Chants d'Espagne, Op. 232, is a suite of pieces for the piano by Isaac Albeniz, originally published in 1892. The two pieces Córdoba and Seguidillas were added in the 1898 edition.
The Prélude is also known under the titles Asturias and Leyenda, titles given to it when it was incorporated into an extended version of Albéniz's Suite española, two years after the composer's death. It is probably more famous today in one of its guitar arrangements. Many have attributed the first transcription for guitar to Francisco Tárrega who put it in its most recognizable key, E minor; it was subsequently made popular by Andrés Segovia. The theme, or versions of it, is often used in film music and popular music.
Albéniz's biographer, Walter Aaron Clark, describes the piece as "pure Andalusian flamenco" with a main theme that mimics the guitar technique of alternating the thumb and fingers of the right hand, playing a pedal-note open string with the index finger and a bass melody with the thumb. The theme itself suggests the rhythm of the buleria — a song from the flamenco repertoire. The ‘marcato’/’staccato’ markings suggest both guitar sounds and the footwork of a flamenco dancer. The piece sounds as though it is written in the Phrygian mode which is typical of bulerias. The second section is a reminiscent of a copla — a sung verse following a specific form. Clark states that it is written in typical Albéniz form as it is “presented monophonically but doubled at the fifteenth for more fullness of sound. The music alters between a solo and accompaniment that is typical of flamenco. The short middle section of the piece is written in the style of a malagueña — another flamenco style piece. The malagueña borrows two motives from the previous copla and builds on them. The piece returns to its first theme until a slow “hymn-like” passage ends the piece.
"Spanish Caravan" is a song by The Doors from the album Waiting for the Sun released in 1968. Its basic flamenco track is an established form of flamenco music known as Granadinas.The beginning riff was taken from Asturias (Leyenda), a classical piece of music by Isaac Albeniz. It also borrows a similar sounding riff from Malagueña.
The lyrics may refer to romantic theme of searching for beautiful and rich lands, typical i.e. for George Byron. In Spanish Caravan the lyrical subject declares will to travel by a caravan to Portugal and Andalusia in Spain where 'a treasure is waiting'. The means of transport suggest that the mysterious subject wants to be 'taken away' back to Europe from an African desert. However, there are also 'galleons lost in the sea' mentioned. Of course, the treasure, the ship etc. could be a figure of something else.
In the Doors' performances the feeling of brutal lust or even desperation was especially underlined.
The track was one of the important points of the Doors' concerts, sometimes included to the Celebration of the Lizard series, famous for the theatre experiments accompanying.
