In this 12th year of my production, for public radio, I present the narrative and play list to “Las Cantigas de Santa Maria: A Musical Biography of 13th Century Monarch, King Alfonso X”
I dedicate this program to David W. Bauguess, my high school music teacher and my continual mentor. We lost Davis last year, December 27 27, 2023. May David rest in power.
I invite you to listen to this program on December 24, at 2:00 in the Central Time Zone. The public radio station that has sponsored Las Cantigas in this 12th year is High Plains Public Radio. Please tune in on hppr.org under holiday programming (not to be confused with hppr connect, the talk show portion of their dual programming).
Hello. I’m Debra Bolton. Welcome to Las Cantigas de Santa Maria (The Holy Canticles of St. Mary), Songs and poems in praise of the Virgin Mary – and the poetic/musical biography of Alfonso, “the wise”, The King of Castile-Leon, now Spain, and who lived from 1221 to 1284. I’m happy you’ve joined me today.
We begin this musical journey with The Learned King declaring himself Mary’s Troubadour who will take her teachings to his Kingdom and beyond. First, we hear the prologue where The Learned King states, “I am here to spread your good word to my people, and in doing that, I pray for my place in the Kingdom of Heaven.” This is Ensemble Unicorn, from Vienna. CSM 60 Cut #1 2:16
That was Ensemble Unicorn, Vienna with CSM #60, the prologue in which El Sabio declares himself Mary’s troubadour whereby he is her greatest public relations person, so to speak. Alfonso pledges to use every means to extol Mary’s virtues, especially where her miracles are concerned.
The Cantigas de Santa Maria is a collection of poems put to music. The catalog consists of more than 420 poems set to music beginning with what is called a “cantiga de loor” song of love, that is “courtly love” and every 10th song is a song of love while the others focus on scenarios related to sins and crimes with their accompanying stories of Mary’s miracles from which Alfonso X hopes to promote morality in his kingdoms of Castile and Leon, which later become what we know as Spain.
Let’s turn to the works of Jota Martinez, a multi-instrumentalist and singer. I first encountered Martinez’s music when he worked with Eduardo Paniagua in an album of Cantigas de Santa Maria performed on the Viola de Rueda, also know as the Zanfona, but you may know it as the hurdy-gurdy. Here Martinez performs with his group, Ensemble Alfonsi, dedicated to reviving the music of King Alfonso X’s court, much like the goal of Maestro Paniagua. We now hear CSM#1 Des Oge Mais Quer-eu Trobar performed by Ensemble Alfonsi led by Jota Martinez. (7:02)
That was Ensemble Alfonsi led by Jota Martinez, who tells us that he began the task of documenting and reconstructing the musical instruments represented in the “Alfonsian” works. Martinez continues with, “After 15 years, we assembled the only collection of Medieval instruments represented in the Cantigas de Santa Maria into the, “Alphonsian Musical Insrumentarium.” That link can be found under the tab, Instrumentarium at http://www.jotamartinez.com/instrumentarium.html You can find this transcript, along with photos, and links in my blog, Peopleandcultures.blog.
You’re listening to Las Canatigas de Santa Maria, a musical biography of Medieval King Alfonso X and his devotion to the Virgin Mary. In this, we come to understand the miracles of the Virgin Mary as seen through the eyes and ears of Alfonso X, who ruled what is now Spain during the 13th Century.
I spoke with Dr. J. K. Knauss, a leading Alfonsine scholar. Dr. Knauss lives in Spain and continues her research to uncover more of the mysteries left to us from the reign of King Alfonso X, these 803 years later. My dive into The Learned King comes from Knauss’ books, Law and Order in Medieval Spain, Violence in Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, and Our Lady’s Troubadour, and from her historical fiction such as Seven Noble Knights. I asked J. K. Knauss how she discovered King Alfonso X.
(Play her answer here), then play:
CSM#166 Como Poden performed by Hesperus (3:37).
