News from Cordoba Guitar Festival: Day 2 — Flamenco Australia Magazine

Dear Paul and esteemed friends,The second day of the 30th Edition of the Córdoba Guitar Festival began with fond memories of the dream we lived last night in La Mesquita de Córdoba. The dream was not only our own, but one shared by all in attendance, the Córdoba Guitar Festival, the City of Córdoba, and Paco Peña. The performers included Paco Arriaga and Rafael Montilla on guitar with Peña. The soloists were El Chaparro, Sara Denez, José Angel Carmona and the invited special guest artist, El Pele. The percussionists were Diego Alvarez "El Negro" and Nacho López. The dancer was Angel Munoz and the Coro Ziriyab was directed by Javier Sáenz- López.The Mosque was overflowing with spectators, many of whom watched the concert on video screens as the view for many was obstructed by the numerous pillars in the Mosque. The video projection was excellent and the sound reinforcement the same, not producing any noticeable phase cancellation or frequency equalization issues. The sound was perfect. The heat of the day had not yet escaped the Mosque, and as many women and some men fanned themselves and each other, the majority, were dressed for the occasion. Suits (even jackets) long dresses, and elegance galore, as the respect for this momentous event, and its splendor, mandated such attire. The surrounding ambiance and spiritual profundity were beyond words, and the work commenced (after an eloquent introduction and much anticipation) the choir descended upon our ears from the heavens. The compositional style was purely Ecclessiastic as if from the West side of the building in the Cathedral. The sound I heard was certainly from heaven. Never in my life have I heard such a sound, and without saying a word, the spectators looked at each other in awe of what they were hearing, and communicated something so rare, it had to be witnessed. The work then introduced a Siguiriya that was not unlike a call to prayer from the Mosque itself.The unique nature of this work composed in 1988 is that the parts of the Mass: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Angus Dei, were set in the "palos" (rhythmic and lyric forms) of Flamenco. The Kyrie was in the form of "Granaínas" and the Gloria in the form of "Fandangos de Huelva." When the "Lamb of God" arrives the chorus sings the first strophe and in a defining moment attempts to find the "Bulerías" form and at the moment of the Eucharist modulates to "Bamberas" and disembarks with "Alegrías de Cádiz" where the stage was possessed with the "aire," and "soniquete" of the charismatic and "Farrucoesque" performance of the dancer.El Pele was a superstar! He possessed all of the power, the "tessitura" (melodic range) of an operatic tenor and "duende" beyond which I have ever witnessed. The other three vocalists were phenomenal as well, beyond description, except that they all possessed an art equal to one another, but El Pele being the most familiar to me, (and the most fondly appreciated because of the way his album with Vicente Amigo changed my life and infected me with the venom that now has me obsessed with flamenco) showed that he has lost nothing. He was better than ever.... it brought me to tears.... and the work.... and Paco Peña, was childhood idol of mine, as was Juan Serrano, whom Paco Peña reminds me of so much.This morning began with my ritualistic run down the pitch from the Plaza de Las Tendillas to the Gualquivir River and across the Roman Bridge and back (uphill) an after breakfast, a pilgrimage to Avenida Armas 4, the shop of Manuel Reyes y Hijo. After a visit and a look at my new guitar on the bench Hugo and I trekked near the Mosque to the Palacio de Congresos to take care of registration for the Festival. And as is customary in Cordoba as I was walking back to the hotel I ran in to another superstar in the guitar world, Sergio Assad, and had a marvelous chat with him and his wife, I pinched myself, and continued on. Now that I am finished writing I will get to the woodshed and get ready to perform for Manolo Sanlucar, and in the Concierto de Alumnos, and yes, in the Cordoba Guitar Competition. I am going for it this year. Please say a prayer for meI will be seeing the Javier LaTorre Flamenco Company tonight. It will be spectacular. I will give you all a full report tomorrow. Hasta Luego, Corey