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CD - 2024 |
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| Music in the convents of Girona. 17th and 18th centuries. Música Antiga de Girona presents a selection of musical scores belonging to the chapter house archives of Girona from between 1682 and 1790. They are linked with the city’s convents that were of great importance at that time. This includes the old orders as well as the new ones derived from the Council of Trent, better adapted to an increasingly bourgeois society. Very few of the 13 convents in Girona observed strict enclosure, most of them having several kinds of community life that were less exacting. Although we do not have information about the cultural standards of these monks and friars, we can suppose that it would vary greatly according to their social procedence: the Dominicans and the Jesuits, with their respective schools, had a higher cultural tradition. This is especially the case of the Dominicans, who have left us an outstanding collection of musical works in the chapter house archives. Very few of the preserved scores have any indication of the year, the convent or the circumstances in which they were written. Thus their attribution often has to be deduced from the contents of the text, the title and other details. The subject matter covers a wide range of themes: liturgical acts with Latin texts, devotional celebrations often in Spanish, villancicos, praises of the patron saint of their order, feast days, celebrations of novices’ professions etc. The language used is Latin for the liturgical texts and Spanish for the rest, including some baroque poems that are often very elaborate. Their style ranges from the full baroque of F. Soler (1682-88) with its elaborate polyphony to the classicism of Arquimbau (1785-90). The musical format of these works varies from the vocal solo to size able choir formations. In the present CD, however, due to our budgetary limitations we can only offer the small format compositions. 1. Zagalejos, atención (Young men, beware). This work was written for the celebrations held for the solemn professing of vows by the novice Maria Prior i Borrell in the Bernardes’convent in Girona. The young lady came from a high class family and would later become the abbess of this same convent. This solemn act was often accompanied by celebrations that interrupted the rigorous monotony of cloister convents. The fact that maestro Gaz signed the score would indicate a very close relationship between the convent and the cathedral or maybe with the Prior family. Most probably the cathedral music chapel did not charge for this performance. This work consisting of four voices, with no more accompaniment than a basso continuo and one or more instruments, is in keeping with the novice’s high social position. The lyrics are of popular inspiration and typical of those moments of pious free time in a cloister convent: the title itself warns the young men of the town that a young woman is to become a nun. The plain vocabulary, the evocating of convent life with simple puns is suitable for nuns who were often illiterate. We have no knowledge, however, as to what point Spanish was in use among the sisters. 2. De mi Dios me canto el aplauso (I sing the praise of my God): this is an anonymous work from the end of the XVII century and possibly composed for the 40 hour long eucharistic devotion in an unknown convent of Girona. The lyrics contrast sharply with those of the previous work as it is a text of deep theological content narrating an imaginary dialogue between Jesus (at the heart of the host) and God the father about the mystery of the holy consecrated wafer. Its vocabulary is plain but full of constant theological references, which would allow us to attribute it to either the Jesuit or the Dominican convent. Both of these formed part of the intellectual tradition in Girona. The music is baroque lacking an instrumental introduction but with scholarly dialogues between the soloists and the choir both in the long introduction and the couplets. It is noteworthy that the chorus is not at the beginning of the work but after the first couplet, an unusual format. 3. Amor si, placer no (Love yes, pleasure no). This is a singular work with enigmatic lyrics demonstrating the presence in Girona of Jansenism, a rigorous current of French Catholicism. We do not know who wrote it nor for what purpose, although it could be attributed to Josep Gaz given its similarity to other “human solos” by this author besides other reasons. It may have been performed at some ‘siesta’ (concerts held in the cathedral at the sixth hour, 3pm) or in some poetic competition at the Jesuit or perhaps the Dominican convent. Poems of difficult comprehension were often present in such competitions. The contrast between love and pleasure is very old and here it is expressed in Castilian baroque style with a moralising purpose. The music is an efficient vocal solo accompanied by a basso continuo, characteristic of low budget performances. 4. Ojos míos ¡a llorar! (Cry eyes of mine). The Servite order is a medieval mendicant one that never had a convent in Girona but whose presence was strongly felt there at the Congregation of Dolores with a church by the same name. This order held spiritual exercises on the Friday before Palm Sunday where music was most important as the Congregation members participated in Mary’s grief at the foot of the cross. This grief was meant to convert them. Antoni Gaudí, the author, was the chapel master who succeeded Gaz. The music is vocal only with a basso continuo and little elaboration owing to its austere and distinct penitential character. 