Paco Toronjo
Encyclopedia
Francisco Antonio Toronjo Arreciado (Alosno
, June 13, 1928 – Huelva
, 1998), known as Paco Toronjo, was a Spanish flamenco singer.
He learned to sing local traditional folk at his home town Alosno
. He stayed at his province until he was 20 years old when he became a professional musician. At the beginning of his musical career he sang with his brother Pepe Torojo as a duet. They were known as "Hermanos Toronjo"(Toronjo Brothers), being the ones that did the first audio recording of "Sevillanas
".
After his brother's death, he started to develop and record his own style of "fandango
", which were very dramatic and based on his own life as the source for lyrics, claiming he sang about the sorrows he lived, he also started them with "Siguiriyas
" as a way to increasing the sadness.
This style along with his raspy singing voice carried him to be considered by many a part of the top of fandango
singers, even he had a local bohemian life at the city of Huelva
in the latest years of his life.
He appeared in two movies by the Spanish film director Carlos Saura
:"Sevillanas" and "Flamenco
".
He died in 1998, since then several monuments had been built in his province and a complete biography had been released.
Alosno
Alosno is a town and municipality located in the province of Huelva, Spain. According to the 2005 census, the city has a population of 4,514 inhabitants.The noted Spanish boxer Pedro Carrasco, and the fandango singer Paco Toronjo were born in Alosno....
, June 13, 1928 – Huelva
Huelva
Huelva is a city in southwestern Spain, the capital of the province of Huelva in the autonomous region of Andalusia. It is located along the Gulf of Cadiz coast, at the confluence of the Odiel and Tinto rivers. According to the 2010 census, the city has a population of 149,410 inhabitants. The...
, 1998), known as Paco Toronjo, was a Spanish flamenco singer.
He learned to sing local traditional folk at his home town Alosno
Alosno
Alosno is a town and municipality located in the province of Huelva, Spain. According to the 2005 census, the city has a population of 4,514 inhabitants.The noted Spanish boxer Pedro Carrasco, and the fandango singer Paco Toronjo were born in Alosno....
. He stayed at his province until he was 20 years old when he became a professional musician. At the beginning of his musical career he sang with his brother Pepe Torojo as a duet. They were known as "Hermanos Toronjo"(Toronjo Brothers), being the ones that did the first audio recording of "Sevillanas
Sevillanas
Sevillanas are a type of folk music, sung and written in Seville in Spain. Historically, they are a derivative of Castilian folk music . They have a relatively limited musical pattern, but rich lyrics, based on country side life, virgins, towns, neighborhoods, pilgrimage, and love themes...
".
After his brother's death, he started to develop and record his own style of "fandango
Fandango
Fandango is a lively couple's dance, usually in triple metre, traditionally accompanied by guitars and castanets or hand-clapping . Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is usually bipartite: it has an instrumental introduction followed by "variaciones"...
", which were very dramatic and based on his own life as the source for lyrics, claiming he sang about the sorrows he lived, he also started them with "Siguiriyas
Siguiriyas
Siguiriyas is a form of flamenco music belonging to the cante jondo category. Its deep, expressive style is among the most important in flamenco...
" as a way to increasing the sadness.
This style along with his raspy singing voice carried him to be considered by many a part of the top of fandango
Fandango
Fandango is a lively couple's dance, usually in triple metre, traditionally accompanied by guitars and castanets or hand-clapping . Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is usually bipartite: it has an instrumental introduction followed by "variaciones"...
singers, even he had a local bohemian life at the city of Huelva
Huelva (province)
Huelva is a province of southern Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is bordered by Portugal, the provinces of Badajoz, Seville, and Cádiz, and the Atlantic Ocean. Its capital is Huelva....
in the latest years of his life.
He appeared in two movies by the Spanish film director Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura Atarés is a Spanish film director and photographer.-Early life:Born into a family of artists , he developed his artistic sense in childhood as a photography enthusiast.He obtained his directing diploma in Madrid in 1957 at the Institute of Cinema Research and Studies...
:"Sevillanas" and "Flamenco
Flamenco (1995 film)
Flamenco is a 1995 Spanish documentary film directed by Carlos Saura with camerawork by acclaimed cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. The film is entirely musical and dancing vignettes, composed and photographed on a sound stage.-Synopsis:...
".
He died in 1998, since then several monuments had been built in his province and a complete biography had been released.