NATIONAL SCHOOL OF MUSIC

LYRICAL AND POPULAR SONG

RECORDER I

MUSICAL ANALYSIS

PRESENTED
BY:

Yasser
Ramón Cerda
Jirón

SUPERVISE
D BY:
 Prussia of
tella Medieval
times,
plen Renaissance,
early Baroque
and Celtic
dens tradition
Master Asdrúal M. Ibarra Q. 29/11/2019
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

MUSICAL ANALYSIS...................................................................................................................................................................1
tella plendens......................................................................................................................................................................................1
Prussia of Medieval times,............................................................................................................................................................1
Renaissance, early Baroque and Celtic tradition..........................................................................................................................1
TABLE OF CONTENTS..........................................................................................................................................................1
Introduction

Stella splendens (Shining Star) is a song1 polyphonic2 collected in the fol. 22r of the Llibre Vermell de
Montserrat3 , which is one of the manuscripts4 oldest medieval works that contain music from the period and are still
preserved. This piece is a dance and is written for two voices.

The Llibre Vermell (Red Book) is a medieval manuscript preserved in the Montserrar monastery (Barcelona),
which builds one of the pillars of Spanish medieval music. It was copied in the last years of the 14th century, and from
its name to its red velvet binding, made at the end of the 19th century.

It contains a collection of medieval songs, and other liturgical content, dating from the late Middle Ages. The
purpose for which the Llibre Vermell was written is explained in detail in a note written in Latin (fol. 22r), in which
pilgrims are warned that they should avoid “vain songs and dishonest dances during their trip and stay in Montserrat.”
Singing and dancing in church was a well-rooted medieval custom, against whose abuses multiple synods and
councils reacted.

The songs are in Catalan, Occitan and Latin and are all by unknown author. Although the collection was
copied in the late 14th century, most of the music is believed to be earlier. For example, the motet “Inperayritz de la
ciutat joyosa” has a different text for each of the two voices, a style that was no longer used when the manuscript was
copied.

1 A song is a musical composition for the human voice, with lyrics and commonly accompanied by musical instruments.
2 Polyphony (from Greek πολύς [ polis ] = "many" and φονος [ phonos ] = "sounds, melodies") in music is a type of musical texture in which multiple melodic
voices sound simultaneously that are largely independent or imitative of each other. yes, of similar importance and different rhythms. Therefore, it differs
from music with a single voice (monophony) as well as from music with a dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords (homophony, accompanied
melody).
3 The Llibre Vermell de Montserrat (in Spanish , Libro Rojo de Montserrat ) is a manuscript preserved in the Monastery of Montserrat , near Barcelona . It
contains a collection of medieval chants and other liturgical content dating from the late Middle Ages .
4 A manuscript (from the Latin « manu scriptum », meaning "written by hand") is a document that contains handwritten information on a flexible and
manageable support (for example: papyrus , parchment or paper ), with materials such as the ink of a quill, a ballpoint pen or simply the graphite of a pencil .
 Stella Splendens ' repertoire is made up of works of the vocal and instrumental genres, in which the breathing
and phrasing of these styles are respected as much as possible. Solemnity is present in the sacred compositions, but
ancient music and Celtic music is not only that, but the secular pieces were also designed for the enjoyment of lords
and commoners and are the faithful reflection of the festivals and celebrations of these epochs.

The biggest problem that arises in the interpretation of scores so distant in time is that we cannot know for sure
what the melodies of those times sounded like or how they were interpreted, since the instruments of that time, in
some cases, have little to do with it. see with their descendants closest to us and who have reached us, generally,
through reconstructions. However, it is possible to create a clearer and more reliable idea of this music, going to the
existing original sources collected in treatises, codices or other writings.

The Llibre Vermell, so called because of the red velvet with which it was bound in the 19th century, is a
miscellany of theological and devotional texts copied in the last decade of the 14th century. It is preserved in the
scriptorium of the Abbey of Monserrat and is one of the few codices that were saved from the fire of 1811 caused by
the imperial troops of Napoleon Bonaparte. Initially, the manuscript contained 172 pages written on both sides, of
which 35 have been lost. The remainder include two collections of miracles attributed to the Virgin of Montserrat,
indulgences, privileges, a guide to the churches, and a seven-page popular songbook with ten sacred songs in Latin,
Catalan and Occitan.

