“He crossed his arms so as not to kill her. He closed his eyes so as not to cry. He was afraid to give in and forgive her, and he swung the door wide open… ”Those are the first vehement and passionate words on Plácido Domingo's CD Pasión Española. The famous tenor dedicates this album to the copla, a popular Spanish form of music. The copla - as we read in the textbook - originated from an
… Andalusian folk tradition and initially developed alongside flamenco. But while the different verses within a flamenco song show hardly any coherence, the copla developed into what Domingo calls a mini opera. In the twentieth century, the genre became popular in Spanish cities and the rhythm of the pasadoble was adopted. The musicians who accompanied a copla often played in a symphony orchestra. The songs were specially composed, but the lyrics and music continued to have a strong connection with street life. Plácido Domingo knows the coplas from his youth and with these recordings shows his admiration for the great singers in the genre. (CP)more
