siguiriyas

Siguiriyas is a flamenco cante palo distinguished by its grave, austere mood and profound emotional depth. It is one of the oldest forms in cante jondo and is usually sung solo with guitar accompaniment, or in a small cante ensemble. The vocal line is irregular and free, with long pauses and abrupt timbres, and the cantaor uses melisma and a rough, whispered tone to evoke pena.

Rhythmic structure centers on a 12-beat compás that marks the phrases with irregular accents; the cantaor may stretch or compress phrases, while the guitarist provides a slow, grave accompaniment using rasgueado and open-string arpeggios. Coplas typically present short verses with stark, tragic imagery, often touching on death, misfortune, and Fate.

Symbolically, siguiriyas is associated with cante jondo's tradition of duende and is commonly performed in intimate settings, such as cafés cantantes or flamenco tabla, especially during solemn moments or at the end of a recital.

Notable practitioners include Manuel Torre, Antonio Mairena, and Camarón de la Isla, who are among the most celebrated performers associated with siguiriyas; later artists like José Mercé and Carmen Linares have contributed to its contemporary interpretation.