Follow with: CSM#159 Non Sofre Santa Maria – Esther Lamandier
That was Esther Lamandier, French soprano and multi-instrumentalist known for her unique voice along with the instruments she plays: harp, organetto, a portable organ, and the vielle, the medieval fiddle, the ancestor of the present-day violin. You can see pictures of the varying instruments of this music, and you can read the transcript of my words here today.
Before that, we heard Hesperus, led by the late Scott Reiss and Tina Chancey, who continues to play concerts in the Washington, D.C. area. Their music blends Medieval, Appalachian, and world music. One of my favorite albums is aptly called, “Crossing Over.” that was CSM #166, Como Poden per sas culpas: A Lame Man Healed at Salas.
You’re listening to Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, a musical biography of Medieval King Alfonso X. I’m Debra Bolton. We now pause for this station break:
Time: 26:20
Break: 2:00 music bed
(Hour 1: Segment 2)
You’re listening to Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, the story of 13th century monarch, Alfonso X and his devotion to St. Mary. I’m your host and producer of this special, and my name is Debra Bolton
King Alfonso ruled his Kingdom of Castile-Leon, now Spain, from 1252 until his death. Scholars and Alfonsine devotees continue to celebrate the Learned King’s birthday on November 23 of each year, this being the 803rd year since his birth in 1221.
Let’s discuss, for a moment, the language of King Alfonso X.
In a past interview with Alfonsine scholar, Dr. J. K. Knauss, she noted that the great legacy of El Sabio is that he lived up to his name, “the wise” because he was obsessed with writing everything down. Whether it was mathematics, astronomy, the virtue of playing board games and other leisurely activities to balance hard works, laws to govern his subjects, and teaching morality, he not only wrote continually, but he chose not to write in Latin, the language of Kingdoms of the day. What made his legacy so strong is that he wrote in Galician-Portuguese, the embryonic Castilian, the present-day Spanish. The Learned King is considered the “Father of Castilian.” Was he that much of a visionary? It would seem so since Spanish only trails Chinese as the most common language worldwide, flanked by English, Arabic, Hindi, Bengali, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, and Lahnda, aka, “Western Punjabi” according to The World Economic Forum.
Let’s continue with music performed by Musica Antigua, under the direction of Maestro Eduardo Paniagua, architect, musician, and musicologist. This album features the hurdy-gurdy, also known as the Viola de Rueda, hence the rosined wheel that rubs on the strings to make that pulsating drone sound sometimes called the “barking dog.” We will hear two pieces that highlight that unique sound of the hurdy-gurdy, and instrumental CSM#61 (2:55) and CSM # 327 (4:49), Las Piernas (Cuts 3 and 4)
That was CSM #s 61 and #327, The story or miracle tells about a priest who made underpants from cloththat sat on the alter in church dedicated to the Virgin outside the town of Odemira. The priest admired the cloth and coveted it. He stole it and took it to his house. He had a pair of underpants fashioned from it. While lying down, his heels began to press into his thighs. The pain was excruciating, and, confessing his sin, he called on the Virgin.
He repented and had a large linen cloth placed on the altar.
He was taken to the church and everyone prayed for him to the Virgin. She cured him and they praised her name. So the mircle goes.
You’re listening to this holiday special, Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, a musical biography of Medieval King, Alfonso X. I’m Debra Bolton
To get a feel for the language of the time, I turned to Alfonsine biographer, Dr. J. K. Knauss. Here she recites the poem that is CSM#207, the statue that thanks a merciful knight who goes to the church to seek forgiveness for a man who has murdered his own son. Here is Dr. Knauss reciting in the language of the time, which may be partially recognizable to those who speak Castilian. That will be followed by the Martin Best Ensemble performing CSM#207
Play her reading here followed by The Martin Best Ensemble’s “Se ome fezer de grado” CSM#207
Followed by Los Tropas de Extremadura, music before the time of Muslim ejection from Castile-Leon. Poems and songs performed by Eduardo Paniagua (5:07) (Inserted photo is of Dr. J. K. Knauss).
