Book Review: Gypsies and Flamenco: The Emergence of the Art of Flamenco in Andalusia
It’s easy to hear echoes of a variety of musical cultures when you listen to Flamenco, so it might be surprising to hear that its origins are shrouded in controversy. Different schools of thought trace roots back to a variety of influences which often include the Moorish Arabs, Indians, local Spanish, Gypsy and to a number of more obscure and surprising origins. Some Andalusians actually believe that ‘their’ Gypsies have nothing whatsoever in common with Gypsies elsewhere and that the same is true for their music! Bernard Leblon’s book Gypsies and Flamenco offers the first logical, comprehensive and believable explanation for the origin of Flamenco by tracing the Gypsy path — and its music — back to its origins. It does so clearly, with passionate writing and many beautiful illustrations.
The author was first introduced to Flamenco music through his guitar playing when he visited Andalusia (in Southern Spain) in the 1950s. A retired professor of Hispanic Studies, he is still a well known French academic who belongs to a number of Flamenco and gypsy foundations. His first work on Flamenco was awarded the prestigious 1988 Andalusian Flamenco Foundation prize.
The book is divided into four main sections. The first examines and maps the contributions of Gypsy musicians to the art of Flamenco. It refers clearly to their music and history and shows how their own musical style was influenced throughout their long migration. It starts at their departure from India (the start of the gypsy diaspora), and includes their travels through Iran, Turkey, Greece, and Hungary, ending with their entry into Spain.
The second part of the book describes the tragic history of centuries of state-organised persecution, forced settlements and repression of the Gypsies and how Gypsies managed to preserve their essence by putting it into Flamenco: an entirely new musical form of the times. The next piece of the book demonstrates the huge influence that just a few Gypsy families have had in the development of Flamenco in Andalusia. It points out that while Gypsy families integrated well elsewhere, the evolution of Flamenco is a result of the richness of the Andalusian heritage before the Gypsies arrived as well as the local affinity with Gypsy traditions.
The book also helps grasp the reason why Flamenco’s origins haven’t been clearly mapped before; it is because of the thoroughness of persecution of the Gypsy people. Reading more about how that same background shaped the music and dance form really helps understanding the issue and as a dancer, the emotional intensity that good Flamenco conveys.
The final section of the book was intended as reference, although I found it interesting in its own right. There’s a bibliography, a glossary of the more important technical terms, a discography (a guide to audio recordings) of Flamenco music and a section list of biographical information on 200 of the foremost deceased Gypsy Flamenco artists from its origins to the present day, many of whose roots can be traced back to a network of families so closely interwoven that they could easily be thought of as a single group.
Gypsies and Flamenco is a detailed book, but very easy to read and well structured. I really enjoyed it and believe that it’s a ‘must’ for anyone who wants to find out more about the world and origins of Flamenco and understand the underlying passions of the music and dance
Gypsies and Flamenco: The Emergence of the Art of Flamenco in Andalusia. Interface Collection Volume 6, Second edition by Bernard Leblon, September 1995, University of Hertfordshire Press,116pp, ISBN 0 900458 59 3, paperback £8.75.