5. La pasión sobre el pecho con fineza (Passion on the chest with refinement). Gaz composed this work for the celebrations of Saint Bernard’s feast day in the Bernardes’ convent in Girona. Saint Bernard is one of the important saints that the Cister order introduced in XII century Europe. There was a female cistercian abbey in Girona from the end of the XV century where, as in all cloister communities, the celebration of the patron saint’s feast day was a justification to temporarily suspend the monastic austerity with pious performances like the present one. The text is a cultured gloss about the saint’s mysticism presented with an expressive contrast of images relating to suffering and joy intimately joined together in a text in keeping with the cultural level of those present. As for the music, a dialogue between the soloists and the choir with questions and answers of polyphonic motives, constitutes the chorus. 6. Benedictus: this is the last verse of the liturgical Sanctus hymn. It is a brief composition probably meant for a variety of events both in convents and finally in the cathedral, judging by the dilapidated state of the music score. This duo, originally sung by the choirboys of the music chapel accompanied by a basso continuo, is easily adapted to a variety of convent circumstances. The musical style belongs to pre-classicism with a cheerful, pleasant melody and imitative rhythms. 7. Praecursor Domini: this work is a response – i.e. the singing of a response by the congregation to a melody sung by a soloist – very often used from the middle ages on the feast day of John the Baptist. It is difficult to attribute it to any one Girona convent. The musical score in our possession is a rather worn copy, a clear indication of its frequent use. Domènec Arquimbau, the author, is a prolific Barcelona composer from the beginning of classicism style music. In 1790 as chapel master in Girona, he obtained the same much sought-after post in Seville. The musical form of the work – a solo with accompaniment –facilitated its use on many different occasions. Moreover, the maestro used it in such a way as to allow the soloist to stand out as was common at that time. The work’s fully gallant style is enhanced by the continuous accompaniment that is noteworthy in itself and flags the slight rhythmic changes. 8. Letanía a la Virgen (Litany in honour of the Virgin): this is an ancient form of prayer adapted by the first Christians from pagan models. It is simple and repetitive and dedicated to the Virgin Mary as from the middle ages. The structure is basically a soloist who proclaims Mary’s virtues and the congregation’s response of ora pro nobis. (pray for us). Francesc Soler’s great skill is shown here with his setting to music of a plain repetitive text. A basic melody is repeated in different ways with solos, duos and tutti that alternate and masterfully combine different rhythms to attract attention to the text, both in the invocations and the congregation’s replies. Soler uses the choir when he wants to make certain proclamations prominent, an effect that culminates in the last proclamation: Regina sanctorum omnium. Due to its worn out state, it is evident that the original musical score was often used. However, we do not know where, as this prayer was sung on many different occasions either as a prayer for rain, or to avoid a military attack as well as to ward off plagues. Owing to this wide variety of uses it is impossible to attribute it to any one convent. 9. Vengan pues los discretos (So come discreet ones). This is another example of the celebrations held for the professing of vows of two ladies in the Bernardine convent. The ironical text of popular inspiration depicts the atmosphere in these cloister festivities. The music is a gem that could be attributed to maestro Francesc Soler. The fact that it is anonymous may indicate that the relationship between this convent and the cathedral were less intense than during the time of Soler’s successor, Gaz. Also the fact that the work is a duo (Gaz’s is of four voices) could indicate that the novices did not belong to a wealthy family. The text refers to a miracle attributed to Saint Bernard according to which he freed a woman possessed by a demon by expelling it. The music is in keeping with the festive occasion with a cheerful dance rhythm but in moderation. 10. Zagalejos, Amor se duerme (Young men, love is sleeping): this is a carol the text of which shows the influence of the barefoot Carmelites, who believe in the infinite redeeming possibilities of love. The elevated language, the domestic imagery but also the scholarly references indicate the high poetic standard attained by Girona’s rhetorical schools with verses that are characteristic of the Castilian Spanish baroque style, full of complicated imagery and comparisons. The intimist music, which combines homophony and polyphony - serious but sweet at the same time- while also displaying skillful contrasts between the solos and the choir, leads us to the mystery of the Nativity. |
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Interpretes
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| Technical information Scores from the Girona chapter archive. Positive organ built in 2023 by Albert Blancaflor. Live recording of the concert held at the La Mercè Auditorium in Girona, on December 17, 2023; by the Recording Studio: 44.1. Sound technician: Toni París The original spelling of the poems set to music has been adapted to that of current Spanish. A3 = 415 Hz Revision of the Catalan text: Josep Pi Revision of the Spanish texts: Albert Rossich and M. Lluïsa Ordóñez Revision of the English texts: Kathleen Knott Transcription of the scores: Oscar Bonany Website: Jesús del Oso Texts and general coordination: Jaume Pinyol Author of the graphic design and layout: Xavier Roqueta Cover image: Abbey of Sant Pere de Galligants. Girona. Romanesque 12th century www.magirona.org |
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Sitio web: Jesús del Oso
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