On its historical origin there are no written testimonies that tell us about the history of flamenco, except in the titles of some magazines and newspapers, in the late nineteenth century, that speak of flamenco as an existing phenomenon, without indicating its origin.
The fact that there are no news really opens the door to any kind of interpretation.
Where flamenco comes from is clear, by listening to it. It’s very clear that it has a very strong root in Arabic music. On the other hand, 700 years of Moorish presence in the south of Spain can not have gone unnoticed and may not have left as unique legacy issues of architectural type.
Another root of flamenco, from the musical point of view, is that of Sephardic Jewish music, therefore of the Jews of the diaspora. This kind of music has certainly expanded and gathered informations from other musical genres along the way that has led Jews to spread to various parts of the world, and then, in fact, at some point, to concentrate in Spain and at some point even to be hunted... because it really speaks of very ancient times, yet this Jewish root and the Arab root feel very strong in flamenco until today.
Another root is certainly a native Spanish root, which can be recognized in the regional folk music of various areas. This has led to a whole series of genres entering flamenco with modifications by some musicians. It is said that these genres were "aflamencados", brought into flamenco in a second moment. It’s a phenomenon that has enormously enriched flamenco but it’s a rather recent phenomenon, it’s a phenomenon that started about a century ago, even less than a century ago. So we’re talking about an art form that, as we see it today, is quite young.
Last root that is definitely very important is related to gypsy culture. The gypsies, being a traditionally nomadic population, coming from the north of India has traveled a whole path to the Middle East and then, once arrived in the Anatolian peninsula, the gypsies have gone partly towards the north of Europe, of the Balkans, and another part instead towards the Iberian Peninsula passing through the whole Mediterranean Arab world. Well, during all this journey, the gypsies have gathered a whole series of musical and dance legacies from all the territories in which they have passed.
So flamenco is a collection of these various cultures.
On the other hand, Andalusia itself is a little east, a little west, a little Africa, a little sea, a little land, a little Mediterranean, a little Atlantic, a little colonies, so it really is a very mixed culture that brings with it a lot of elements.
Before a certain time, in fact, before about the sixties of 1800, there are no written testimonies in which they named the word "flamenco", but just listen to a toná, one of the oldest Palos of flamenco, to realize that it is absolutely a photocopy, let’s say, of the Koranic chanting or the call to the Arab prayer.
Flamenco, is born as a lump, therefore, for this reason, is not totally organic in its essence. To make a joke, I say that in flamenco is true everything, the opposite of everything and also other things.
To try to square the circle and to give universal rules that are always valid in all cases is not possible, because flamenco is really very complex and vast and multifaceted and some things work in one logic and others in another. Our rationality and analytical capabilities, typical of Western culture, can try to analyze flamenco and draw the consequences.
At this point I have a question: do these elements mixed together make flamenco what flamenco is today? No. Not really, because flamenco, being a living art form, is continuously enriched with new sounds, new possibilities, new musical instruments, new rhythms.
What can be concluded, however, is that flamenco was really born in the mists of time. It means that its roots, without interruption, really take back a long time, and you can not know exactly when.
Fortunately, today the times have changed a lot and there is even a science, flamencology, that dedicates to this wonderful and complex musical genre a big curriculum, like that of a real conservatory.
I’m Sabina Todaro, I deal with flamenco and dances of the Arab world since 1985. I am super passionate about everything that is logical and includes expression, body, music, artistic forms, and above all offers the person who practices it and the person who receives it (therefore also the audience), the opportunity to feel better in their lives. Flamenco has all these characteristics and it is wonderful to investigate in this regard.
