 |
|
Discography
DE MAR A MAR
Music in the Medieval Iberian Peninsula
Sendebar performs a compilation of thirteenth-century Iberian music including Cantigas da Amigo of Martin Codax, Cantigas de Santa Maria of Alfonso X, and music from the Llibre Vermell of Montserrat.
Tracks | Liner Notes | Texts & Translations
"…the recording is attractive and alluring."
Early Music America, Fall 2007
[+] More reviews of Sendebar
Disco 100, Escorial, 33, 08024 Barcelona, Spain
PERFORMERS:
Mauricio Molina (music director, frame drums–bendir, pandereta, duff, tarija), Carlo Valte (Arabic lute), Francesc Sans i Bonet (bagpipes, caramella), Cristina Boixadera (pipe and tabor), Thomas Rohrer (vielle), Alexandra Montano (voice I), Rebecca Fasanello (voice II)
Martin Codax (13th c.)
- Mia irmana fremosa
voice I, 'ud, vielle, bagpipe, pipe & tabor, tarija / 2'46
- Quantas sabedes amar
voice I, 'ud, vielle, frame drum, tabor / 2'51
Cantigas de Santa Maria of Alfonso X "The Wise" (13th c.)
- Virgen Madre gloriosa (CSM 340)
voice I, bagpipe / 4'07
- Pero que seja a gente (CSM 181)
'ud, vielle, frame drum / 2'05
- A Madre de Jhesucristo (CSM 302)
voice I, duff, bendir, tarija' / 4'44
- Como podem per sas culpas (CSM 166)
voice I, 'ud, vielle, bagpipe, pipe & tabor, frame drum / 2'05
- Mui gran poder (CSM 22)
voice II, caramella, vielle / 4'48
- Macar é door (CSM 393) / A Madre de Deus (CSM 184)
'ud, vielle, frame drum / 3'59
- Como o nome da Virgen (CSM 194)
voice I, 'ud, vielle, frame drum, tabor / 3'17
- Tanto son da Groriosa (CSM 48)
pipe & tabor / 2'09
- Nunca ja pod' aa Virgen (CSM 104)
voice II, 'ud, vielle, frame drum / 6'47
Llibre Vermell de Montserrat (14th c.)
- Los set gotxs
voice I, 'ud, vielle, bagpipe, pipe & tabor, frame drum / 4'59
Liner Notes
With the Atlantic Ocean in the North and the West and the Mediterranean in the South, the Iberian Peninsula finds itself overwhelmingly framed by the sea. This land that stands only a few kilometers from the North African coast, possesses an astonishing history of cultural exchange between Islamic culture and European Christianity. Our recording "De Mar a Mar," whose title is taken from an expression used by thirteenth-century Galician troubadours to refer to the reunification of Iberia under a Christian banner, explores the rich repertoire of thirteenth- and fourteenth-century Medieval Iberian music composed in connection with some of the most important cultural centers of the Peninsula.
The first two pieces in the recording, Mia irmana fremosa and Quantas sabedes amare amigo belong to the corpus of the so-called Cantigas d'Amigo, a literary genre that consists of a monologue spoken by a young woman who anxiously awaits for the return of her lover. These two songs, attributed to the Galician troubadour Martin Codax (active around 1213), make reference to Vigo, one of the most important Iberian ports on the Atlantic Ocean. As it is also characteristic of the genre, their poems are organized by couplets (groups of two lines) that present "parallelism," a poetic technique in which the text of the second couplet repeats almost verbatim that of the first one. This is device to both intensify the theme of the piece and to unfold systematically each idea in two parallel scripts. The parallelism of the pieces is further enhanced by a procedure called "leixa pren," in which the first line of the third and fourth strophe are identical to the last line of the second couplet. The pieces, as it is also customary of the repertoire, contain each a refrains that diverge from the thematic and poetic structure of the rest of the piece. In terms of the development of the Cantigas d'Amigo repertoire, scholars have suggested that it evolved from an older genre of female songs native to the Peninsula that was formalized by twelfth- and thirteenth-century Galician troubadours who were connected to the intellectual environment of Santiago de Compostela.
