The Wandering Bard
The Book of the King
FREE ENTRANCE
The Book of the King, by The Wandering Bard, is a narrated concert that transports the audience to medieval Iberia, centring on the Cantigas de Santa Maria, attributed to King Alfonso X, ‘the Wise’, and grandfather of King Dinis. This extensive work constitutes a fundamental source on life in the Iberian Peninsula in the 13th century, and also takes on an autobiographical character, with the king referring to it in his will as the Libros de los cantares de loor de Sancta Maria.
The work was written in Galician-Portuguese, the literary language of the time and the predecessor of modern Galician and Portuguese. The cantigas recount episodes involving the people, who interact directly with Saint Mary, a central figure to whom some four hundred miracles are attributed, recorded in musical notation. The concert offers a listening experience that reveals the connections between the divine, nature, politics and the people of the time, whilst also exploring Alfonso X’s personal relationship with the book: the work’s intention, its origin, and the king’s devotion to this powerful woman.
Programme
Alfonso X, o Sábio (1221–1284)
CSM* Prólogo A: Don’afonso de Castela
CSM Prólogo B: Porque trobar e cousa en que iaz
CSM 1: Des’oge mais quer'eu trobar
CSM 209: Muito faz grand erro y en torto iaz
CSM 202: Muito a santa maria
CSM 8: A virgen santa maria
CSM 86: Acorrer nos pode e de mal guardar
CSM 42: A virgen mui groriosa reỹa espirital
CSM 100: Santa maria strela do dia
CSM 402: Santa maria nenbre’vos de min
*Cantigas de Santa Maria
Esin Yardimli Alves Pereira and Ricardo Alves Pereira (The Wandering Bard), musical and literary research and restoration, compositions and arrangements
Performers
Esin Yardimli Alves Pereira, direction, viela and vocals
Ricardo Alves Pereira, direction, oud, vocals and commentary
Jorge Luís Castro, vocals
Ruben Leonardi, percussion
Concert as part of the symposium “Matter, Form, Colour: 50 Years of Conservation and Restoration of the Sculpture at Alcobaça Monastery”, organised by the World Watch Fund
Information
If you have any questions, please contact us:
Tel. 967 716 647 or info@cistermusica.com