Romance

"Romance” combines different flamenco lyrics and styles. First songs have been influenced by “cañas”, “jaleos”, “polos”, “martinets”, “tonás”, “soleares”, “romeras”, “villancicos”, “nanas”,“saetas”, “peteneras”, “seguiriyas” and “bulerías”.

 

First flamenco singers from Cádiz were excellent romance writers. They served as entertainment, telling old stories.

 

The alternative designation is “corridos or corridas”, because of the continuity of their songs, in contrast to the rest of flamenco styles, which are composed by independient verses without any narrative or thematic thread. In 1971, researcher Luis Suarez Avila published a leaflet called "Corridos, corridas y carrerillas,verdadero origen del cante flamenco". It was a valuable brochure, where readers embark on a journey across "Romancero", composed by gypys people from El Puerto de Santa María in Cádiz.

 

The most widespread “romances” have particular melodies, but they lack an identifiable melody. They are one or more ascending verses, closing with one descending. Plot tension is maintained and descendant cadences are reserved for the final verse. “Romance” is performed without guitar accompaniment, free, without a specific metric. When it's accompanied by guitar, it adopts “soleá”, “jaleo” or even “bulerías” rhythm. “Romance” tone is in minor and major mode, though “romance” with guitar is similar to "bulerías por soleá" in flamenco style. According to the lyrics, it is a succession of assonant rhymes in even verses. Odd verses are free. It has a minimum of four verses. Most common "romance" is octosyllabic, but there are also “romances” called "heroicos" (more than eight syllables).