songs of málaga
Malagueñas and verdiales: the songs Málaga gave to flamenco
Two musical forms from the Málaga area, and how they sit inside the flamenco repertoire.
Reserve a seat for the flamenco show ↗Two forms at a glance
| Form | What it is |
|---|---|
| Malagueñas | A flamenco style derived from fandangos of the Málaga area; sung freely and not normally danced |
| Verdiales | Folk fandangos of the Málaga hills, played by large groups called pandas |
| Fandango | The family of dances both forms grew from, popular across Spain in the 18th century |
Why Málaga matters
Flamenco is the music of southern Spain, and each area added its own songs. The Málaga area contributed the fandango family, which gave flamenco several of its styles.
Malagueñas
Malagueñas grew out of local fandangos and became a flamenco style in the nineteenth century. They are sung freely, without a regular rhythmic pattern, and they are not normally used for dance.
Verdiales
Verdiales are among the oldest surviving forms of the Málaga fandango. They are played by pandas, large groups of singers, dancers and players with violins, guitars, tambourines, small cymbals and castanets, and they belong to the villages of the Málaga hills.
How they differ on stage
A malagueña asks a singer to ornament a long melody, while verdiales are festive and made for dancing. If the evening at Alegría includes either, you will hear the difference at once.
What to listen for
Listen for the way the singer bends a line, and for the guitar that answers it between verses. These guitar passages are the falsetas.
Where to hear more
Verdiales are played in the hills around the city, and the daytime events of the Málaga fair include flamenco and verdiales alongside dancing.