IEDRW Fall 2014 30 October – 3 November
The Iberian Peninsula
Music from the three great Spanish Cancioneros Palacio, Medinaceli & Uppsala & More
Topics: Ornamentaion according to Ortiz
The Villancico: Form and Function Solmization for Everyone
Bajon & Bajoncillo
The Fall 2014 iteration of the Indiana Early Double Reed Workshop, run concurrently with the Indiana Sackbut Workshop, will return after a lengthy hiatus to the repertoires of the Iberian peninsula, Spain and Portugal, from the middle of the 15th through the early 17th centuries. Much of the repertoire will be drawn from the three great surviving cancioneros, namely the Palacio, the Medinaceli and the Uppsala collections, whose works span this period of time and cover numerous styles. These small-scaled works, mainly for 3, 4 or 5 voices, penetrate deeply into the cultures that produced them and reference all levels of their respective societies. The Villancico, or “song of the people” as the name infers, serves as the chief vehicle of this immersive journey into Iberian life. In addition, the workshop will revive the Spanish repertoire of the Fall 2008 and 2009 seasons, which included many works from the great cathedrals of Spain, i.e. Seville, Madrid, Toledo, Lerma and others, including the sacred works of Guerrero, Lobo, Rogier and more.
The topics that will inform and guide the workshop’s efforts will include a close look at the ornamentation treatises of Diego Ortiz, i.e. the Regula Rubertina and the Tratado de Glosas, applying ornamental sequences found in those sources to the repertoire at hand. We’ll also take a close look at the history, form, function and characteristics of the Villancico, ubiquitous throughout Iberian repertories. In addition, we will spend some time learning/polishing/mastering the practice of solmization as it enhances our playing, informs our musica ficta choices and generally improves our awareness of modal contexts and melodic form. Finally, some emphasis will be placed on the role of the bajon and bajoncillo, so prominent in the Iberian musical cultures throughout the Renaissance and early Baroque.
As is customary at each and every workshop, we will also continue our ongoing efforts to refine our understanding of (1) modal theory and its application in practice, (2) just and meantone intonations and their demands on the performer, especially the tuning of mi’s and fa’s and (3) clefs, transposition and original notation. In addition, reed sessions will be available for those interested in making, adjusting or simply gaining a more informed daily life with early double reeds.