Like some things in life, castanets always come in pairs. The female or hembra is smaller, and articulates a complex rhythm in the right hand. The larger male, or macho, is held in the left hand and plays a basic rhythm. In the hands of a practised dancer, that is. No matter how much I try, I cannot get my pair to produce that beautiful roll of percussive sound that accompanies folk dances not entirely flamenco, such as sevillanas and fandangos. My incessant clumsy practising for hours is supposed to tune them to perfect pitch. Unfortunately for the neighbours, my father got me this pair from Bilbao for only &euro 4.
