The Cordoban municipality of Castro del Rio It will be held on March 21st at 13:30 pm in the Peña Flamenca Castreña el Second Meeting of Ancient SaetasThis event is dedicated to the recovery and dissemination of the most primitive forms of this devotional song linked to Holy Week. The event will allow attendees to hear different styles of saeta vieja, liturgical saeta, and saeta llana, a type of musical expression that predates the flamenco saeta.
While the flamenco saeta, which likely emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, has focused on artistic display and professional performance, the traditional saeta traces its roots back to the 14th to 18th centuries, linked to the proclamations and ballads disseminated by religious orders such as the Franciscans and Dominicans. In these early forms, the emphasis is primarily on the literary and catechistic message, with simple melodies and minimal embellishment.
Castro del Río, host of tradition
The host town preserves several traditions of great historical interest. Among them, the following stand out: Arrow to Rigor o street cry, characterized by its straight, austere recitation and practically devoid of melismas, performed with a natural voice and clear articulation of its quintillas.
Next to this appears the Samaritanmusically derived from the Proclamation but with a more elaborate melody, especially in the even-numbered verses, its name evokes the Gospel passage of the woman of Samaria. The following will also be performed: Arrow of the Holy Way, of a simpler nature, traditionally linked to the Stations of the Cross at dawn and recovered in recent years for popular fervor.
Loja and the unique ritual of the Incense Burners
The meeting will also be attended by Saeta de LojaKnown as arrow of the Incense Burners or of SatireIts interpretation is linked to the ancient ritual of the Incense Bearers, groups of eight men who perform choreographies and reverences evoking the Roman legionaries converted before the Cross.
Musically it is a simple modality, although it presents a singularity: the performers deliberately modify the tone in some of its thirds, a feature practically unique among the documented ancient saetas.
"The Second Meeting of Ancient Saetas in Castro del Río will allow you to hear different variations of the same cultural root. They all share the same essence: a sung prayer that shuns showmanship to focus on emotion and spiritual meaning, constituting a living testimony to the cultural and religious history of Andalusia."
Goat and the recovery of almost disappeared styles
Another highlight of the event will be the tradition of Cabra, where in recent decades styles that were practically forgotten have been revived. These saetas are usually preceded by the sound of burlas (trumpets) and the beat of a deep drum.
Among the variants that can be heard are the Saeta de Petaca y Vega, with a predominance of high registers and certain flamenco-like nuances; the Saeta by José Barranco, of a recitative nature and monotonous melody; and the singular Saeta by Doña Concha Cabello, a very original lyrical style from a musical point of view.
The barracks elegance of Puente Genil
The tour is completed with the Saeta Cuartelera de Puente GenilIt is probably one of the most refined forms within the realm of traditional saetas. Although it maintains the characteristic restraint of the genre, its melody possesses greater expressive richness, influenced by the flamenco tradition of the Cordoban town.
This song originated in the intimate atmosphere of the Mananta barracks, where it acquired a dialogic and deeply emotional character.
Living heritage of passionate Andalusia
The Second Meeting of Ancient Saetas of Castro del Río will thus allow us to hear different variations of the same cultural trunk: the ancient proclamations and chanted romances that gave rise to these forms of sung devotion.
Beyond their local differences, they all share the same essence: a sung prayer that shuns ostentation to focus on emotion and spiritual meaning, constituting a living testimony of the cultural and religious history of Andalusia.
