In 1922, the Spanish composer Manuel de Falla led in the organization of the Concurso de Cante Jondo for Granada. Many classical musicians, cultural and literary figures, including the young poet Federico García Lorca, participated in the program. The result was the memorable series of flamenco performances held at the Alhambra during June.
Lorca had evidently used the title Poema del cante jondo
for a 1921 collection of poems, although he did not publish it for ten years.In 1931, García Lorca presented a conference devoted to keeping the rich tradition of the cante jondo alive. The following is translated from the conference notes by Lorca:
The cante jondo approaches the rhythm of the birds and the natural music of the black poplar and the waves; it is simple in oldness and style. It is also a rare example of primitive song, the oldest of all Europe, where the ruins of history, the lyrical fragment eaten by the sand, appear live like the first morning of its life. The illustrious Falla, who studied the question attentively, affirms that the gypsy siguiriya is the song type of the group cante jondo and declares that it is the only song on our continent that has been conserved in its pure form, because of its composition and its style and the qualities it has in itself, the primitive songs of the oriental people.
In 1972, on the 50th anniversary of this contest, most representative figures of the cultural, flamenco and guitar world gathered together to commmeorate the 50th anniversary of this unique event. It also became an historic cultural event.
Manolo Cano, Andrés Segovia, Sabicas and Rafael Gómez Montero |
Granada 2017 “Concurso de Cante Jondo: 95 years”
EXHIBITION: EL CANTE JONDO. CANTO PRIMITIVO ANDALUZ
Until 23 July 2017. Mondays-Fridays 9-14 and one hour before concerts.
Auditorio Manuel de Falla
Granada 1972. Primer cincuentenario del “Concurso de Cante Jondo: 50 years”


Manuel Cano
La presencia de Sabicas para participar como invitado en la fase final permitió la realización de esta histórica foto
El ganador del concurso –en el que, como en 1922, no admitieron profesionales, participaron, entre otros, Diego Clavel, El Perro de Paterna, Chaparro de Córdoba, Joselero … y presidió su jurado Pepe el de la Matrona- fue Calixto Sánchez
que anda de retirada.