That was Los Tropas de Extremadura, music before the time of Muslim ejection from Castile-Leon. Poems and songs performed by Eduardo Paniagua. Before we heard the Martin Best Ensemble’s interpretation of CSM#207 preceded by Dr. Knauss’ recitation of the poem in Galician-Portuguese. We’re coming to the top of the hour. Be sure to stay tuned for the second of this two-hour presentation of Las Cantigas de Santa Maria with your host, Debra Bolton. Let’s turn to this fantasia on Cantigas de Santa Maria based on CSM# 11, the Drowned Sacristan, who was brought back to life through the Virgin’s miracle. That will be followed by a traditional Galician tune. These are performed by Ensemble Alcatraz from their CD Cantigas de Amigo, songs for a friend. This will take us to the top of the hour. Please join us for hour two of Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, I’m Debra Bolton. Thank you for listening.
We just heard Ensemble Alcatraz with a Traditional Galician Tune preceded by a Fantasia on CSM#11. We pause now for a station break. I’m your host Debra Bolton thanking you for supporting your public radio station.
Music bed: 2:00
HR 2 Segment 1
Welcome to the second and final hour of this holiday special Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, the holy canticles of the Virgin Mary and musical biography of Alfonso X, the King of Castile-Leon, now Spain. I’m your host, Debra Bolton.
Alfonso X ruled from 1252 to 1284. To put the world into perspective at the time, the English language continued to change from its Germanic-rooted Olde English of the Beowulf poet (circa 9th or 10th century) after the Norman invasion of 1066. In the next century, we hear the English of Geoffrey Chaucer of Canterbury Tales fame and the Gawain Poet. Europeans now use Arabic numerals in favor of Roman Numerals. In the Mongol Empire, Mongke, officially, marks the worship of his grandfather, Genghis Khan while Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity flourish. The Inca Empire of Peru is thriving. England begins the process of segregation of Jewish peoples, and other countries begin to follow suit. However, Poland became a place of refuge for exiled and homeless Jewish Peoples. The Mexica people, also known as Aztecs, are building their great capital city Tenochtitlan on Lake Texcoco, what is now Mexico City. King Alfonso X’s bid to be King of the Holy Roman Empire but fails as Pope Alexander IV (4th) denies Alfonso’s rights to the throne in favor of Count Rudolf, bringing prominence to the Habsburg family. Count Rudolf was considered mediocre by many, as Alfonso was too ambitious and certainly too bright for that particular Pope of the time.
Earlier, I’d mentioned that every tenth song of the Cantigas de Santa Maria, is a song of courtly love to reflect Alfonso’s devotion to the Virgin Mary. Here we now listen to Jordi Savall’s interpretation of CSM#400, with the assistance of Maestro Savall’s Hesperion XX (20) and La Capella Reial de Catalunya and Pero cantigas de Loor.
Play CSM#400 Pero cantigas de loor (3:49).
Los Judios Y La Mordedura de un Perro. Los Destierros (3:28).
We just heard a piece from the Album, Spain of the King, his troubadours and armies with a tune called, if google translate is correct, The Jews and the dog that bites the exiles. It seems that King Alfonso, though he practiced pluralism, Jewish, Muslim, and Christians co-existing, he also practiced some segregation in certain parts of his Kingdoms, too, according to John Esten Keller, Alfonsine biographer. We began with CSM#400, a cantiga de loor, song of love.
You’re listening to this musical biography of Medieval King Alfonso the Wise. Thank you for supporting this public radio station. I’m Debra Bolton.
When I spoke to Alfonsine scholar Dr. J.K. Knauss, who lives in Spain and focuses on writing books, non-fiction and historical fiction, she told me that the higher the number in the CSM collection of more than 420 poems, the more local the miracle is happening. In CSM#321, a girl who lived in Cordoba suffered from a disease of the throat called, scrofula. Her illness lingered for three years, and her mother paid lots of money for the cure. A man advised the woman to take her daughter to the king for healing. The king denied that he could cure the girl. He told the mother to take the girl to the statue of the Virgin dressed in a purple robe. They should wash the statue with water after mass and let the girl drink the liquid from the alter chalice for five days in a row, the number of letters in the name Maria. The mother did as instructed and the little girl was healed.
