The Cantigas de Santa Maria, are 420 poems with musical notation, written in the Galician variant of Galician-Portuguese during the reign of Alfonso X El Sabio (1221–1284) and often attributed to him. It is one of the largest collections of monophonic (solo) songs from the Middle Ages and is characterized by the mention of the Virgin Mary in every song, while every tenth song is a hymn. The Cantigas have survived in four manuscript codices: two at El Escorial, one at Madrids National Library, and one in Florence, Italy. The E codex from El Escorial is illuminated with colored miniatures showing pairs of musicians playing a wide variety of instruments. The Códice Rico (T) from El Escorial and the one in the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale of Florence (F) are richly illuminated with narrative vignettes. The Cantigas are written in Galician-Portuguese, fashionable as a lyrical language in Castile at the time. The Cantigas are composed of 420 poems, 356 of which are in a narrative format relating to Marian miracles; the rest of them, except an introduction and two prologues, are of lore or involve Marian festivities. The Cantigas depict the Virgin Mary in a very humanized way, often having her play a role in earthly episodes. The musical forms within the Cantigas, and there are many, are still being studied. There have been many false leads, and there is little beyond pitch value that is very reliable. Mensuration is a particular problem in the Cantigas, and most attempts at determining meaningful rhythmic schemes have tended, with some exceptions, to be unsatisfactory. This remains a lively topic of debate and study. Progress, while on-going, has nevertheless been significant over the course of the last 20 years. ............................................................................................................... This is how Holy Mary caused five roses to grow in the mouth of the monk after his death, to represent the five hymns he recited in honor of the five letters in Her name. It is right and fitting that the Virgins miracle be beautiful, for our Glorious God chose to be born of Her. Therefore, I wish to recount a miracle which I heard. it will give you pleasure to hear it also. Through it you may know of the great boon which the Virgin gave a good monk, as I learned. This monk could not read very well, as I heard tell, but he loved the Peerless Virgin very devoutly. Therefore, to win Her esteem, of which he was very desirous, he chose a series of five hymns. The reason that he chose five hymns and arranged them in order was to represent the five letters that are in MARIA, so that he might have the favor from Her of seeing Her merciful Son. Anyone who examines these hymns carefully will find there Magnificat and also Ad Dominum and next to it In convertendo and Ad te set down and then a very reverent Retribue servo tuo. In order to have Gods blessing, he repeated these hymns faithfully every day before the altar and prostrated himself and repented of all the reprehensible deeds he had committed when he was rash and vile. He continued to do this as long as he lived, and when he died, a rose bush appeared in his mouth on which were seen to bloom five roses. It grew because he had praised the Mother of the Almighty. Performers: Camerata Mediterranea (Joel Cohen) https://youtube/watch?v=IngHvy6mJns
Posted on: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 20:22:07 +0000
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