Music and Power in Early Modern Spain by Timothy M. Foster

Author:Timothy M. Foster [Foster, Timothy M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Europe, Spain & Portugal, Modern, 17th Century, 16th Century, Latin America, Central America
ISBN: 9781000485196
Google: WZdOEAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2021-11-29T02:47:33+00:00

While the use of shawm and flute music was recommended in the Third Council (which Oré subsequently cites [52r]), it is not known from where Oré takes the prescription for teaching plainchant and polyphony. As a musical texture, polyphony’s ear-catching complexity represented the latest in European Renaissance innovation. Thus, it is logical that Spaniards would have advocated for its use in order to attract the attention of converts, hoping to move the affects toward union with God.

In the next section, “De lo que se ha de rezar y cantar en el choro…” [“On what must be prayed and sung in the choir…”], Oré states that praying and singing are the most important tasks that indigenous people can possibly perform (52v). He also mentions the practical importance of bells for signaling the choristers to meet for Mass (53r). Oré prescribes elaborate devotional rituals involving many townspeople participating in a choir up to four times weekly (54r-v). Finally, in the subsequent section, “De como se ha de cantar la Salve los sabados por la tarde…” [“On how the Salve must be sung on Saturday afternoons…”], Oré quotes the Third Council of Lima and suggests that the Salve Regina, a Marian hymn, should be sung with organ, flutes, or other instruments (56v-57r). Oré’s musical suggestions to his missionary readers give valuable insight into the scope and seriousness of the music that may have been practiced in missions and the degree to which it was rooted in the Council of Lima’s pronouncements. Incredibly, both Garcilaso and Guaman Poma personally met Oré (Cook 178–79; Beyersdorff 472), and his understanding of polyphony and musical education features prominently in their chronicles.

It is clear from both the Council of Lima and Oré’s Symbolo that musical evangelization in Peru was built upon theoretical underpinnings of musical humanism, and specifically the Augustinian notion of “true” music, which brings both catechist and catechumen closer to God. While indigenous music was generally thought of as idolatrous—or “false” in the language of musical humanism—it could become “true” if incorporated into Spanish Catholic music, as demonstrated in the acceptance of Andean flute music by the Council of Lima. Garcilaso and Guaman Poma, in their own way, incorporated this understanding of the power of true music to evangelize into their divergent views for the future of religious music in Peru.

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