Its rich heritage, along with initiatives in recent decades have been developed to put in value and spread it, make Seville a city as a center for research, training and interpretation of ancient music called . This heritage includes of course the legacy left us by the composers who were born and worked in the city, but also files, libraries, churches, palaces, organs, which tell of a past of unique beauty.
medieval music in the Iberian Peninsula, and especially in Andalusia, is marked by an event that distinguishes it from the rest of the continent: the presence of Muslim kingdoms for nearly eight centuries found that, in addition to the development of sacred repertoire characteristic of Christian communities, forge a completely different, characteristic of Islamic civilization and which was special relevance of secular music production. The arrival of Ziryab to Cordoba in the ninth century ushered in a period of extraordinary musical splendor throughout Al-Andalus. Ziryab introduced the five-stringed lute and the plectrum and created the first conservatory in the Islamic world. The example of the emirs of Córdoba reached the musical development of other centers, very singularly in Seville, who lived a remarkable period of cultural brilliance in King-poet Almutamid. Of course, that not a note of the Islamic production has been recorded on paper at the time, but far from lost, this code, transmitted orally, is preserved in communities from North Africa and now also has a living presence Seville, home to frequent the joint Arab-Andalusian music.
Christian advances in the Guadalquivir valley in the thirteenth century, culminating in the conquest of Seville in 1248, marked the arrival in southern Spain for a different repertoire: lyrical troubadour dressed up Sevilla spirituality. Alfonso X of Castile, the wise king, established his court in the Palace of the city, which undergoes major renovations, and work there among many other projects in their manuscripts cantigas dedicated to St. Mary, which treated them as lady of many poems of courtly love. Monodic medieval lyric in this work reaches the height of its development in Spain to join them not only the best of literary art, musical and miniaturist of the time, but also the traditions of the Muslim, Christian and Jewish.
is in any way, in the sixteenth century when Seville was released a free expansion precedents that would make financial capital, and largely cultural, the Western world. After the discovery of America, the city becomes a unique port for trade with the new continent, causing a dramatic population growth that would eventually convert to late in the second city in population in all of Christendom. As foreseeing what would happen in 1401 members of the cathedral chapter of Seville had taken the decision to build a colossal new cathedral, "a church Fagamos such and so great that who see it take us by crazy " stopped writing. His successors were responsible for filling of the best music was then composed in Europe.
The century polyphony is indeed the golden age of English music, which has one of its core Sevilla Highlights: composers such as Pedro Escobar, Francisco de Penalosa, Rodrigo de Ceballos, Juan Vasquez Cristobal de Morales and Francisco Guerrero set a roster of world reputation, talents, and even the key figure of the English school known as the Avila Tomás Luis de Victoria, who in that 2011 marks the fourth centenary of his death, is linked Seville school through the intermediary of his teacher, Juan Navarro Seville. But not only looks sacred art in the Renaissance Seville, but also secular music, which are good witness the songbooks of the period-one directly connected to the city, like the Columbine conservation here, and editions of songs and instrumental music villanescas singularly for vihuela.
The luster and prestige of Renaissance polyphony have obscured the study and knowledge of Baroque music in Spain and Seville. The seventeenth is certainly a century of decline for the English monarchy, but the lights of the artistic past is not diluted suddenly. Musical life at the Cathedral of Seville continued to enjoy considerable prestige, and names like Wolf and Diego Alonso José de Salazar, marking the two ends of the century, we suggest the existence of a vivid and exuberant art. Testimony of musical excellence such as organic Faculty of Francisco Correa de Arauxo Seville, a core collection in the development of organ music of the era.
no shortage in the eighteenth century masters of sacred music linked to Sevilla, and Pedro Rabassa, who spent more than 30 years as choirmaster at the cathedral, blending in the traditional works English style with the latest imported from Italy, but is instrumental in the art which produce the greatest events of universal significance: the presence of Domenico Scarlatti in the four years that remained in the city, the future Ferdinand VI and his wife, the Portuguese Infanta Maria Barbara de Braganza, the Neapolitan composer meant for contact with the rhythms and melodies of southern Spain which would subtly trapped in their outstanding production of keyboard sonatas. Heat and bloom Scarlatti memory of local talent also as Manuel Blasco de Nebra, unfortunately died young, but whose music is catching up in recent years widespread recognition by famous pianists. And how to forget that Manuel Garcia, tenor which premiered Rossini's Figaro, wrote successful operas for theaters from different countries, created a choir of international significance and brought Italian opera to New York was born in the district of Arenal, just next to where now stands the great temple of opera-day Seville, Teatro de la Maestranza?
Because all of this musical legacy of which I speak can not be considered a dead letter. He is alive, thanks to the last decades the city has seen a development in cultural matters that affected especially early music, driven by the silent work and enthusiastic teachers and students, by schedules of festivals and various cycles, the proliferation of groups that have slowly begun to be known abroad. It is however much to be done. Files, not just the capital, but once so flourishing nearby as Ecija, Osuna, Marchena, Olivares Carmona u are full of scores, although in many cases already scheduled, waiting patiently for the interpreter to be able to remove dust and offer rejuvenated to contemporary ears. Much remains to be done. Sevilla retains one of the largest organ heritage of Spain: More of 30 historical instruments, considered such as those built before 1900, surviving in the capital, about 110 across the province. Unfortunately, the state of this rich heritage is not ideal, but in recent years have taken restorations were used to rescue high value tools and have developed initiatives that push for optimism, as the Academy of Body Andalusia, last held in 2009 and that urgent rescue. Are certainly things to do. But the city with an infrastructure of theaters and auditoriums recently renovated, and the immense wealth of its many churches available to programmers and interpreters is well positioned to emerge as international reference in the exciting field of early music. The Cultural Center of Santa Clara that our host, recently inaugurated FEMAS headquarters, is one more link, you may be decisive in the connection string is a glorious cultural past with a hopeful present and, most importantly, with a future that is by design, open and full of possibilities.
[Paper read at the Meeting of Creative Cities of Music Unesco. Sevilla, 19/03/2011]
