Ricardo Modrego y Paco de Lucia

Flamenco Fridays featuring Malagueñas is one of the traditional styles of Andalusian music (flamenco), derived from earlier types of fandango from the area of Málaga, classified among the Cantes de Levante. Originally a folk-song type, it became a flamenco style in the 19th century. It is not normally used for dance, as it is generally interpreted with no regular rhythmic pattern, as a “cante libre”. It has a very rich melody with virtuous flourishes and use of microtones. Its guitar accompaniment is normally played in open position first inversion giving E for the tonic, which can be transposed by using a capo.

The singing develops on a major mode (tonic, subdominant, dominant), resolving in the corresponding Phrygian mode of the same scale. The Phrygian mode is used for the short interludes after of before verses. The usual progression is the typical of all fandangos:

  • First line of singing: G7, C Major
  • Second line: C Major, C7, F Major
  • Third line is just a repetition of the first
  • Fourth line: C Major, G7
  • Fifth line: G7, C Major
  • Sixth line: C Major, C7, F Major, G Major, F Major, E Major
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