The biggest bulk of pieces include in this recording belong to the corpus of the thirteenth-century Cantigas de Santa Maria (CSM), a collection of more than four hundred monophonic pieces in Galician-Portuguese, composed and compiled in Castile in the multicultural court of King Alfonso X "the wise" (1252-1284). The poetry of most of these pieces is narrative and usually recounts miracles performed by the Virgin Mary throughout the known world. In general, the pieces in the corpus of the CSM are comprised of an initial refrain of two or more lines that is followed by a stanza. This stanza begins with a change of rhyme that is heard three times before returning to the original rhyme of the refrain. After that the refrain is presented again. Thus, the CSM poetic structure is constituted by an AAbbba AA rhyme scheme. The correspondence of the Cantigas' strophic form with that of the zejel, the most popular poetic structure in Islamic Iberia, suggest a close relation between the two forms. In terms of their music, the poetic structure of the CSM are often set to a tripartite musical form in which the refrain and the second half of the stanza are set to the same music while the stanza's first half is set to a different melody. Since the music of the refrain is presented again before its rhyme is restituted at the end of the stanza, therefore, there is no exact correlation between the poetic and the music structures. This asymmetry stands as the most representative feature of the repertoire.
Except for one, all the CSM included in this recording follow the above-mentioned poetic and music structures and recount miracles performed by the Virgin Mary in Iberian soil. Of these compositions, CSM 22 and CSM 104 narrate miracles performed in Galicia, CMS 302 and CMS 194 speak about miracles executed in Catalonia, and CMS 166 tells of a miraculous healing that occurred at the church of Santa Maria de Salas in Aragon. Conversely, CSM 340 Virgen Madre gloriosa is an exception to the rule. This piece is not a narrative piece but a lyrical praise-song (Cantiga de Loor) that represents the Virgin Mary as a vehicle between God and his followers. The piece further differs from the others in its lack of refrain, its rhyme scheme, and in that every line, except for the first two, receives a different melody. Scholars have explained that this cantiga is poetically and musically based on Sanc fui belha ni prezada, an alba composed by the Occitan troubadour Cadenet.
The last piece in our recording, Los set gotxs, comes from the Llibre Vermell de Montserrat, a manuscript produced during the early fourteenth century in the scriptorium of the Monastery of Montserrat, the most important pilgrimage center in Medieval Catalonia. We know from an indication that appears in the manuscript that Los set gotxs, as well as the other pieces included in the Llibre Vermell, were composed to be sung and danced by the pilgrims during their stay at the monastery. By prescribing these pieces the establishment was trying to replace the visitors' music, considered to be lascivious and impious, with "honest and devout songs."
Los set gotxs, is the oldest extant piece written in Catalan that celebrates the seven joys of the Virgin Mary, a traditional subject in Catalonian literature. The piece is comprised of a stanza whose text is set to a melody that presents open and close endings (ouvert and clos), and a refrain that is repeated twice. In the manuscript Los set gotxs is described as a ball redon (round dance) a categorization that indicates that the piece was in fact intended to be danced. The inclusion of round dances in the Marian cult is well testified by contemporary musical iconography. The best example is probably one of the illustrations that accompany the Cantiga de Santa Maria 120 from the Codex El Escorial T.J.I. where a group of musicians play honor of the Virgin Mary while a group of men perform a round dance.
— Mauricio Molina
Texts and Translations
Mia irmana fremosa, Martin Codax (13th c.)
Mia irmana fremosa treides comigo
a la igreja de Vigo u é o mar salido
E miraremos las ondas!
Mia irmana fremosa, treides de grado
a la igreja de Vigo u é o mar levado
E miraremos las ondas!
