Cante jondo

'Deep song': the oldest and most serious forms of Andalusian flamenco singing, characterised by extreme vocal intensity, microtonal inflection, Moorish and Gypsy melodic elements, and a spiritual weight that distinguishes them from lighter flamenco styles. The principal cante jondo forms include the siguiriya (seguiriya), the solea, the tona, and the debla. Manuel de Falla's 'Cante jondo' essay (1922) and the Concurso de Cante Jondo of the same year (in which Lorca and Falla participated) raised awareness of the tradition as an art form. Turina's dance pieces draw on cante jondo rhythmic and melodic material throughout.

An awareness of cante jondo helps the performer understand the weight and irregularity of Turina's most serious dance pieces. The siguiriya (as in Danzas gitanas Op. 84 No. 5) is a form of profound emotional gravity; it should not be played lightly or at a fast tempo. The triplet figures that appear throughout Turina's piano music derive from the characteristic rhythmic patterns of these deep-song forms.