SEVILLANAS: COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

The characteristics and structure of the form

The sevillanas do not owe their origin to flamenco. They come from Andalusian non-
Gypsy folk music, as do the fandangos. That is probably why these two forms share
the same rhythmical pattern. In the melting pot of the first café-cantantes, with many
Gypsy and non-Gypsy artists interacting on the same stage, the forms of non-Gypsy
origin, among them sevillanas, started being incorporated into the standard flamenco
repertoire.
The sevillanas is a rigidly structured dance which, unlike most flamenco forms, does
not have specific tonalities or melodies associated with it. Its form is based exclusively
on structural requirements.
This dance consists of four individual parts that are named first, second, third and
fourth sevillanas. The cante and toque in this form follow the same four-part pattern.
Sometimes each sevillana is played in a different key, as in these sevillanas by Rafael
Riqueni, and sometimes they are written in the same key.
One compás por sevillanas consists of six beats and is used to measure the duration of
each part of a sevillana.
Here is the structure of one sevillana:

Compás A series of compás which are usually based on I and

V chords (I-bII in Hijaz tonalities) is repeated. This
part does not have a specific duration. It normally
lasts until the guitarist plays a remate.

Remate It lasts one six-beat compás. This remate is a call to

dancers to take positions.

Salida Salida is the beginning of the melody, played or

sung. It lasts one-and-a-half compás (six beats plus
three beats) plus one-half of one compás (three
beats) of rasgueado, where the dance starts.

One compás Rasgueado.

First copla The main melody of the sevillana. Lasts five-and-a-

half compás plus one-half of one compás of ras-
gueado.