A la igreja de Vig'u é o mar levado,
e verrá i mia madre o meu amado
E miraremos las ondas!
A la igreja de Vig'u é o mar salido,
e verrá i mia madre o meu amigo
E miraremos las ondas!
My beautiful sister, come with me
to the church of Vigo where there is a raging sea
And let's watch the waves!
My beautiful sister, come cheerfully with me
to the church of Vigo where the sea is high
And let's watch the waves!
To the church of Vigo where the sea is high
mother, my beloved will come
And let's watch the waves!
To the church of Vigo where there is a raging sea
mother, my beloved will come
And let's watch the waves!
Mi hermosa hermana, ven conmigo
a la iglesia de Vigo donde hay un mar enfurecido
Y miraremos las olas!
Mi Hermosa hermana, ven de buen grado
a la iglesia de Vigo donde hay un mar levantado
Y miraremos las olas!
A la iglesia de Vigo donde hay un mar levantado
madre, mí amado vendrá
Y miraremos las olas!
A la iglesia de Vigo donde hay un mar enfurecido
madre, mí amado vendrá
Y miraremos las olas!
Quantas sabedes amar, Martin Codax (13th c.)
Quantas sabedes amare amigo,
treides comig'a lo mar de Vigo
E banhar nos emos nas ondas
Quantas sabedes amare amado
treides comig'a lo mare levado
E banhar nos emos nas ondas
Treides comig'a lo mar de Vigo
e veeremo lo meu amigo
E banhar nos emos nas ondas
Treides comig'a lo mare levado
e veeremo' lo meu amado
E banhar nos emos nas ondas
Those who know how to love their friend
come with me to the sea of Vigo
And we will bathe in the waves!
Those who know how to love their beloved
come with me to the raging sea
And we will bathe in the waves!
Come with me to the sea of Vigo
and we will see my beloved
And we will bathe in the waves!
Come with me to the raging sea
and we will see my beloved
And we will bathe in the waves!
Quienes sepan amar a su amado
vengan conmigo al mar de Vigo
Y nos bañaremos en las olas!
Quienes sepan amar a su amigo
vengan conmigo al mar furioso
Y nos bañaremos en las olas!
Vengan conmigo al mar de Vigo
y allí veremos a mi amado
Y nos bañaremos en las olas!
Vengan conmigo al mar furioso
y allí veremos a mi amigo
Y nos bañaremos en las olas!
Virgen Madre gloriosa (CSM 340),
Cantigas de Santa Maria of Alfonso X "the Wise" (13th c.)
Virgen Madre groriosa,
de Deus filla e esposa,
santa, nobre, preciosa,
quen te loar saberia ou podia?
Ca Deus que é lum' e dia,
segund' a nossa natura
non viramos sa figura
senon por ti, que fust' alva.
Glorious Virgin Mother,
daughter and spouse of God,
holy, noble, precious,
Who would know how or could ever praise you appropriately?
Because God, who is light and day,
our nature would have not allow us
to see his countenance
but through you, who were our dawn
Virgen madre gloriosa
de Dios hija y esposa
santa, noble, preciosa
quien pudiese o supiese loarte?
Que Dios, quien es luz y día,
debido a nuestra naturaleza
no podríamos ver
sino fuese por ti quien fuiste nuestro amanecer
Como podem persas culpas (CSM 166),
Cantigas de Santa Maria of Alfonso X "the Wise" (13th c.)
