Inside and outside of flamenco it is widely accepted that the Gypsies
came from India, where they left a long time ago. Most likely there where
several waves of migrants, for various reasons. Those known as Gypsies
call themselves 'Rom', spoke 'Calo' and where usually craftsmen and herders
of sheep, and had particular ideas about how music should be made. They
where, and are, very much into embellishment, improvisation and virtuosity.
There is no such thing as Gypsy-music, there is Gypsy-musicality: where
ever they end up when they settle, they take the local music and make their
own versions from it.
In Andalucía they found a rich ground for their musicality,
fertilized by hundreds of years of high culture, where not only Moorish,
but also Juish, Catholic and local musical influences mixed.
But they arrived at a bad time: Catholicism and victory over the Mores
had gone to the heads of the Spaniards, and they now wanted everybody to
become a catholic, speak proper Spanish, and in general behave civilized.
This applied in particular to the Gypsies, who had a bad name for having
very noisy parties that often ended in fights where people got killed.
They also didn't want to speak proper Spanish, so to give them a hard time,
they were forbidden to hold their traditional jobs and to speak Calo. They
worked and died in large numbers in the mines, lived in caves in the mountains,
had parties in secret and where invited to parties of the rich, to perform
their devious music. Often the songs where about the injustice done to
them by the very same upper class, but they couldn't understand what the
Gypsies where singing about anyway. As time passed, the Spaniards lightened
up a little, the Gypsies sort of adapted, and some more people took an
interest in their music. At some point, after good mixing of musical backgrounds,
the locals adopted and interpreted some of this music, and it can be said
that at the end of the 19th century, flamenco had largely settled in the
form known and performed today.
Update (aug 9-'97)
Not entirely though. Most forms that did exist then do exist now, and
as far as i know no form that exists now didn't exist then. But for starters,
flamenco dance as we know it today basically didn't exist a hundred years
ago. The whole thing with the fancy footwork appeared at the beginning
of this century. Dance is also heavily influenced by other dance forms
like classical ballet. Nevertheless flamenco dance is very distinct. One
grown and educated in a flamenco environment, who has become a dancer (be
it male or female), does not only know the fancy footwork, but also has
this particular 'flamenco' way of moving.
Also there was again a period of cultural exchange, mainly thanks to
the long play record and the transistor radio. Guitar, dance and singing
all have evolved very much during this century. A whole spectrum of mixtures
between flamenco and jazz, eastern music, pop music and what have you emerged.
The new generation however seems to have settled on a general style
that is clearly and firmly rooted in traditional flamenco, but does also
seem to be inspired by some of the more avant-garde flamenco of recent
decades. There are however still clear distinctions in style between flamenco
from different regions. This 'flamenco joven', (young flamenco) is probably
somewhat more worldly and up-beat than traditional flamenco. Fortunately
for them, the less economically fortunate folks from andalucia don't suffer
the hardship their predecessors did, and the music reflects that.
Don't confuse 'flamenco joven' or 'flamenco neuvo' with 'nouveau flamenco',
the latter is, well eh.. not really flamenco in my opinion. All those
that i know that perform nouveau flamenco are not native to Spain as far
as i know. this doesn't say all, but it does say a lot. I consider it to
be one of the many manifestations on the other end of the recent/current
cultural exchange. It's not a bad thing, just don't confuse it with flamenco.