[gothic-l] Ostrogothic or Visigothic Music

[Friþunanþs Ximeneiks - (Fernando E. Ximenez)]

Hej Albareiks,
Concerning the "Canto de la Sibila" or Sibilline Verse which you
mentioned in your post:
     I have a recording of the "Canto de la Sibila from Galicia and
Castille" sung by Montserrat Figueras with the Capella Reial De
Catalunya, it is on the Musica Iberica (auvidis fontalis) label.
     Of the earliest copies of the Sybilline Verse (of the Iudicii
signum dating from after St. Augustine and whence comes "El Canto de la
Sibila") - three come from three different 9th century florilegia. The
verses are given without music in two of them, and the third one shows
evidence of the notation being inserted at a later time. The
eschatological/prophetic subject of the Canto was well known in the
Asturian Visigothic kingdom due to the Asturian Bishop Beatus de
Liebana's commentary on the Apocalypse of St. John (a topic that became
of interest around the first millenium due to the imminent return of
Christ). Seemingly due to the latter preparation, the Canto was well
received throughout Asturias but the manuscript (with notation) comes
from the Church of Saint-Oyan (Jura) and like many tunes and melodies of
the period, these were probably learned and then passed on by
memorization before fining their way to a scribes desk where they were
recorded.
   - The Canto de la Sibila seems to have spread throughout Europe after
1183 (after it was incorporated into the Roman Liturgy in Spain) that, -
since manuscripts of the same work are found in many locations
thereafter.

     In my estimation, except for the ‘knowledge’ of the carmina maiorum
(a seemingly Gothic musical form) of which there is evidence, there is
little else known about other 'original' Gothic musical forms and music
before their arrival in the empire------ nonetheless, music in the later
Visigothic period seems a rather interesting topic to pursue and
research in light of early musical manuscripts.

Cheers,
Friþunanþs



sunburst wrote:

> Hails!
>
> The melody of Gothic music may be more recoverable than that of any
> other Germanic tribe.  Spanish manuscripts preserve Visigothic
> melodies, some which are reported to be from as early as the 6th
> century.  The melodies for the death laments of the Visigothic king
> Chindasvinthus (641-52) and queen Reciberga (c. 657) are preserved.
> Another song known to the Visigoths was the Song of the Sibyl, which
> was originally in Greek, and from the 6th century. After conversion,
> the Visigoths had their own liturgy, also known as the Mozarabic
> liturgy, which was probably originally developed in the Eastern
> Empire.  A main characteristic of the non-Roman liturgies is the
> incorporation of traditional elements of folk melody, and such was
> certainly the case with the Visigothic liturgy. While a good number of
> these melodies were recorded, the notation style is difficult to
> interpret, and only 21 of the melodies have been deciphered.  Some of
> the melodies can easily be identified as being from traditional folk
> music.

> I have now written about half of the poems in Germanic Alliterative
> Verse that I will need in order to produce a CD of traditional music
> featuring the Gothic language.  In that project, I will be making use
> of some of the original Visigothic melodies.  I can't really
> effectively describe how they sound; you will have to hear them for
> yourself.

> Albareiks

>
>
>
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--
GIF89a_



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