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| The Song of the Sibyl | |
|---|---|
| Date | Christmas Eve |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Locations | |
| Inaugurated | 10th–11th century |
| Chant of the Sybil on Majorca | |
|---|---|
| Country | Spain |
| Reference | 00360 |
| Region | Europe and North America |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2010 (5th session) |
| List | Representative |
The Song of theSibyl (Catalan:El Cant de la Sibil·la[əlˈkanddələsiˈβilːə]) is aliturgical drama and aGregorian chant, the lyrics of which comprise aprophecy describing theApocalypse, which has been performed in churches onMajorca (Balearic Islands,Spain) andAlghero (Sardinia,Italy), and some Catalan churches, in theCatalan language onChristmas Eve nearly uninterruptedly sincemedieval times. It was declared aMasterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity byUNESCO on 16 November 2010.
Several versions, differing in text and music, exist.
The author of The Song of the Sibyl is unknown. The prophecy was first recorded as anacrostic poem in Greek by bishopEusebius of Caesarea and later translated into Latin bySaint Augustine inThe City of God. It appeared again in the 10th century in different locations acrossthe Crown of Aragon,Italy,Castile, andFrance in the sermonContra judeos, later inserted into the reading of the sixth lesson of the secondnocturn ofmatins and was performed as an integral part of the liturgy.
This chant was originally sung inLatin and under the name ofJudicii Signum, but from the 13th on, versions inCatalan are found.
These early Catalan versions of theJudici Signum were not directly translated from Latin. Instead, they all come from a previous adaptation inProvençal, which proves the huge popularity this song must have had in the past.
Amongst theCatalan texts which come from this common root, there is a 14th-centuryCodex kept in the Archives of theMajorcanDiocese, which was rediscovered in 1908. Oral transmission and the lack of written scripts has caused the various old texts in thevernacular to suffer many modifications over time, which has led to a diversity of versions.
The Song of the Sibyl was almost totally abandoned throughout Europe after theCouncil of Trent (held in 25 sessions from 1545 to 1563) declared its performance was forbidden. Nevertheless, it was restored onMallorca as soon as in 1575.
Originally, the Song of the Sibyl was sung in aGregorian melody and, as it can be seen in the codex previously mentioned, the musical accompaniment that was played inMajorca, with the exception of some variations, was the same documented in other places across theIberian Peninsula. Today, it cannot be ascertained when the Song of the Sibyl was sung to this Gregorian melody, but most likely until the 16th or 17th century. Oral transmission of the song caused, as it did with the text, the birth of different variations and models. The interest this chant produced amongst earlyMusicologists andFolklorists of the 19th century led to the transcription of the different known versions of the song. The versions still played nowadays take these transcriptions as model.
In theRenaissance, the Gregorian melody of the Song was set topolyphonic music by various composers, a common practice during that period. Two of these works, both for four voices, can be found in theCancionero de la Colombina, a Spanish manuscript from the second half of the 15th century. The text in them is an abridged version of the Song, in theCastilian language.
The song was originally sung by aPresbyter, although this figure was later replaced by a boy. Even though the Song is supposed to be sung by aSibyl woman (prophetess), for many centuries women were not allowed to sing inchurch.
Today, in most temples in which the song is interpreted, it is still sung by a boy, although in some cases it is sung by either a little girl or a woman. In the performance, the singer walks up to theAltar escorted by two or more altar boys carrying wax candles. Once there, the singer greets thecrucifix, turns around, and begins the song. The song is sunga cappella and in a solo voice. In some churches, organ music or either modernchoralinterludes are introduced between one verse and the next.
The costume used to perform the song is rather similar in all churches (at least aroundMajorca) where it is performed. It consists of a white or coloured tunic, sometimes embroidered around the neck and the hem, and usually, a cape (which is sometimes replaced with a second tunic). The head is covered with a cap of the same colour. The singer holds a sword in his hands, which is held erect during the whole song. Once the song is over, the singer draws a cross in the air with the sword, turns around to thecrucifix once again, usually bows, and afterwards is escorted away from the altar by the same boys.
Today the performer is either a boy or a girl, and increasingly more places in the Catalan-speaking world are taking up the tradition again, such that in 2010, it will be performed not only in the majority of municipalities on Mallorca and in L'Alguer (Sardinia), but also in the following municipalities ofCatalonia and theValencian Country:Barcelona (at 3 different churches),Gandia,Lleida,Ontinyent,Sueca,Vic and others.[1]
The song starts with an introduction, the melody of which differs from the rest of the song. In some performances, the song ends with the introductory melody as well.
