la voz flamenca
FLAMENCO NEWS
FLAMENCO NEWS
Hear from our reader Freddy about how flamenco is woven into the Holy Week in Sevilla!
On Sunday, April 2, Semana Santa (Holy Week) will begin with the Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday.) Seven days of holy procession follow. At many processions a saeta is sung, an Andalusian religious song with strong flamenco influences that is often sung a palo seco (a cappella.) The saeta, meaning arrow or dart, does pierce the soul with its mournful sounds.
I recently visited one of the oldest saetero schools, where one can learn to sing this style. The Escuela de Saetas de Sevilla Hermandad de la Cena has existed for 32 years. I went to hear a friend who invited me to visit and also to join them in singing next year, which I hope to do!
If you’re in Sevilla in early April, prepare yourself well––it will be very busy, with people from all over Spain and the world flocking to see the processions. For beside being the flamenco capital, Seville is also a Holy Week attraction. People march through the streets with large pasos, huge beautifully ornate floats with carved wooden sculptures depicting scenes of Jesus or Mary. These heavy pasos are carried entirely by people’s necks and shoulders. Occasionally they will stop to listen to the saeta being sung.
It’s an impressive sight––the cantaor (singer) stands high on a balcony above the street in question, singing to the holy spirit, sending shivers through your body. A pleasure to hear even if you don’t understand what they are singing. Kind regards from Freddy Flamenco Lover from Sevilla, olé!
Check out the video above for a real-life look at a saeta sung at a procession in Jerez, Spain!
Answer: The abanico!