Have you heard about any performances of the Misa Flamenca in Sevilla (not in church, if I follow you, maybe in concert halls) ? Or would it meet with heavy criticism from the purists ? If you're looking for a more vibrant mass that's from a Spanish-language tradition and that uses popular instruments, try Ariel Ramirez' Misa Criolla"" Despite some wonderful bits and pieces, the overall effect is static. But most of the sections have just one or two musicians performing with far too much air around them. There are a few exceptions: the "Santo" (Sanctus), in the form of a Tanguillos, has exciting percussion and palmas, and the guitars slash along their course while the singers perform with enthusiasm. All the performers are competent, and the British chorus works better than it has a right to, but the mass lacks forward motion. Unfortunately, the finished product does not gel. Peña, with clerical counsel, has adapted the text of the mass to the kind of Spanish verse sung in flamenco. Martin in the Fields Chorus, a British classical choir. For this project, Paco Peña brings together four flamenco singers, four guitarists (including himself), two percussionists, and the Academy of St.
"Passion" originally meant "suffering," which is why stories about the death of Jesus are called passions. Perhaps the concept that can bridge the gap is "passion," which, as "duende," is the profound and painful soul of flamenco.
After all, flamenco is a very earthy kind of music. "" Perhaps it seems strange or even disrespectful to write a Catholic mass in the style of flamenco. On the other hand, I would be curious to know your reaction to such endeavours as Paco Pena's (can' t find the tilde) "Misa Flamenca". I am, at the best, an aficionado, certainly not a connoisseur - but enough not to really appreciate some silly attempts (eg Manitas de Plata's) to "rejuvenate" Flamenco.