3. INDEXINDEX
lphonse X the Wise
eriod of Three Cultures
antigas of Santa Maria
nstruments used in Medieval Spain
4. ALPHONSE X THE WISEALPHONSE X THE WISE
e was 45 years old and had been reigning
for 15 years when he conceived the idea
of composing a collection of one
hundred songs to the Virgin.
lphonse’s optimistic frame of mind
inspired the fundamental message of the
Marian collection: all problems can be
solved.
5. PERIOD OF THREEPERIOD OF THREE
CULTURESCULTURES
uring 7 centuries the Iberian mainland and Balearic islands
were under Muslim and Christian control
ntil the X century Muslim dominance, from the XI century,
Christian control thanks to the Christian recapture
his period is called ‘The period of Three Cultures’ because
Muslim, Christian and Jewish cultures lived together
6.
7. CANTIGAS OF SANTA MARIACANTIGAS OF SANTA MARIA
arian Monody: Maria and her miracles
anguage: Galician – Portuguese
imicking the style of the troubadours of
southern France
nonymous 427 songs, collected by King
Alphonse X the Wise (1252 – 1284), art of
8. CANTIGAS IMPORTANCECANTIGAS IMPORTANCE
These cantigas are important because thanks to them, now
we know the Medium Age’s culture.
They contain musical notation and a lot of thumbnails
(miniatures) where we can see the instruments, sculptures
and works of the period.
Finally, we also can see the works of art of the three
cultures.
9.
10. TROUBADOURS STYLE
A troubadour was a poet and singer of the Middle Age that he
created literary and musical compositions.
His theme was courtly love, wich declared his love for a lady
idealized but real.
A very important and famous trobaudor was Alphonse X the
Wise, who wrote 427 cantigas dedicated to Santa María. They told
the miracles that she did.
13. rganistrum: Medieval instrument consisting of three strings and
worked by a wheel dusted with resin. A small handlebar set in motion the
wheel, rubbing, while the three strings tuned to the fourth and the
fifth and eighth.
14. abel: Instrument consisting of a soundboard, a mast and a
headstock, which are attachedone to four catgut or horsehair
which extend along the box until a chordal.
15. Viola: The viola is provided with frets, widely used in Europe
between the late fifteenth century and the last decades of the
eighteenth century. The extended model has six strings tuned in
fourths (with a major third between the plants).
16. Chopsticks: are equal to two tablets, placed between the fingers
and struck in each other, produce a rattle to accompany any
kind of rhythm.
17. Zanfoña: A shaft, whose end is a handle, through a sounding board. This
shaft is insertednear the handle a wheel while slashing the strings (usually five,
three for the melodyand two ribs) going on the box. The soundboard is at least
21 keys on running the melody.
