Philip Sparke

La Caracolá

Flamenco is a style of music, usually played on the guitar to accompany dancing and singing, that has its home in Andalusia in southern Spain. It has its roots in the years of Moorish rule of the region (711-1492) although the modern flamenco style dates only from the 18th century. La Caracola (which is the Spanish name for the triton sea shell) is an annual festival of flamenco that takes place around the region's capital, Seville, annually in May. This piece does not contain any traditional flamenco melodies but does capture wonderfully the colour, passion and energy of this seductive music in a 'must-have' work for Beginner Bands.