Cantigas
for cello and piano
A cantiga is a monophonic, often strophic, song with Galician-Portuguese text from the Medieval period. Many of the cantigas that we know of today come from the Cantigas de Santa Maria, a codex from the 11th century with each cantiga dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Six of the seven movements of Cantigas are based on songs from this codex. However, in many of the movements, even the foremost expert of these songs will have a hard time hearing them in this work. Cantigas uses pitch material, motives, or melodic contour from each cantiga as a jumping-off point for a completely different musical idea.
Elements like text, or meaning were not considered, instead, each cantiga served as a sort of musical artifact that inspired this new work. The result is like looking at an object through different lenses. The music can enhance, extend, or completely juxtapose the original meaning of the cantiga.
Cantigas was commissioned by William Jason Raynovich and Mark Sudeith, through the support of the Music Department at Chicago State University.
Six of the seven movements of Cantigas are based on songs from this codex. However, in many of the movements, even the foremost expert of these songs will have a hard time hearing them in this work. Cantigas uses pitch material, motives, or melodic contour from each cantiga as a jumping-off point for a completely different musical idea.
Elements like text, or meaning were not considered, instead, each cantiga served as a sort of musical artifact that inspired this new work. The result is like looking at an object through different lenses. The music can enhance, extend, or completely juxtapose the original meaning of the cantiga.
Cantigas was commissioned by William Jason Raynovich and Mark Sudeith, through the support of the Music Department at Chicago State University.