Saeta (flamenco)
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The ''saeta'' () is a revered form of Andalusian religious song, whose form and style have evolved over many centuries. Saetas evoke strong emotion and are sung most often during public processions. The saeta, an unaccompanied song, is also believed to stem from Jewish religious songs which are believed to date back to the 16th century.


Performance

The saeta is a song of Catholic Andalusia dating back many centuries. The ''saeta antigua'' ld saetaprobably arose from the recitation of
psalms The Book of Psalms ( , ; ; ; ; , in Islam also called Zabur, ), also known as the Psalter, is the first book of the third section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) called ('Writings'), and a book of the Old Testament. The book is an anthology of B ...
under the influence of
liturgical music Liturgical music originated as a part of religious ceremony, and includes a number of traditions, both ancient and modern. Liturgical music is well known as a part of Catholic Mass, the Anglican Holy Communion service (or Eucharist) and Evensong, ...
. "Saetas vary greatly in form and style, ranging from simple syllabic melodies to highly ornamented ones."Willi Apel, ''Harvard Dictionary of Music'' (Cambridge: The Belknap Press 1944, 1969) at 748. In the older tradition, solemn drums and horns might accompany the singer, or the saetero sang alone. Since the nineteenth century, however, the more favored saetas have incorporated distinct elements associated with
Flamenco Flamenco () is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitanos, gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Region of Murcia, ...
music, particularly the
siguiriyas ''Siguiriyas'' (; also ''seguiriyas'', ''siguerillas'', ''siguirillas'', ''seguidilla gitana'', etc.) are a form of flamenco music in the cante jondo category. This deep, expressive style is among the most important in flamenco. Unlike other pa ...
. The saeta is best known for its mournful power during
Holy Week in Spain Semana Santa or Holy Week in Spain (; ; ; ; ; ) is the annual tribute of the Passion of Jesus Christ celebrated by Catholic religious Confraternity, brotherhoods (Spanish: cofradías) and confraternities that perform penitential processions on th ...
. The song is performed during the
procession A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner. History Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...
s by religious
confraternities A confraternity (; ) is generally a Christian voluntary association of laypeople created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy. They are most common among Catholics, L ...
that move slowly through the streets of cities and towns in southern Spain.Ángel Álvarez Caballero at p. 127. Possessing a plaintive emotional intensity, and dramatic charge, the saeta is sung by the ''saetero'', often from a balcony, and may be addressed to the statue of
Jesus Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
below, in his agony on the Via Dolorosa, or to that of his suffering mother Mary. These and other crafted statues are mounted on platforms and carried along the streets on the shoulders of several penitents who pass among the assembled public. The immediate emotional response to the saeta, often of intense sorrow, may be the reason for its name, as the Spanish word ''saeta'' can mean "arrow or dart".Andrés Batista at 16, 72. One of the places with the most tradition and variety in the singing of the flamenco saeta in Spain is
Jerez de la Frontera Jerez de la Frontera () or simply Jerez, also cited in old English-language sources as , is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Sp ...
. Saetas are also sung at outdoor devotions throughout
Lent Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...
, and may be sung during the
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
season as well. A special form of the saeta (the ''saeta carcelera'') is also sung at prisons during visits there by the confraternities. Several of the cities in
Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...
have their own peculiar styles of the saeta. Four intentions or themes have been distinguished from the religious lyrics, which mark the music of Saeta: descriptive, praising, prayerful, and exhortative.


The music

The saeta is frequently sung
a cappella Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...
. Taken from
flamenco Flamenco () is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitanos, gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Region of Murcia, ...
music are the melismas, tercios, and other flourishes. Although the saeta is one of the
cantes a palo seco The Spanish term Cantes a palo seco refers to a category of flamenco palo (flamenco), palos (musical forms) traditionally sung a cappella or, in some cases, with some sort of percussion. The category comprises the following palos: * Tonás * Martin ...
, the singer may also be accompanied, e.g., by beating drums, and horns. Arabic and Hebraic origins have been proposed. Palos of flamenco adopted by the saeta include especially the
siguiriyas ''Siguiriyas'' (; also ''seguiriyas'', ''siguerillas'', ''siguirillas'', ''seguidilla gitana'', etc.) are a form of flamenco music in the cante jondo category. This deep, expressive style is among the most important in flamenco. Unlike other pa ...
and the
martinetes ''Martinetes'' (, sing. ''martinete'') are a flamenco '' palo'' belonging to the group of the ''tonás'' or ''cantes a palo seco''. As the rest of the songs in this group, it is sung with no accompaniment. In some dance shows for the stage, thoug ...
. Other forms include the ''saeta por soleares'', the ''por polos'', the ''por cañas'', and the ''por fandangos''. Flamenco guitar accompaniment may be in or
time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
, or may interchange regularly between and . Commonly the ''saetero'' sings in a minor key finishing on the dominant; the
meter The metre (or meter in US spelling; symbol: m) is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). Since 2019, the metre has been defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of of ...
of different verses will often be variable depending on the interpretation. The cantaor Manuel Torre (1878–1933) was well regarded for his Saeta.