Como poden per sas culpas
os omees seer contreitos,
assí podem pela Virgen
depois seer sãos feitos
Ond' aveo a un ome,
por pecados que fezera,
que foi tolleito dos nembros
d' ua door que ouvera,
et durou assí cinc' anos
que mover-se non podera:
assí avía os nenbros
todos do corpo maltreitos
Con esta enfermidade
atan grande que avia,
prometeu que, se guarisse,
a Salas logo irya
et h ua liura de cera
cad' ano ll' oferería;
et atan toste foi são,
que non ovu' y outros preitos
Como poden per sas culpas
os omees seer contreitos,
E foi-sse logo a Salas,
que sol non tardou nïente,
et levou sigo a liura
da cera de bõa mente;
et ya muy ledo, como
quen sse sen nïun mal sente,
pero tan gran tenp' ouvera
os pes d' andar desafeitos
D' aqueste' a Santa Maria
deron graças et loores,
porque liura os doentes
de máes et de doores,
et demáis está rogando
senpre por nós pecadores;
et poren devemos todos
senpre seer seus sogeitos
Como poden per sas culpas
os omees seer contreitos,
As men may be paralyzed because of their misdeeds, so may then be made whole by the Virgin
There was once man who, because of his sins, became a cripple. This man remained in this sadly state without been able to move for five years. Nevertheless, he promised that if he would be cured he would travel to Salas each year and offer the Virgin Mary a pound of wax. As soon as this was promised, the man got well. Then, he went to Salas bringing the promised wax without feeling any pain even though his limbs were crippled for a long time. The Holy Mary was praised not only for this miracle but also because she helps the sick and prays for us and our sins. Thus, we should always be faithful servants.
Había una vez un hombre quien fue tullido por cause de sus pecados.
Este hombre tuvo que permanecer en este lamentable estado sin poder moverse por cinco años. Pero prometió que si sanaba iría todos los años a Salas a ofrecer una libra de cera, y tan pronto hizo la promesa se curo de su enfermedad. Así, el hombre se fue a Salas caminando sin sentir ningún dolor. Por este milagro, y por el hecho de que la Virgen libra a los enfermos de sus Dolores y reza por nosotros la gente dio gracias a Santa Maria. Por estas rezones debemos siempre ser sus vasallos.
Mui gran poder (CSM 22),
Cantigas de Santa Maria of Alfonso X "the Wise" (13th c.)
Mui gran poder á a Madre de Deus
de deffender et amparal-os seus
Gran poder á, ca sseu Fillo ll' o deu,
en deffender quen se chamar' por seu;
et d' est' un miragre vos direi eu
que ela fez grande nos dias meus
En Armenteira foi un laurador
que un cavaleiro, por desamor
mui grande que aví' a seu sennor,
foi polo matar, per nome Mateus
Enton a ssa azcuna lle lançou
et feriú-o, pero non o chagou;
ca él a Santa Maria chamou:
Sennor, val-me como vales os teus
E non moira, ca non merecí mal
eles, pois viron a miragr' atal
que fez a Reynna esperital,
creveron ben, ca ant' eran encreus
Mui gran poder á a Madre de Deus
de deffender et amparal-os seus
The Mother of God has great power to defend and protect Her faithful.
Great power to defend those in need who call upon her was given to Santa Maria by her son. In relation to this I will tell you of a miracle performed by her during my days. In Armentira there was a farmer named Matthew whom a knight went to kill because of his enmity with the farmer's own lord. The knight threw a spear at him and struck him but did not hurt him. This was because the farmer called on Virgin Mary for assistance by saying: "Lady, save me as you save your faithful. Do not let me die because I don't deserve any harm." Those unbelievers who witness this miracle immediately became believers.
Gran poder tiene la Madre de Dios de defender y amparar a los suyos.
Gran poder de defender a quienes le llaman le fue dado a la la Virgen por su hijo. De esto os contare acerca de un milagro que ocurrió durante mis días. Ocurrió en Armenteira que un caballero fue a matar a un Labrador llamado Mateo por vengarse de su señor. Cuando el caballero vio al Labrador le lanzo su lanza pero aunque lo alcanzo no lo no pudo herir pues el labrador había llamado a Santa Maria para que lo socorriera. Las palabras del Labrador fueron: "Señora, sálvame como salvas a los tuyos. No me dejes morir que no lo merezco." Aquellos incrédulos que vieron el milagro echo por la Virgen se convirtieron en creyentes.
