Flamenco music has its roots in the wayfaring life of the Andalusian gypsies of Spain - a life full of violence, sorrow, beauty and passion. There is a concept amongst these musicians called "duende", that quality that comes undeniably and forcefully from instinct. Andalusians speak constantly of duende, and for them there is no greater truth. It is said that the greatest guitarist is not merely an interpreter of compositions, but is instead a spontaneous composer. His [her] material comes from within. If he [she] does not possess an inventive genius and a sense of spontenaity, combined with a deep sense of compas (rhythem), he [she] will never reach great heights in music. The poet Federico Garcia Lorca describes duende as "a power, not a method; a struggle, not a thought... For every artist, every step he climbs in the tower of perfection costs him a struggle - not with the angel, or with the muse, but with duende."
I think I saw a bit of duende happening with some of my Advanced Ceramics students today. The struggle, duende, that is.
4 comments:
As tshe author of a book about Robert Arneson, I found your site this morning (I have a Google heads-up on Arneson news) and want to congratulate your faculty on their program and on this site. Also for the new interpretations of "duende," I live part-time in Mexico, and there a duende is a half-mythical (half-mythical because most Mexicans are convinced they are real) llittle troll who jumps out of trees to land on your shoulders and knuckle your head. They know where the pot of gold is hidden and can be enveigled to tell you if you give them whiskey and a pack of playing cards. So far it hasn't worked, but I keep trying!
And so shall you, I hope. I really like your site.
Beth Coffelt
Thank you, Beth. Please continue to visit and comment. Arneson has been one of my clay heroes for a long time. When I was an art student at the University of Southern Maine in 1987 I dialed information and got his studio number in Benecia and called him on impulse after reading the March issue of Ceramics Monthly in which he was featured. In spite of my likely having interrupted his work, he was very gracious and talked with me for about 20 minutes about art. He was kind enough to take an interest in a young ceramist and asked about my work. He invited me to an opening at the Alan Frumkin Gallery in New York, where he was to have an exhibit. I wish I'd have been able to make it down, but alas, I was a mere struggling art student without the means to travel then. I'd love to read your book sometime. Thanks again for weighing in. I like your Mexican definition of duende!
i was struggling today dubbeeee!
gretel
Hey G. Feel the duende!!!
Struggle comes with growth. Keep struggling. You weren't alone!
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