Peteneras
Encyclopedia
The Petenera is a flamenco
palo
in a 12-beat metre
, with strong beats
distributed as follows: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. It is therefore identical with the 16th century Spanish
dances zarabanda
and the jácara.
The lyrics
are in 4-line stanzas.
It is believed to be a very old style of song, as it was already mentioned by writer Serafín Estébanez Calderón in the mid 19th century, and the adherence to the rhythm of the old zarabanda
seems to confirm its age. Several theories have been suggested as to its origin, although there is not enough evidence to sustain any of them unerringly:
CASTAÑO, José María: " Conferencia sobre la Serranía de Cádiz y sus cantes", Circuito "Caminos del Flamenco" de la Diputación de Cádiz, Peña Flamenca de Grazalema, 26 de mayo de 2001.
MARTÍN SALAZAR, Jorge: Los cantes flamencos, Diputación Provincial de Granada
ROSSY, Hipólito: Teoría del cante jondo, CREDSA, second edition, 1998 (first edition 1966)
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....
palo
Palo
Palo may refer to:*Palo , developed by slaves from Central Africa in Cuba*Palos, long drums used in the music of the Dominican Republic*Palo , the name for a musical form in flamenco*Palo , a Mallorcan liqueurPlaces...
in a 12-beat metre
Metre (music)
Meter or metre is a term that music has inherited from the rhythmic element of poetry where it means the number of lines in a verse, the number of syllables in each line and the arrangement of those syllables as long or short, accented or unaccented...
, with strong beats
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
distributed as follows: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. It is therefore identical with the 16th century Spanish
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...
dances zarabanda
Zarabanda
The zarabanda is an old Spanish dance related to the sarabande especially popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. It is believed to have originated in Native American dances. In its time it was rather controversial since it was thought too indecent – Miguel de Cervantes once said it was...
and the jácara.
The lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
are in 4-line stanzas.
It is believed to be a very old style of song, as it was already mentioned by writer Serafín Estébanez Calderón in the mid 19th century, and the adherence to the rhythm of the old zarabanda
Zarabanda
The zarabanda is an old Spanish dance related to the sarabande especially popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. It is believed to have originated in Native American dances. In its time it was rather controversial since it was thought too indecent – Miguel de Cervantes once said it was...
seems to confirm its age. Several theories have been suggested as to its origin, although there is not enough evidence to sustain any of them unerringly:
- Theory of PaternaPaterna de RiveraPaterna de Rivera is a small town located in the province of Cádiz, Spain. According to the 2005 census, it had a population of 5,354.-Demographics:-External links:* - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía...
. This popular theory sustains that this palo originated in the town of Paterna de RiveraPaterna de RiveraPaterna de Rivera is a small town located in the province of Cádiz, Spain. According to the 2005 census, it had a population of 5,354.-Demographics:-External links:* - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía...
in the province of CádizCádizCadiz 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....
. According to a legend, the name of the song refers to a cantadora (woman singer) called "La Petenera", who was born there. She was reported to be, owing to her seduction power, the "damnation of men". The name "Petenera" would be a phonetic corruption of "Paternera" (born in Paterna). This theory was sustained by folklorist DemófiloDemófiloAntonio Machado , better known by his pseudonym Demófilo , was a writer, anthropologist, and Spanish folklorist.- Biography :...
. - Theory of the Jewish origin. According to this theory, suggested by flamencologist Hipólito Rossy, the petenera originated in the songs of Sephardi JewsSephardi JewsSephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
. He even assured that Sephardi Jews in the Balkans still sang the lyrics that contain the verse of the Petenera as the "damnation of men" - Some modern theories situate the origin of the Petenera in PeténPetén (department)Petén is a department of the nation of Guatemala. It is geographically the northernmost department of Guatemala, as well as the largest in size — at it accounts for about one third of Guatemala's area. The capital is Flores...
, a department (administrative region) of GuatemalaGuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
http://www.tristeyazul.com/cronicas/jmc03.htm.
Sources
ÁLVAREZ CABALLERO, Ángel: La discoteca ideal del flamenco, Planeta, 1995CASTAÑO, José María: " Conferencia sobre la Serranía de Cádiz y sus cantes", Circuito "Caminos del Flamenco" de la Diputación de Cádiz, Peña Flamenca de Grazalema, 26 de mayo de 2001.
MARTÍN SALAZAR, Jorge: Los cantes flamencos, Diputación Provincial de Granada
ROSSY, Hipólito: Teoría del cante jondo, CREDSA, second edition, 1998 (first edition 1966)