Iberia Concert – Medieval Music


Saint Mary Chapel was the stage of the Iberia Concert of Medieval Music on August 12th and 13th. Twelve years after the last ancient music festival in a city that had already been a reference for such music in Brazil, the partnership between Collegium Cantorum Women Choir and Endriago group made it possible for the population to listen to Medieval music which was important in the emergence of the Iberian languages, among which are Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan and Galician.

Iberia Concert had its repertoire based on three manuscripts from the Iberian Peninsula of the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries (Cantigas de Santa Maria, Cantigas de Amigo e Cantigas de Peregrinos) in which the Iberian music “invents” its feminine side through songs of praise to the Virgin Mary and ballads sung in literary female voice, presenting the woman waiting for her beloved one. During that time the stories were told through music. It can be said that everyday-life was organized using music. Religiousness was very strong. Femininity and love finally started to exist. The lyrics and the manuscripts registered these cultural expressions, says Ana Cristina Lago, artistic director of the concert and choir singer.

The concert united two groups with a common objective: to provide an experience of Medieval music appreciation to the public of Curitiba city. We joined the instruments used by the Endriago Group such as the bagpipe (Galicia), oud (Arabic) and others of Brazilian origin like the alfaia de maracatu, viola de cocho, and the female voices of Collegium Cantorum, making it possible for the people to experience the music that collaborated in the forming of our language and even our culture.

Another characteristic of the concert was the use of the internal and external areas of Saint Mary Chapel for the theatrical interpretation of the songs, creating an ideal setting of the Medieval age, where the music was played in basically two sets: the church, incorporated to the liturgical rites, which were practically shows, in the best sense of the word; and outdoors, a space proper for the oral tradition, music and the most popular autonomous customs.
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Anônimo disse...

beautiful work, Helma!!!!!I loved it. Maria