Now we hear CSM#321 performed by Synfonye (8:07)
Ensemble Alfonsi – CSM#339 Milagro en el Mar de Alicante (4:05) The Fish that Plugged the Hole in the Ship.
We just heard Ensemble Alfonsi with CSM #339, the Fish that Plugged the hole in the Ship. Before that, CSM #321, performed by Synfonye.
If you would like to read this transcript or see pictures of the instruments used in these songs and tunes, please check out my blog, peopleandcultures.blog. The instruments are quite lovely, and I think you will enjoy seeing them.
In case you’re wondering about Galician-Portuguese, the language that is now known as Castilian, here’s a short phonics lesson, “Cs” and “Zs” were pronounced with a “TH” sound or a lisp. Most of those pronunciations hold true today in the Iberian Peninsula. When Castilian came to the Americas beginning in1492, the thousands of Indigenous languages were erased, in most cases, as each of those countries were colonized by Columbus and those who followed him from Spain, a European Country. Spain made it to what is now New Mexico about 25 years before the Plymouth rock landing. Spain continued south and the English settlers moved west, illustrating why we speak English in the United States and much of Canada.
You’re listening to Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, a musical biography of Spain’s King Alfonso X and his praise to the Virgin Mary. I’m your host, Debra Bolton. Thank you for joining me today. Let’s pause now for a station break. In the next segment, we will enjoy more of the songs, poems, and tunes of the 13th Century as interpreted here in the 21st Century.
END OF SEGMENT ONE
Music bed for 2-minute break:
(Pictured above: Bowed Psaltry)
You’re listening to Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, a musical biography of King Alfonso X, El Sabio, the wise. I’m your host, Debra Bolton.
Let’s begin this segment with Maestro Jordi Savall, the music scholar, historian, and viola de gambist extraordinaire! I’ve had the great honor of attending three of his performances in Kansas City. Well into his 80s, Savall still gathers musicians from around the globe to see his vision of bringing to the fore music through the centuries from composers, obscure and famous. Here, we have his arrangement of and CSM tune. Ducia ( 2:05) Followed by a Galician tune, Santiago de Murcia (Murthia). (1:35) and
Instrumental interlude from Waverly Consort’s Las Cantigas de Santa Maria (6:43) (Pictured below, with the late Michael Jaffe)
We just heard a rousing instrumental from the Waverly Consort from their CD Las Cantigas de Santa Maria. They’ve performed the songs in English, and hopefully we have time to listen to the prologue as our final piece today. Before that, we heard two Galician tunes, Santiago de Murcia, CSM 123, by Jordi Savall and from the Folias Gallegas Grant Herreid and Piffaro.
You’re listening to Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, a musical biography of King Alfonso X, El Sabio, the wise. I’m your host, Debra Bolton.
Let’s explore the music of the Iberian Peninsula during Alfonso’s time with music of the Jewish and Muslim peoples. First, we turn to the music of Jewish People of the region known as the Sephardim, who populated Spain, North Africa, Turkey, differing from the Ashkenazi Jewish of Eastern Europe.
King Alfonso welcomed Christians, Jewish, and Muslims musician into his Court. He respected Muslims, the keepers of classical knowledge and for their sophisticated, cultured and their technological advances. They were poets, artists, artisans, mathematicians, merchants, and ship builders. the Jewish were known as astronomers, writers, economists, scholars, and architects.
Now, we hear Music of the Sephardim of the time with two pieces performed by Voice of the Turtle followed by a series of short pieces of music of 13th century Muslims performed by Camerata Mediterranea.
Voice of the Turtle: Toto bueno tengo (2:53) and Yo Hanino, tu hanina (3:50).
Camerata Mediterranea: Cuts 11, 15, 17, and 18.
