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Luis de Narváez

Y la mi cinta dorada

 

Los seis libros del Delphin (1538), fol. 72v

na027

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Source title Seys diferencias de conrtrapu[n]to sobre vn villancico del quinto tono que dize y la mi cinta dorada da por que me la toma q[uie]n no me la dio. En la quarta en vazio esta la clue de fefaut. En la tercera en tercer traste esta la claue de cesolfaut.
Title in contents   Seys difere[n]cias sobre vn villancico que dizen. y la mi cinta dorada.
Text incipit Y la mi cinta dorada


Music

Category variations

Genre other

Fantasia type

Mode 5

Voices 3

Length (compases) 185

Vihuela

Tuning G

Courses 6

Final IV/0

Highest I/9

Lowest VI/3

Difficulty not specified

Tempo variable

Song Text

Language ES

Vocal notation texted cifras rojas

Commentary

Rubric: “Six variations in counterpoint on the villancico in mode 5 that says ‘Y la mi cinta dorada da por que me la toma q[uie]n no me la dio’. The F clef is on the open fourth course. On the 3rd fret of the 3rd course is the c clef.” In each variation the melody is printed in red ciphers.

This set of six variations using the villancico melody as a cantus firmus. In stead of repeating the same cantus firmus in each variation, it is varied to make a continuous cycle. Variations 1 and 2 are set to the estribillo, variations 3 and 4 set the copla with variations 5 and 6, once again setting the estribillo. It seems that the instrumental counterpoint is more significant than the song. The cantus firmus alternates between the tenor and soprano voice and the variations are of varying length: 1 tenor, 2 soprano, 3 tenor, 4-6 soprano,

Variation 1: (22 compases) The cantus firmus is in the tenor, with a glossed voice above it in faster notes.
Variation 2: (22 compases) Two voices with the tenor in the tiple and a counterpoint below in fster notes.
Variation 3: (53 compases) The vuelta of the villancico is set. The c.f. is in the tenor in compases 1-18, then in the superius. The texture is mainly in two voices with some additions.
Variation 4: (42 compases) The melody is set in a higher position on the fingerboard with added two voices weaving around it.
Variation 5: (45 compases) In 3 voices with the c.f. in the tiple with a glossed middle line
Variation 6: (22 compases) Is a fast variation with the c.f. in the tiple.

A three-part setting of the melody is in Barcelona Ms 454, no 125, edited in rosfabregas1992. Narváez’s tune corresponds to the estribillo. On the basis of the position ot the vocal work in Barcelona 454, Ros-Fabregas believes it is plausible that the setting may be by Flecha, but this is speculation only. He also points out that the piece is not a villancico but a cosante, also known as a bailada encadenada or paralelística, songs traced back to dance songs from Portugal and Galicia in which a distich, each line sung by a different soloist alternates with a refrain sung by a chorus. Romeu (“El cosante”, p. 34) combined the Barcelona 454 and Narváez texts to give a more extended version, reprinted by Ros Fabregas, (rosfabregas1992, 479).

The work is reprinted in French tablature in Phalèse, Des chansons reduictz en Tablature, fol. h3 (Brown 1546-18, nº 34).

Song Text

Variations 1, 2
Y la mi cinta dorada,
¿por qué me la tomó,
quién no me la dio?

Variation 3
La mi cinta de oro fino
diómela mi lindo amigo
tomómela mi marido
¿por qué me la tomó,
quién no me la dio?

Variation 4
La mi cinta de oro claro
diómela mi lindo amado
tomómela mi velado
¿por qué me la tomó,
quién no me la dio?

Variations 5, 6
Y la mi cinta dorada,
¿por qué me la tomó,
quién no me la dio?

Intabulations
Modern edition(s)

Ros-Fabregas, Emilio. “The Manuscript Barcelona, Biblioteca de Catalunya M. 454: Study and Edition in the Context of the Iberian and Continental Manuscript Traditions.” 2 Vols. PhD. diss. City University of New York, 1992.

Printed source(s)
Manuscripts

[Barcelona] Biblioteca Nacional de Catalunya (Biblioteca Central), MS 454 “Cancionero musical de Barcelona”.