Cervantes and Music

Abstract

The music of Spain in Cervantes's time had already achieved a remarkable degree of technical perfection and expressive power. The Renaissance in Spanish music brought forth an imposing roster of musicians. To mention but a few of the greatest names-Luis Milan, Miguel de Fuenllana, Antonio de Cabez6n, Francisco Guerrero, and finally, Tomas Luis de Victoria-brings to mind an array of musical masterpieces: vocal compositions, secular and sacred, instrumental works, for lute and keyboard, dramatic music for the lyric theatre, and expressive dances, from stately pavanes to popular bailes. In all these compositions the essential character of Spain and its people is already manifest, namely, a blend of profound asceticism and sensual ardor. Like Shakespeare, his contemporary, Cervantes treated all aspects of the life of his country and his people with remarkable insight and understanding-and music no less. Through the pages of Cervantes's writings pass a grand procession of singers, dancers, performers on all sorts of instruments, musical plays, and puppet shows,-a veritable cavalcade of every type of musical activity of sixteenthand seventeenth-century Spain. Among the participants in this galaxy of musical performance are representatives of all walks of life, from the highest nobility to the lowliest peasant. Wise observations and keen critical remarks on the music and the performers fill the pages of Miguel de Cervantes's works. One finds innumerable references to the voice and vocal compositions in his writings. One of the most important song collections of the latter part of the fifteenth and early sixteenth century was the Cancionero de Palacio. It contained about five hundred and fifty songs by the most outstanding composers of Spain. Besides the illustrious name of Juan del Encina (1468-1529), whose Representaciones are considered the first definite starting-point of the Spanish secular drama,' one also finds such prominent composers as Juan de Anchieta, Lope de Baena, Juan Escobar, Alonso de Mondejar, Francisco Pefialosa, Juan Ponce, Antonio de Ribera, and Francisco de la Torre.2 This collection, as well as others, particularly the publications of the vihuela composers, presented a rich