Malagueña

“Malagueñas” is a traditional flamenco style from Málaga. It comes from the ancient “fandangos malagueños”.

 

By the first half of the 19th century, it became a flamenco style. Although this singing hasn't its own dance, it has a large melodic range. This is a ad libitum singing, singer extends intentionally some verses. Rhythm is sometimes delayed and some other times overtaken.

 

It is accompanied by a guitar which gains richness and complexity in “malagueña” melodies because of its rhythmic freedom. Unlike local “fandango”, “toque” of Malaga is getting slower and more sustained. Thus, it obtains an extraordinary richness.

 

“Malagueña” singing is composed by a "copla" of four or five eight-syllable verses. It is usually composed by six verses, as some of them are repeated. It is a solemn and melodious singing that acquires the category of "cante grande" (great singing) in the voices of Chacon and Enrique el Mellizo. There are several types of “malagueñas” due to personal creations of interpreters, either born in Malaga or other parts of Andalusia. Diego Clavel recorded 47 “malagueñas” forms.

 

Some authors consider that the first “malagueñas” born with Juan Breva. Others point to Juan Reyes "El Canario" as the creator of this genre. Álora, the town where "El Canario" was born, is considered as the origin of “malagueñas”. “Malagueñas” of “El Niño” Tomares are also well-known as well as the ones of "la Trini" and "Ojana". Enrique "el Mellizo", Chacon and Fosforito "El Viejo" were the creators of "malagueñas nuevas" (new version of "malagueñas"). An evolutionary leap, from which has been called "malagueñas de transición".

 

In the late 90s, thanks to a competition of “Malagueñas”, called Memorial José María Alonso, this singing was flourished again. New malagueñas were created, respecting rhythm and beat. Francisco Soler is author of different "Malagueñas de fiesta" of that time.