The lyrics stated here correspond with aMajorcan version of the song. For theAlguer version of the song, seeCant de la Sibil·la (L'Alguer) on Wikisource. The text is not standard, but late MedievalCatalan. Some verses are attributed to the 14th-century Mallorcan writer,Anselm Turmeda, who translated into Catalan theJudicii Signum (Book of the Final Judgement), on which the composition is based.[2]
The lyrics used on Mallorca are as follows:
| Original Catalan | English Translation |
| Al jorn del judici parrà qui avrà fet servici. | On the day of judgment, he will be spared who has done service. |
| Jesucrist, Rei universal, home i ver Déu eternal, del cel vindrà per a jutjar i a cada u lo just darà. | Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, man and true eternal God, from Heaven will come to judge and to everyone will give what is fair. |
| Gran foc del cel davallarà; mars, fonts i rius, tot cremarà. Daran los peixos horribles crits perdent los seus naturals delits. | Great fire from the heaven will come down; seas, fountains and rivers, all will burn. Fish will scream loudly and in horror losing their natural delights. |
| Ans del Judici l'Anticrist vindrà i a tot lo món turment darà, i se farà com Déu servir, i qui no el crega farà morir. | Before the Judgement the Antichrist will come and will give suffering to everyone, and will make himself be served like God, and who does not obey he will make die. |
| Lo seu regnat serà molt breu; en aquell temps sots poder seu moriran màrtirs tots a un lloc aquells dos sants, Elíes i Enoc. | His reign will be very short; in these times under his power will die martyrs, all at once those two saints, Elijah and Enoch. |
| Lo sol perdrà sa claredat mostrant-se fosc i entelat, la lluna no darà claror i tot lo món serà tristor. | The sun will lose its light showing itself dark and veiled, the moon will give no light and the whole world will be sorrow. |
| Als mals dirà molt agrament: —Anau, maleits, en el turment! Anau-vos-ne en el foc etern amb vòstron príncep de l'infern! | To the evil ones he will say very sourly: —Go, damned, into the torment! Go into the eternal fire with your prince of Hell! |
| Als bons dirà: —Fills meus, veniu! Benaventurats posseïu el regne que us he aparellat des que lo món va esser creat! | To the good he will say: —My children, come! Lucky ones, you possess the kingdom I have kept for you ever since the world was created! |
| Oh humil Verge! Vós qui heu parit Jesús Infant aquesta nit, a vòstron Fill vullau pregar que de l'infern vulla'ns lliurar! | Oh humble Virgin! May you who have given birth to Child Jesus on this night, pray to your son so he will want to keep us from Hell! |
Source:[3]
Judicii signum tellus sudore madescet.
Et celo rex adveniet per secla futurusScilicet in carne presens ut judicet orbem.
Judicii signum tellus sudore madescet.
Reicient simulacra viri cunctam quoque gazamExuret terras ignis pontumque polumque.
Judicii signum tellus sudore madescet.
Inquirens tetri portas esfringet averniSanctorum sed enim cuncte lux libera carni.
Judicii signum tellus sudore madescet.
Eripitur solis jubar et choris interit astrisSolvetur celum lunaris splendor obibit.
Judicii signum tellus sudore madescet.
Et coram hic domino reges sistentur ad unumDecidet et celo ignis et sulphuris amnis.
An excerpt of the Latin version was recorded in 1974 by TheBoston Camerata, directed byJoel Cohen, in their album "A Medieval Christmas" (Nonesuch), and again in their 1990 album "New Britain: The Roots of American Folksong" (Erato/Warner Classics), with an American Judgement Day hymn as comparison.
In 1994 a full Latin text with choral accompaniment was recorded byBrigitte Lesne and her group Discantus on the CD "Campus Stellae" (Opus 111). Another was recorded bySequentia for their 1997 albumAquitania - Christmas Music From Aquitanian Monasteries.[4]
A medieval variant inGalician-Portuguese from the Cantigas of Alfonso del Sabio (Madre de Deus) was recorded in 1987 by The Boston Camerata, directed by Joel Cohen, in their album "The Sacred Bridge" (Erato), and again in 2006 in the same ensemble's "A Mediterranean Christmas."
A sixteenth-century French song, "Oiez, seigneurs," with similar text (but different music) can be found on "Noël Noël: French Christmas Music" by The Boston Camerata, directed by Joel Cohen (Erato/Warner Classics)
A Catalan version was recorded byMaria del Mar Bonet in 1979 on her albumSaba de terrer, and by the vocal ensemble Obsidienne in 1995. The Song of the Sibyl (in all versions) was recorded in 1988 and again in 1998 byJordi Savall andMontserrat Figueras. A part of it is also performed byDead Can Dance on their albumAion (1990) and live albumToward the Within (1994).
A traditional Majorca version was recorded in 2014 byCappela an a cappella group of singers from Barcelona, Spain, in their albumCappela Per Nadal.[5]