Its passion

Of a diverse heritage, the Saeta has become the emotional artistic fruit of several cultures. The Gypsies "se sienten identificados con los episodios de la Pasión y consideran a Jesús como un hermano en desgracia que sufre persecusión y muerte."
"La saeta, pues, costituye la síntesis antropológica del andaluz (hondura, plástica, señorío, dolor metafísico) coronada en santidad. La saeta exige un máximo de veracidad pasional, por lo mismo que a nadie le es dado encaramarse en la audacia de sus ayes sin la potencia y la certeza que brinda la posesión heroica del dolor."
It is said that Andalusians must talk to God during
Holy Week Holy Week () commemorates the seven days leading up to Easter. It begins with the commemoration of Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, marks the betrayal of Jesus on Spy Wednesday (Holy Wednes ...
, singing the Saeta during a cofradía procession being a mode of choice.Manuel Ríos Ruiz at pp. 72-74.


Reference notes


Bibliography

*Ángel Álvarez Caballero, ''El cante flamenco'' (Madrid: Alianza Editorial 1994, 1998). *Andrés Batista, ''Maestros y Estilos. Manual Flamenco'' (Madrid 1985). *José Carlos de Luna, ''De cante grande y cante chico'' (Madrid: Editorial Escelicer 9263d ed. 1942). *Anselmo González Climent, ''Flamencologia'' (Madrid: Editorial Escelicer 9551964). *Félix Grande, ''Memoria del Flamenco'' (Madrid: Espasa-Calpe 1979), 2 volumes. *Domingo Manfredi Cano, ''Geografia del cante jondo'' (Madrid: Editorial Bullón 1963). *Timothy Mitchell, ''Passional Culture. Emotion, Religion, and Society in Southern Spain'' (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania 1990). *Stanley Payne, ''Spanish Catholicism. An historical overview'' (University of Wisconsin 1984). *Julian Pemartin, ''El cante flamenco. Guia alfabetica'' (Madrid: Afrodisio Aguado 1966). *Manuel Ríos Ruiz, ''Introducción al Cante Flamenco'' (Madrid: Ediciones Istmo 1972).


Recordings


CD & video

*''Maestros de la Saeta. Semana Santa en Sevilla'' (CD by Planet Records 1993). Apparently from the 1930s to the 1960s, included are various ''saeteros'' with different or no accompaniment, among them the well known Niña de los Peines (1890-1969) and Manuel Vallejo (1891-1960). *YouTube presents videos of recent Saeta performances, some made during the Holy Week processions.


Other idioms

* Joaquín Turina, "Jueves Santo a medianoche (Desfile de una cofradía por una callejuela)" in his ''Sevilla. Suite pintoresca'', Opus 2, no. 2 (Sevilla 1908) lassical *
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...
, "Saeta" in his album '' Sketches of Spain'' (Columbia Records: recorded 1959–1960, released 1960), at band 4 (5:06), written by
Gil Evans Ian Ernest Gilmore Evans (né Green; May 13, 1912 – March 20, 1988) was a Canadian Americans, Canadian–American jazz pianist, Music arranger, arranger, composer and bandleader. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest orchestrators i ...
azz *
Nico Christa Päffgen (; 16 October 1938 – 18 July 1988), known by her stage name Nico, was a German singer, songwriter, actress, and model. Nico had roles in several films, including Federico Fellini's '' La Dolce Vita'' (1960) and Andy Warhol's ...
, "Saeta" on her album '' Drama of Exile'' (Aura Records, 1981)


See also

*
Holy Week in Spain Semana Santa or Holy Week in Spain (; ; ; ; ; ) is the annual tribute of the Passion of Jesus Christ celebrated by Catholic religious Confraternity, brotherhoods (Spanish: cofradías) and confraternities that perform penitential processions on th ...
*
Siguiriyas ''Siguiriyas'' (; also ''seguiriyas'', ''siguerillas'', ''siguirillas'', ''seguidilla gitana'', etc.) are a form of flamenco music in the cante jondo category. This deep, expressive style is among the most important in flamenco. Unlike other pa ...


External links


Joana Jiménez -Saeta a la Macarena
Live video, Semana Santa, Sevilla 2009, 4:42.
Semana Santa Jerez 2009, Saeta a la Buena Muerte
Live Video, Semana Santa, Jerez 2009, 2:17.
La Saeta del Cristo de los Gitanos, Serrat
recording by Joan Manuel Serrat, Catalán, 2:38.
La Saeta del Cristo de los Gitanos
recording by Camarón de la Isla (1950-1992), flamenco, 2:56. {{Authority control Flamenco styles Music of Andalusia Music of Spain Holy Week in Spain Spanish folk music Spanish dances