Musical Analysis of Cantiga Santa Maria Strela Do Dia

Analyzing Santa Maria Strela Do Dia (Cantigas de Santa Maria)

Rhythmic Structure and Tempo

The piece features a fast tempo, characterized by a quadruple meter (4/4 time).

Transcription and Historical Context

Higinio Anglés (1888–1969), a distinguished Spanish musicologist, undertook the monumental task of transcribing all the Cantigas de Santa Maria, along with other medieval songs. He translated the medieval square and rhomboid notation found in the original manuscripts into modern musical notation (music theory).

Anglés conducted three separate studies on the Cantigas, analyzing each line of notes observed in the score individually.

Melodic Characteristics

The melody is modal. It utilizes both syllabic and melismatic singing styles, although the neumes appearing on the score often suggest a melismatic interpretation.

The performance primarily uses conjunct motion (stepwise degrees), but disjunct motion (leaps) is also present, notably on the third beat of the first staff. Overall, the melodic contour is undulating.

Texture, Language, and Ensemble

The texture is monophonic, meaning all voices sing the same melodic line simultaneously. The language of this piece is Galician-Portuguese.

The performance ensemble is a vocal group, specifically a choir featuring both female and male voices.

Instrumentation and Timbre

While few instruments accompany the voices in this specific interpretation, instrumentation is not specified in the original scores. The use of instruments is inferred from the miniatures that illustrate the scores, often depicting minstrels.

The musical accompaniment typically includes string instruments and idiophones, such as a rabab (or rebec), a lute, and a metal idiophone.

The original scores of these troubadour songs do not specify the exact timbre or instrumentation. Therefore, modern performance practice mirrors that of the Middle Ages: performers select instruments deemed appropriate for the specific troubadour song.

Genre and Historical Setting

This piece is classified as a ballad or troubadour song, a typical medieval composition intended to entertain the court and performed by court musicians. Specifically, this is a cantiga de loor (song of praise).

It is believed that Alfonso X composed one song of praise for every ten narrative canticles. It belongs to the genre of vocal music, though instrumental accompaniment is common in performances.

It was composed during the High Middle Ages (13th century) by Alfonso X el Sabio (Alfonso the Wise), King of the Crown of Castile. The specific title is Santa Maria Strela Do Dia.