Alfonso X “El Sabio”

 

Cantigas de Santa Maria

 

Miragres fremosos / Santa Maria loei / Como ponden / Muito per e gran dereito / Virgen Madre groriosa / Des oge mais / Dized’ ai trobadores

Todolos santos / En todo tempo faz ben / Non pode prender / Eno nome de Maria / Prologo – Por que trobar

 

Johannette Zomer / Ensemble Antequera

 

1.         Title: Alfonso "el Sabio",

subtitle: Trobador dos Trobadores

 

The title means literally 'Alfonso "the Wise", Troubadour of Troubadours' and can be taken to mean 'Alfonso "the Wise", The best of all troubadours' as well as 'Alfonso "the Wise, Troubadour amongst Troubadours'.  he way this (quasi) superlative is constructed linguistically goes back to an Arabic construction and might serve to show the relationship that existed between Arabic and Ibero-Christian cultures.  This very construction abounds in the texts of the cantigas. (e.g. nr. 10 Rosa das rosas, fror das frores... as well as 412/340 Alva dos alvores.  The latter will be included in our program.) Thus it is also a quote.

 

2.         Main Theme: Alfonso the master & Alfonso the pupil

 

With the program on the CD we want to show Alfonso as the carrier of knowledge about the art of the troubadour: Alfonso the teacher.   His first cantiga (no number) Por que trobar is an instruction on how to do this.  He explains exactly that the words of a song and the understanding of those words are of paramount importance to the performer. The good troubadour should make an investigation of himself before he would be able to express what he and the song want to express. In a certain number of cantigas we see innovations, both musical, thematic and textual, that are particular to the Cantigas de Santa Maria, the collection of Marian songs that is composed of works by people from the circle of Alfonso, possibly by Alfonso himself.  It is not surprising that the essentially French / Provençal art of "trobar" was adapted to the realities of Spain. Hence we see Arabo-Iberian musical aspects as well as subjects such as Arabs, Jews. Such numbers are included in the program to give an idea of Alfonso as a teacher (innovator).

 

Of course Alfonso learnt his art before he could instruct in it.  The only thing we can show in this respect is the fact that quite a number of cantigas use melodies or textual matter that are also known in French but especially Provençal works.  Whether or not Alfonso borrowed these straight from the French / Provençal sources is unknown, but it is clear they are not his invention.  Some cantigas of clearly non-Spanish descent are also included in the programme.

           

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