Category: Historical Soundscapes

By Posted on Posted in Articles, Historical Soundscapes Tagged with , , ,

❧ Lecterns played an important part in the visual culture of musical practice in church choirs throughout the centuries. The stalls have been frequently regarded as the epitome of wood-carving carpentry and embellishment of the choirs but the lectern, usually its centre-piece, frequently stands out as some of the finest art both serving the purpose of holding the heavy choirbooks …

The choir lectern of Angra Cathedral (Terceira Island, Azores) ❧ read more »

By Posted on Posted in Articles, Historical Soundscapes Tagged with , , ,

❧ The so-called Good Friday procession organized by the Misericórdia of Évora in 1656, was in fact the procession of the Soledade. This procession seemed to be a strong Iberian devotion that commemorated the solitude of the Virgin Mary on Holy Saturday, and was part of a wider devotion practised on Good Friday. The so-called Good Friday procession organized by …

The Procession of Soledade in 1656 Évora ❧ read more »

By Posted on Posted in Articles, Historical Soundscapes, Musicians Tagged with , , , ,

❧ Most of what we read regarding the musical activity in Évora Cathedral from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries is frequently focused on the careers and compositions of the institution’s most distinguished chapel masters. Indeed, this happens in many cases as a result of the amount and availability of documental sources regarding their activity. By contrast, when speaking about …

Manuel Botelho, a musician in 17th-century Évora ❧ read more »

By Posted on Posted in Articles, Historical Soundscapes Tagged with , , , ,

❧ Processions imploring for rain (ad petendam pluviam) are a constant occurrence in the Early Modern World. During the extended periods of extreme drought Man turned to the divine forces to ensure his subsistence directly related to the cultivation of the fields and harvesting of cereals to make bread as well as other foods. Processions imploring for rain (ad petendam …

A procession imploring for rain in seventeenth century Évora ❧ read more »

By Posted on Posted in Articles, Historical Soundscapes Tagged with , ,

As many early modern cities did, so did Évora have its areas where certain trades were concentrated, arranged throughout specific streets our squares. As we still see today in many of Évora’s buildings the ground floor of most of them in the nowadays historical centre streets were shops where goods were sold, or services were provided to the city’s inhabitants …

Artists living at Porta Nova of Évora in the 16th century ❧ read more »

By Posted on Posted in Articles, Historical Soundscapes Tagged with , , , , ,

The Church of Santo Antão (dedicated to St Anthony, Abbot) was one of the main construction projects of the Cardinal D. Henrique during his government as Archbishop of Évora. During Medieval times it is referenced as the Church of Santo Antoninho in the city’s main square, annexed to the hospital and lodging facilities in charge of the Order of the …

Organ activity in the Church of Santo Antão, Évora, in the 1570s ❧ read more »

By Posted on Posted in Articles, Historical Soundscapes Tagged with , , , , , ,

The entries and visits of kings to the cities were always moments of grandeur, consisting in the perfect moments for the commission of artworks as well as social gatherings and much activity among the ruling classes of the cities and villages visited. To write about this would be too extensive for this kind of text so, in order to keep …

A visit to the Convent of Calvário in Évora by King Philip III ❧ read more »

By Posted on Posted in Articles, Composers, Historical Soundscapes Tagged with , , ,

To write about musicians, composers, or even chapel masters in Évora during the sixteenth century frequently represents a challenge, to say the least, due to the scarcity of sources and accounts regarding their professional careers or their own biographies. The case of the singer, composer, and master Francisco Velez is no exception being part of a group of musicians of …

Francisco Velez, a musician in sixteenth century Évora ❧ read more »

By Posted on Posted in Articles, Historical Soundscapes Tagged with , ,

Most of the published studies about the history of music in the Portuguese city of Évora have begin chronologically in the first decades of the sixteenth century onwards. This period corresponded to the activity of the Spanish chapel master Mateus d’Aranda at Évora Cathedral. The successors of Aranda both as chapel masters, singers, and instrumentalists, throughout the sixteenth century have …

The Medieval Soundscape of Évora from a 17th-Century Perspective ❧ read more »