You’re listening to Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, a musical biography of 13th Century monarch, Alfonso the Wise. Be sure to check out my blog, peopleandcultures.blog for a transcript of this presentation and pictures of the many instruments played in these musical pieces.
King Alfonso employed artists to create two and three-dimensional works of art to correspond to the poems and songs, which would have made the Learned King an early pioneer in multi-media. Now, here we are putting it all in digital form! Scholars say the works of art, the songs and the poems were Alfonso’s way of teaching morality to the subjects of his kingdom on many levels. While those in his court were, themselves, learned and well-educated people, there were many in his kingdom who, perhaps, could not read or write. Hence the need for the lessons in more than written forms.
As we think of the language of Galician-Portuguese morphing into Castilian, and many now call the language “Spanish” coming from Spain, originally. During the expulsion of Jewish and Muslims in 1492, we can see some of the suffixes that may be telling of their origins. Christian suffixes were –ez, -es, and –os. When colonizing other lands, ironsmiths were quite important. Think of the many people you know with the surname of “Smith.” Hierro means iron in Castilian. The surname Hernandez denotes the Christian ironsmiths, and the surname Herrera were the Sephardic Jewish ironsmiths, and the Gallegos hailed from Galicia. We don’t think that the double-l was pronounced with the “y” sound at the time.
Thanks to the authors who continue to educate me. My references come from the writings of Dr. J.K. Knauss. In addition, I refer to the writing of Professor Joseph F. O’Callahan, Mr. Andrew Casson, Maestro Jordi Savall, Maestro Eduardo Paniagua, John Esten Keller, Robert I. Burn, Editor of “The Emperor of Culture” and from Oxford Univesity’s CSM database.
Knauss describes the importance of the Cantigas de Santa Maria saying, “The most appropriate single adjective for the corpus of cultural work produced under Alfonso X is ‘encyclopedic.’” He wrote books of history, astronomy/astrology, law, poetry, board games, and music. Even his written leisure activities continue to survive the vagaries of time, bearing the King’s name as patron or author.”
Now we take you to the beginning as I end this musical biography of Alfonso the Wise with this English version of the prologue where the Learned King declares himself Mary’s troubadour. We hear this performed by the Waverly Consort. Thank you for listening.
Prologue 1: (2:35)
Prologue 2 (2:35)
Instruments of the time:
Shawm – 12th c conical bored double reed instrument of Middle Eastern origin, a precursor of the oboe. Like the oboe, it is conically bored; but its bore, bell, and finger holes are wider, and it has a wooden disk (called a pirouette, on European shawms) that supports the lips
Recorder – Yes. That woodwind instrument that many of us learned in grade school. We hear this in the CSM, usually, on a wider variety of wood recorders.
Organetto – a small portable organ, which you heard performed by Esther Lamandier
Oud – Literally, wood in Arabic, short-necked, pear-shaped with 11 – 13 strings grouped in 5, 6, or 7 courses. A few of the oud players that stand oud are Driss El Maloumi, a group called 3MA and Haik Egitim Merkezi Yalova, both Maloumi and Yalova perform with Jordi Savall’s Hesperion groups. The Oud is considered the most important instrument in Middle Eastern Music.
Qanun (a.k.a., kanun, ganoun, kanoon) an Arabic stringed instrument, introduced to Europe in the 12th Century. It’s played on the lap with picks that surround both index fingers, and the player can change the pitch of the strings with brass levers.
Hurdy Gurdy, a.k.a. Viola de Rueda, and the Zanfona. Here we hear this instrument in Musica Antigua.
Vielle – the Medieval fiddle with five strings and six tied frets.
Rebec – A three-string “fiddle” often held between the legs as it’s played.
Viola de Gamba – (a.k.a., Viol or gamba), a six-stringed instrument, said to be a precursor of the four-stringed cello. The Gamba, usually, is much larger and has frets, like a guitar.
Gaita – Galician bag pipe, also common in Portugal.
Duduk – Double reed Armenian flute, featuring those mournful, lamenting tones.
