by SAVAE (San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble)
Iago/Talking Taco Music, Inc.
P.O. Box 781211,San Antonio, TX 78278
Here’s one I saw displayed prominently at Borders Books; it seemed fascinating enough that it was worth risking $16.99. This 1998 album attempts to recreate some of the music written by the Mexican Indians after their conquest by the Spanish. Manuscripts from Mexican cathedral archives were transcribed, then combined with extensive research on musical practice and rhythms of the era. All the pieces in this collection are inspired by the Virgin of Guadalupe -- hence the title.
Musically speaking, you get a mishmash of simplified late Renaissance composition and Latin percussion, with an occasional piece sounding much more Mexican, almost mariachi-like.
I like this stuff; it’s interesting to hear what might have been in the head of a newly conquered people converted to the conquering faith. The music itself spans the late 1500s to the early 1700s. You can definitely hear the Spanish influence; perhaps this was some of the first European style music composed by those born in the Americas. What struck me mostly was the preponderance of minor chords, a lack of counterpoint that you often find in music of this sort, and a "world beat" given to a style of liturgical music that you rarely heard played with percussion.
Other accompanying instruments are mostly recorders, guitars, and indigenous flutes. It’s not nearly as rich as a Palestrina or a Gabrielli, but there’s some gems on here. Besides that it gives us a living glimpse into a practically lost culture.
I’ve often thought the conquest of the Aztecs to be a great tragedy, though I suppose their tradition of human sacrifice didn’t endear them to the surrounding tribes over whom they held power. The Spanish, recently invigorated from exiling all the Jews and Muslims from their homeland, found fertile ground for conquest and conversion. This entire mind set on both sides seems pretty gruesome. Maybe the music shows that despite all this, there is grounds for connection.
SAVAE was founded in 1989 and specializes in performance of early music from Latin America. One has to salute them for searching out this rare music and bringing it to life.
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