JOSÉ DE NEBRA Esta Dulzura Amable - Sacred cantatas AL AYRE ESPAÑOL Eduardo López Banzo María Espada 1 JOSÉ DE NEBRA Esta Dulzura Amable - Sacred cantatas AL AYRE ESPAÑOL Eduardo López Banzo María Espada AL AYRE ESPAÑOL Farran James violin I Kepa Artetxe violin II James Bush violoncello Xisco Aguiló double-bass Juan Carlos de Mulder archlute Eduardo López Banzo harpsichord and conducting María Espada soprano JOSÉ DE NEBRA (1702-1768) “Que contrario, Señor” Cantada al Santísimo “Llegad, llegad, creyentes” Cantada al Santísimo [1] Que contrario, Señor (recitado) 0:41 [16] Llegad, llegad creyentes (recitado) 0:32 [2] Con la paz tu amor convida (aria cantable) 8:01 [17] Alma, bebe del costado (aria cantable) 4:04 [3] Camine pues en orden todo aliento (recitado) 0:40 [18] Esta dulzura amable (recitado) 0:35 [4] Salga el hombre feliz a campaña (aria) 5:03 [19] Espera fervorosa (aria) 4:19 “Alienta fervorosa” Cantada al Santísimo (1727) [5] Alienta fervorosa (recitado) 0:41 total time: 65:24 [6] Vuela, vuela fervorosa (aria) 6:25 [7] En su mesa divina (recitado) 0:52 [8] Ven, ven del Líbano (aria) 5:13 Sonata en mi menor [9] Allegro 6:33 We would like to thank the following people and institutions for their collaboration: [10] Correnta viva 3:25 Provincial Council of Zaragoza - Javier Lambán, President of the Provincial Council of [11] Vivo 3:37 Zaragoza - Parish of Ambel - City Council of Ambel - Diocese of Tarazona - Zaragoza Cathedrals Chapter “Entre cándidos, bellos” Cantada al Santísimo [12] Entre cándidos, bellos accidentes (recitado) 0:50 Agradecemos su colaboración a las siguientes personas e instituciones: [13] Al tierno esposo amante (aria) 8:05 Diputación Provincial de Zaragoza - Javier Lambán, Presidente de la Diputación Provincial [14] Del mar del mundo horrible y alterado (recitado) 0:33 de Zaragoza - Parroquia de Ambel - Ayuntamiento de Ambel - Obispado de Tarazona - [15] Del piélago violento (aria) 4:46 Cabildo de las Catedrales de Zaragoza 4 5 About a year ago, in the ferocious its materials and with the equilibrium the old New Spain up to the eight- briskly dancing to a harp, jarana and August heat, I discovered Ambel. -so difficult to achieve- between space eenth century. The Central American a requinto guitar, all instruments Travelling around the province of and decor. There are few places like people were dazzled -according to with Spanish roots. They danced and Zaragoza, searching for an ideal loca- this, where these revived pieces, sev- the missionaries’ chronicles- by the played what is still known as “zapat- tion to recreate the music of José eral of which (the cantatas) surprisingly richness of Spanish music, which they eado” (foot stamping). Ever since the Melchor Baltasar Gaspar de Nebra y enough, remained unpublished until immediately adopted as their own. seventeenth century, they still enjoy Blasco (from Calatayud). Being Godly I had the great fortune of discovering and entertain each other with sounds music with pious texts, the most ap- them overseas. They were so marked by that encoun- of such Hispanic origin, also known as propriate place would be a temple. I ter between two cultures that they Jarocho Sounds (the Jarochos are the was looking for a church impregnated Fifteen years ago, my research on took the Spanish instruments and native people of that area), which they with the spirit of Saragossan baroque Spanish baroque music led me on to the language of music as their own: dance during the Fandango festivals. art; something that would be an the trail of some American archives not only to create and perform music It is precisely that frenzied and mod- added inspiration to that of our work. where -I suspected- I would be able (records show that Native Americans ern tap dance which reminded me Naturally, the site had to comply with to find some interesting collections played and composed just a few years of our Mr. D. Joseph de Nebra who the necessary acoustic quality, in of music from the Iberian Peninsula. I after the arrival of Columbus) but also wrote, two and a half centuries earlier, accordance with the repertoire that crossed the Atlantic and the results far for the pure enjoyment of singing and in one of his elegant zarzuelas, a no we would record, able to do justice exceeded what I had imagined. Not dancing to the latest music in fashion, less vigorous tap dance. to these pieces so filled with minute only did I find numerous and indeed adding them to their own culture. details and subtle nuances. The Her- interesting sheet music, but as a result After Mexico I found myself in Guate- mitage of Our Lady of the Rosary in of my journey I discovered that the If one travels today to Tlacotalpan mala City. There I discovered, among