1459
Previous Next| Document | Date | Century | City | Province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfonso de Palencia, De perfectione militaris triumphi [Perfección del triunfo militar]. | 1459 | 15cent/2/mid | Castilla-León |
Military allegory that includes a passage that is notable as the earliest known reference to playing the guitarra with the thumb (pulgar).
Written originally in Latin (1459) and later translated into Spanish by the author in 1490.
| Document type | Subject | Siglum | Archive name | Call no. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| literary print | Literature Music Guitar Vihuelas | Alonso de Palencia |
Original Latin”
[fol. 37r] “...presertim cytharam police proprio pulsaverit, plectro dimisso”.
Spanish version
[fol d(1)] Vitoria parió al Triunfo fauoreçiendo los dioses. Ca todos aquel dia conuinieron en casa de victoria y dieron y francamente otorgaron sus dotes al niño. Jupiter le dio la honrrada y clara majestad. Marte las honrrade sus trabajos. Mercurio abundamiento de las artes a el subjetas. Neptuno dixo que la juridiçion de mar siempres obediçiese a las fiestas del Triunfo. La mesmo prometio del fuego Vulcano.
Pero en aquel ayuntamiento de los dioses fue juzgado más diligente Apolo, como aparejase verdes campos e montes llenos de foja e fermosura de bien oliente vergeles, e tañesse muchos suaues instrumentos de música e señaldamente la guitarra con su proprio pulgar, dexada la péñola. Y aun atribuyese el laurel para la caeça del ninno y claridad para los dias de sus fiestas y caro resplandeciento con oro y cauallos blanco para honor del mismo triunfo.
Earlier in the Spanish text there is another instersting reference to music. on fol. b6, (image 16 on BDH):
“O rosa bela. tu rogier lieua el tenor iaques guarda la contra yo lieuo la boz del canto o rosal bella. Sa fa muy suabe es esto amable yo buo abuso.o alegre cauallero de españa dixo iaques y derechamente en tu gesto ...
| Name | Status when cited | Social status |
|---|---|---|
| Palencia, Alfonso de | Living | Professional |
Author also known as Alfonso Fernández de Palencia. The book is also known as Tratado de la perfección del triunfo militar.
In Perfección, he mentions playing the guitarra with the thumb (pulgar) “e tañesse muchos suaves instrumentos de música e señaldamente la guitarra con su proprio pulgar”. This is one of the oldest references to playing with the fingers rather than a plectrum.
See also his Batalla campal, where he uses the word tentar to refer to preluding (the earliest reference to the term used in music). .
Synopsis: (from, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_de_Palencia, accessed 16/3/2019)
A character named “Exercise” (el Ejercicio), accompanied by the wise Discretion (Discreción), tries to find the character named Triumph (el Triunfo). Triumph refers Exercise to a Roman captain named Gloridoneo, who may represent Alfonso V of Aragon. Gloridoneo is victorious in battle and Triumph grants victory to Order, Exercise, and Obedience –virtues which will help a king emerge victorious, advice that may have been directed to Henry IV.
Latin original is in E-Mn MSS/10076 and available in the Biblioteca Digital Hispana, bdh0000060202.
Spanish translation is available onOriginal MS is in Biblioteca Digital Hispana, bdh0000174114
The Durán Barceló edition is on Google Books: https://books.google.com.au/books?id=HpR0yduI9soC&lpg=PA60&ots=FyecOsER0A&dq=perfecci%C3%B3n%20del%20triunfo%20militar&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q=guitarra&f=false