You’re listening to a musical journey of 13th Century Spain’s King Alfonso the X and his devotion to the Virgin Mary, on this public radio station. I’m your host, Debra Bolton, and I appreciate that you’re here with me today. You can see this transcript and photos of the instruments if you go to my blog: https://wordpress.com/post/peopleandcultures.blog/2898
The language of the time, Galician-Portuguese, finds scholars today who argue that Galician and Portuguese are dialects of the same language. It tends to remind one more of Portuguese than of Castilian, the root language of modern-day Spanish. Portugal situated directly south of Galicia, the home of the (K)Celts and the Sephardim of the Iberian Peninsula. Stay with us…
Quarta Espanpie by Ferdinando de Martino Ensemble Comtessa Carmina Gemina: 2:43
End of Hour 2, Segment 1
2:00 minute break.
We continue with Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, the musical biography of Medieval King of Castile-Leon, Alfonso X, the wise and learned. I’m your host, Debra Bolton.
For more perspective of the time, King Henry III ruled England about the same time Alfonso X ruled Castile-Leon, the greater part of what is now known as Spain. While El Sabio ruled his lands with Christians, Muslims, and Jewish peoples living and studying side-by-side with some appreciation and great tolerance, it would not be until 208 years later that Isabella and Ferdinand would expel all non-Christians and the time Christopher Columbus would set sail for Asia but landed in the Americas, which changed extensively the lives that he touched. Before that, well-civilized Indigenous tribes had not yet had contact with European colonizers. The surnames that most people connect with Latin American countries were the surnames of their Spanish conquerors. During and after the inquisition, many non-Christians, Jewish and Muslim people, added the suffixes of –ez, -es, or –os, meaning “son of,” to their surnames. For example, the Muslim man, Alvar, became Alvarez. The Jewish man, Martin became Martinez. Consistent with most surnames, there remained a connection to the family trade or place of origins. The Herrera were Sehphardic Jewish iron-smiths of Galicia. Those hailing from Galicia, or Galego, were the Galegos. In the present day, an extra “L” was added to make it “Gallegos” with the double-L being pronounced as “ya.”
Santa Maria by Irfan 4:45
CSM #156 by Rocio de Trutos 2:37
You’re listening to Las Cantigas de Santa Maria on this public radio station. I’m your host, Debra Bolton, and I appreciate that you’re here with me today.
We just heard two pieces, Santa Maria by Irfan, a Bulgarian group focused on electro-acoustic music from a variety of genres and musical centuries. Also, we heard Soprano Rocio de Trutos known best for her Bach Cantatas. You’ve been listening to Las Cantigas de Santa Maria, the holy canticles of the Virgin Mary and the musical biography of Medieval King Alfonso X of Spain in music, poetry, and art. I’m the producer and your host, Debra Bolton.
El Sabio, King Alfonso the X ascended the throne of Castile-Leon, now Spain, in 1252 and immediately devoted himself to the creation of new laws, the Siete Partidas (seven parts) and the Fuero Real (Royal Municipal Code), both of which continue to be in effect here in the 21st Century.
Scholars posit that the CSM continue to be a testament by which the king wished to be remembered after his death. That means that we, also, are part of the intended audience. Knauss continues that the learned king, likely, did not fathom this kind of dissemination, now in this digital age. She says, “With these technologies, it grants scholars who study the CSM a place in his highly exclusive circle of apprentices.”
I began exploring the history of the CSM, because I found the tunes, songs, poems, and art pieces so wonderfully tuneful and passionate with their multimedia approaches. I hope you’ve found this music and its stories interesting. For more information, please visit my blog: https://wordpress.com/post/peopleandcultures.blog/2898
And, if you’d like to hear the show, encourage your local public radio station to run it, and it can be found at the Public Radio Exchange, PRX.
Rosas das Rosas – The New York Consort for Poetry and Music 3:24
CSM #383 Jordi Savall and Hesperion XX 8:14
Rose of Rose CSM Waverly Consort 3:27
Thank you for listening to Cantigas de Santa Maria, I’m Debra Bolton.
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