Ambel, at the foot of the Moncayo soul of those antique scores remained (in the state of Veracruz), the traces the hundreds of forgotten musical mountain, attracted me with its typical unexpectedly alive. Mexican folklore, of Spanish baroque folklore can be scores that make up the rich musical Aragonese blend and contrast of a so- for example, is a vivid portrait -with found in its taverns. One unforgetta- archive of its cathedral, the four can- ber exterior and rich interior. With its the inevitable influences of later cen- ble afternoon, next to the Papaloapan tatas that are included in this record- dim and fickle lights, with the purity of turies- of the music that was made in river, I saw a native American woman ing. But how had these pieces written 6 7 by a Saragossan from Calatayud who, In the trunks of that very canon, in Throughout his reign, music was domi- of musicians wherein Nebra met Scar- as far as we know, never left his home- all likelihood, these songs that I now nated by Italian masters: the most latti. It would be interesting to know land, end up here in the overseas present, travelled to America. Those, relevant being Domenico Scarlatti the details of the relationship they had Guatemala? as well as other compositions by who arrived in Spain in 1729. in their day: José-Joseph-de Nebra Nebra and some of the most famous and Domingo-Domenico-Scarlatti the Roll back to the second decade of the masters of that era. Depending on the dating of some details of which history sadly reserves. eighteenth century: Nebra, already of the cantatas, and due to the many working at the time as organist and Our Nebra was, this explains every- stylistic peculiarities, we suspect that Eduardo López Banzo composer in the royal court of Ma- thing, a prestigious composer. His they were the result of a definite period drid, was only twenty years old! He persona stands out amongst an an- of Nebra’s work, dated around the last had acquired great fame as an author cient dynasty of musicians: the Nebras, years of the decade of 1720. Thus be- Suddenly Joy of stage music and wrote numerous who worked primarily in the province ing a contemporary of Scarlatti’s arrival Eduardo López Banzo neither can songs for the royal chapel’s religious of Zaragoza. But José (Calatayud 6-1- in Spain, as a harpsichord teacher in the nor wants to hide his intellectual celebrations. These pieces, character- 1702, Madrid 11-7-1768) reached even entourage of the Portuguese Barbara of disposition to travel. It is the immedi- istic of solemn sacred palatine ceremo- more fame and prestige. His music Braganza, on the occasion of her mar- ate consequence of his indefatigable nies, travelled to America. But how? could be described as Italianised with riage to Ferdinand, son of Philip V and curiosity for everything, his desire to a Spanish air, arises at a time when the Elizabeth Farnese, Prince of Asturias, intensely live all that is placed in front In Guatemala, among the many docu- Italian style conquered the European and future King Ferdinand VI. of him. But López Banzo’s journeys ments that I had scrutinised, I read the courts; a process that began around are always round trips. The topics story of a journey that an eighteenth- 1700 that would mark the future of Ferdinand and Barbara had an ex- that most stimulate him are both at century clergyman of the Cathedral western music. As far as Spain is con- treme passion for music. Later, writers hand and in the far reaches of the made to Europe: among others, in cerned, the Italian fashion found its would remember theirs as a reign of planet. Limiting ourselves to music, it order to compile modern music that primary and most exalted ambassador melomaniacs, dominated by musicians is as important for him to explore the would later be played by musicians in the very same Queen consort Eliza- and opera singers such as the cele- tradition of the Forty Hours’ Devo- of the primary Guatemalan temple. beth Farnese, second wife of Philip V. brated Farinelli. It was a true paradise tion or pieces by Spanish authors like 8 9 Antonio de Literes and José de Torres, place in a professional studio. As in what they hear and believe me, remain Caterina da Siena in Naples. Even as well as to delve into the operas of the Spanish expression: “there is a in absolute silence. Incredible and Antonio Florio, who was present, was Handel and Mozart or Bach’s Passions, limit to the nonsense you can take”. emotive. The performance emanates left enchanted. And López Banzo felt especially if he has the opportunity to The voyager side of López Banzo vitality, energy, joy. Demonstrating subdued ever since this performance conduct one of them in no less than does the rest.