Nunca ja pod' aa Virgen (CSM 104), Cantigas de Santa Maria of Alfonso X "the Wise" (13th c.)
Nunca ja pod' aa Virgen
ome tal pesar fazer,
como quen ao seu Fillo,
Deus, coida escarnecer
E o que o fazer coida,
creed' aquesto por mí,
que aquel escarno todo
á de tornar sobre sí.
et d'aquest' un gran miragre
vos direi, que eu oí
que fezo Santa Maria:
oíde-mi-o a lezer
Nunca iá pod' aa Virgen
ome tal pesar fazer,
Aquesto foi en Galiza,
non á y mui gran sazon,
que hua ssa barragana
ouve un escudeiron;
et por quanto s' él casára,
tan gran pesar ouv'enton,
que con gran coita ouvera
o siso end' a perder
E con gran pesar que ouve,
foi seu concello buscar
en as outras sas vezinnas,
et atal ll' o foron dar:
que sol que ela podesse
hua ostia furtar
das da eigreia, que logo
o podería aver
E o crérigo, sen arte,
de a comungar coidou;
mail-a ostia na boca
aquesta moller guardou,
que per nehua maneira
non a trociú nen passou;
et punnou quanto máis pode
de sse d' alí log' erger
E entrant' a hua vila
que dizen Caldas de Rey,
ond' aquesta moller era,
per com' end' eu apres' ey
aveo én mui gran cousa
que vos ora contarey;
ca lle víron pelas toucas
sangue vermello corer
Nunca iá pod' aa Virgen
ome tal pesar fazer.
A moller se tornou log'
á eigreia outra vez,
et deitou-ss' ant' a omágen
et disse:"Sennor de prez,
non cates a meu pecado,
que mi o demo fazer fez."
et lóg' a un moesteiro
se tornou monia meter
Nunca iá pod' aa Virgen
ome tal pesar fazer,
No one can so displease the Virgin as the one who tries to offend Her Son.
And, it is well known that if anyone tries to do this the offence will turn against him. Concerning this, I will tell you of a great miracle conducted by Santa Maria. It happened in Galicia that a squire kept a concubine. And because he was already married, the concubine was in great sorrow. To alleviate her pain, she ask for what to do to her neighbors. They told her that if she could steal a host from the church the squire would be exclusively hers. She went to church and received communion from the priest gave and keeping the wafer in her mouth she run out of there as soon as she could. But, when this woman entered a town called Caldas de Reyes, where she lived, red blood began to run down from her headdress. The woman returned at once to the church and knelling herself before the statue of the Virgin said: Worthy Lady, don't blame me for my sin because the devil made me do it." Then she went to a convent and became a nun.
Nadie puede causar a la Virgen tal pena como quien ofende a su Hijo.
Es bien sabido que quien hace ofende a la Virgen esta ofensa se le devuelve así mismo. De esto os contare un gran milagro que hizo la Virgen. En Galicia había un escudero que tenia una concubina. El echo de que el ya estuviese casado enloquecía a esta mujer. Por esta razón, la concubina pregunto que hacer a sus vecinas. Estas le dijeron que si ella pudiese robar una ostia de la iglesia, entonces el escudero seria completamente de ella. Así, la mujer fue a la iglesia y tomo la comunión. Sin tragarse la ostia la mujer corrió fuera de este lugar lo más rápido que pudo. Pero, cuando entro en su pueblo, llamado Caldas de Reyes, inmediatamente empezó a sangrar de su tocado. Entonces, la mujer se volvió a la iglesia y postrándose ante la Virgen dijo:"Valiosa Señora, no me culpes por mi pecado pues el diablo me hizo hacerlo." Después se fue a un convento donde se ordeno monja.
Translations: Mauricio Molina
|
|