According to the Brevis exortatio ad sermonicandum of the manuscript, the songbook was intended for the
monks in charge of the assistance and religious instruction of the pilgrims who came to the sanctuary, with the
purpose of avoiding praise songs and dances of very different nature and origin such as manifestation of the joy of
finding oneself before the Holy Image. Medieval custom, on the other hand, widespread throughout Europe and to
which several synods and councils reacted.

Among these songs is the famous Stella splendens in monte, a two-voice polyphonic song in Latin performed
by the soloists and choir of La Capella Reial de Catalunya and the musicians of Hespèrion XXI directed by Jordi
Savall.

Shining star on the mountain, like a ray of the sun miraculously serrated, hear your people. Your joyful pilgrims
gather from everywhere, rich and poor, big and small. They come to this same place so that their eyes may be
illuminated and from here they return full of grace.
Main Composers of the Period
There are several classifications that could be Middle Ages : Alfonso X the Wise, Guillaume de Machaut, Philippe de Vitry.
made of the composers on whom Stella Renaissance : Juan del Enzina, Francisco de la Torre, Juan Ponce, Pedro de
Splendens works. Tordesillas, Mateo Flecha the Elder, Pedro de Escobar, Juan Álvarez de Almorox,
One of these arrangements, perhaps the clearest, Heinrich Isaac, Carlo Verardi, Antonio de Cabezón, Cristóbal de Morales, Diego Ortiz,
is the one that can be made taking into account the Henry VIII of England, Francisco Guerrero, Tomás Luis de Victoria, Juan Gutiérrez de
different historical-artistic periods. In this way, and Padilla.
from the most distant authors to those closest to
the present, we find the following distribution: Baroque : Claudio Monteverdi, Joan de Cabanilles.

Source: Music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, First Baroque and Celtic tradition.
Musical analysis
Name of the work: Stella Splendens
Composer: A stranger
Period: XIV century
Middle Ages (Between the 5th century and the 15th century)
Polyphonic
Tonality: C Major
Number of Measures: 35
String instruments : rebec, dulcimer, fidula, harp, lyres, psaltery, monochord, lute, guitar
and organistrum.
Predominant Instruments of the period: Wind instruments : flute, flajol, gemshorn, ocarina, zampoña, pan flute, oboe, olifante,
tuba and whelk.
Percussion instruments : rattles, cowbells, rattles, bells and tambourines.
RHYTHMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
predominant figures
5 white
27 black
Flute 1 2 black with dot
21 eighth notes
2 sixteenth note
9 white
Flute 2
33 black
Rhythmic formulas (How many)
Flute 1 Two Reasons
Flute 2 Two Reasons
MELODIC CHARACTERISTICS:

Predominant intervals ( Ascending or descending)

18 ascending
Flute 1
19 descendants
21 ascending
Flute 2
12 descendants
Sets or Disjoints
27 sets
Flute 1
23 disjoint
12 sets
Flute 2
19 disjoint
Simple intervals
Second Major
Reason 1 Major Third
Minor Third
Reason 2 Second Minor
 Major Third
Second Major
Minor Third
Minor Third
Major Third
Reason 3 Fair Fifth
Second Major
Fair Fourth
Second Major
Reason 4 Fair Fifth
Second Major
melodic motifs There are 4 reasons in total
MUSICAL STRUCTURE OR FORM:
A (from measure 1 to measure 19) (Stanzas)
Sections
B (from measure 20 to measure 27) (Chorus)
Musical Phrases There are two sentences
Source: self made.
 Bibliography
[1] Batahola, M. and. (sf). History of Music in Batahola.

[2] Music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Early Baroque and Celtic tradition . (October 22, 2019).
Retrieved from https://stellasplendenssoria.wordpress.com/2016/03/07/stella-splendens/