Manuel Torre
Encyclopedia
Manuel Soto Loreto, known as Manuel Torre or Manuel Torres (1878 – 1933), was a Romani (Kalo) flamenco
singer.
, Spain
, in the neighbourhood of San Miguel, which together with the neighbourhood of Santiago, is a traditional centre of flamenco in Jerez. One of the most representative singers of Jerez, he was influenced by singers Manuel Molina, El Marrurro (from Jerez) and Enrique el Mellizo
(from Cádiz
). He developed his career in the cafés cantante of Seville
. In his turn, he was one of the main influences in the work of singers like La Niña de los Peines
, Antonio Mairena
or Manuel Agujetas
.
held at the Alhambra
in Granada
. This 1922 music festival was organized by Manuel de Falla
to celebrate the flamenco arts.
An encyclopedic singer, he excelled in siguiriyas
, soleá, saetas
, and fandangos. However, he rarely entered the recording studio, and his recordings are of irregular quality:
He died in Seville
, Spain
.
MAIRENA, Antonio: Confesiones de Antonio Mairena, Secretariado de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, 1976 ISBN 84-7405-031-6
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
singer.
Beginning
Torre was born in Jerez de la FronteraJerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera is a municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, situated midway between the sea and the mountains. , the city, the largest in the province, had 208,896 inhabitants; it is the fifth largest in Andalusia...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in the neighbourhood of San Miguel, which together with the neighbourhood of Santiago, is a traditional centre of flamenco in Jerez. One of the most representative singers of Jerez, he was influenced by singers Manuel Molina, El Marrurro (from Jerez) and Enrique el Mellizo
Enrique el Mellizo
Enrique Jiménez Fernández , known as Enrique el Mellizo was a famous flamenco singer, the most influential one in the development of the Cádiz flamenco styles. Together with Silverio Franconetti and Antonio Chacón, he is considered to be one of the most important figures in the development of...
(from Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
). He developed his career in the cafés cantante of Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
. In his turn, he was one of the main influences in the work of singers like La Niña de los Peines
La Niña de los Peines
Pastora Pavón Cruz, known as La Niña de los Peines , is considered the most important woman flamenco singer of the 20th century. She was a sister of singers Arturo Pavón and Tomás Pavón, also an important flamenco singer, and aunt to Arturo Pavón, the first flamenco pianist...
, Antonio Mairena
Antonio Mairena
Antonio Cruz García, known as Antonio Mairena was a famous flamenco singer. He led the movement towards the revival of traditional flamenco in the fifties and subsequent decades....
or Manuel Agujetas
Manuel Agujetas
Manuel de los Santos Pastor, also known as El Agujetas or el El Agujeta, is a Flamenco singer.Son of singer Agujetas el Viejo. Both father and son follow the school of Manuel Torre, representative of the tradition of Jerez, and father of singers Dolores Agujetas and Antonio Agujetas...
.
Career
Torre was an honored guest, singinging the siguiriyas, at the Concurso de Cante JondoConcurso de Cante Jondo
El Concurso del Cante Jondo was a well-known celebration of the art of flamenco, its music, song, and dance, held in Granada, Andalusia on Corpus Christi, the 13th and 14th of June, 1922.-Falla's purpose:...
held at the Alhambra
Alhambra
The Alhambra , the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra , is a palace and fortress complex located in the Granada, Andalusia, Spain...
in Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
. This 1922 music festival was organized by Manuel de Falla
Manuel de Falla
Manuel de Falla y Matheu was a Spanish Andalusian composer of classical music. With Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados and Joaquín Turina he is one of Spain's most important musicians of the first half of the 20th century....
to celebrate the flamenco arts.
An encyclopedic singer, he excelled in siguiriyas
Siguiriyas
Siguiriyas is a form of flamenco music belonging to the cante jondo category. Its deep, expressive style is among the most important in flamenco...
, soleá, saetas
Saeta (flamenco)
The Saeta is a revered Spanish religious song, whose form and style have evolved over many centuries. They evoke strong emotion and are sung most often during public processions.-Performance:...
, and fandangos. However, he rarely entered the recording studio, and his recordings are of irregular quality:
The flamenco fans who have only listened to him in recordings only know his shadow, because he made all those recordings in a state of unconsciousness. (Mairena 1976)
He died in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Discography
Historic Recordings / Grabaciones históricas 1909-1931, Empresa Pública de Gestión, 1997 (Complete recordings)Sources
ÁLVAREZ CABALLERO, Ángel: La discoteca ideal del flamenco, Editorial Planeta, Barcelona, 1995 ISBN 8408016024MAIRENA, Antonio: Confesiones de Antonio Mairena, Secretariado de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, 1976 ISBN 84-7405-031-6