A flamenco guitar is a type of classical guitar, built for the purpose of playing Flamenco music and it is believed the most Spanish guitar of them all.
The development of Flamenco music can be dated back to 15th century when the roots of flamenco have evolved in southern Spain from many sources including Egypt, India, Morocco, Greece, Pakistan and other parts of the Near and Far East. How exactly they came together as flamenco is a subject of great debate which leads to a very interesting story...
It is widely accepted that Gypsies came from the south of Spain have created this music since their arrival in Spain in the 15th century from Sind, a northern region of India (now Pakistan). They left in several waves because of invasion and wars with foreign conquers. The tribes of Sind moved to Egypt until they were thrown out. They then left for Czechoslovakia, but they knew that they were not going to be welcomed anywhere because of their numbers so they decided to divide themselves in three groups that moved to different parts of Europe. The first document to register the arrival of gypsies to Spain is from 1447.
Those known as Gypsies used to be nomads, crafstmen and shepherds. The gypsies have always lived as a nomad culture and take the local music and make their own versions from it. Music is very important in their celebrations and everyday life. All they need to start to make music is a voice, and they soon start to add rythms with their hands and feet. They have always liked embelishments, improvisation and virtuosity and in Andalucia they found a rich ground for their musicality, fertilized by hundreds of years of high culture, where not only Moorish, but also Judish, Catholic and local musical influences mixed.
The Moores had occupied Spain, and particularly the south, for about 800 years, science, economy and culture florished in a rich mixture of cultures. During this time the predecessor of the flamenco guitar was introduced and developed. It is believed that the word "flamenco" is a mis-pronunciation of the Arabic words "felag" (peasant) and "mengu" (fugitive). It is known that flamenco began to be used as a synonimous for "Andalucian gypsy" in the 18th century from Flamenco World.
Well-known guitarists / tocaores of late include:
- Tomatito
- Paco de Lucia
- Paco Pena
- Manolo Sanlucar
- Enrique de Melchor
Nowadays, the mastery of the flamenco guitar has proven to be an incredible artform of its own.