On August 28, 2022, flamenco guitarist and composer extraordinaire, Manolo Sanlúcar, passed away.

Below are the words to Banderillas, from his masterpiece, Tauromagia, ( the very first flamenco album I ever purchased)!

Banderillas
Manolo Sanlúcar

Cuando se asoma el aire
mece a la espiga en el trigal
y en la torre las veletas
como dos golondrinas
soñando un vuelo van
luciendo en el albero
verde y oro
como espiga del trigal

When the wind comes
the wheat stalks sway
and in the tower the weather vanes
like two swallows
with the sound of their wings fly
shining on the golden earth*
green and gold
like the wheat stalks

*Albero is the golden sand you see in Spanish bullrings.

You can listen to it here.

Watch him perform Puerta del Príncipe, another composition from the album, in Carlos Saura’s movie Flamenco below:

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Cover photo by Hamza Madrid on Unsplash