Lord M on Flamenco

Flamenco Dance

Flamenco Dance is a type of Percussion dance that came out of Sephardic jewish culture in Spain.

For example: One famous Flamenco song is La Petenera The story about a beautiful Flamenco singer and dancer.

It predates the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492.

La Petenera may be the source for the story of Lola in Damn Yankees. (Seducing men to damnation.)

One verse goes Donde vas, bella judia, tan compuesta y a deshora? Voy en busca del rabeco que está en la sinagoga

Where are you going, beautiful Jewess, so hot looking and at a bad time? I’m going to look for the Rabbi who is in the synagogue.

Click below to hear verse

Some of the music may go back to the Great Temple built in the time of Solomon.

I wonder if Flamenco Percussion couldn't by traced back even further.

To this statement in the bible at least 3300 years old.

Exodus 15:20 - Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a hand-drum in her hand, and all the women went out after her with hand-drums and with dances.

One reason its a grey area is the Catholic church purchased music used in Solomons Temple eventually giving it the appellation Gregorian Chants.

Gregorian Chants are used in most Spanish music.

Musicologist Abraham Zvi Idelsohn studied the music of Yemenite Jews who had been isolated from the Christian world for 1,500 years and found similarities with Gregorian Chants.

I've been to a few synagogues in my life time.

As an aside I highly approve of not having to share the same glass of wine with everyone as in Jewish kiddush (wine tasting).

Our Episcopalian communions (wine tasting) is just a breeding grounds for colds.

Anyway if you hear the chanting in synagogue on the High Holidays and then listen to cante flamenco you will be surprised at the similarities.

Sir Robert Makemson