Gaspar Fernandes
In 1590 Gaspar Fernandes seemed ready to follow the career trajectory of a capable musician in the Iberian Peninsula with his position of singer and organist at Evora Cathedral earning 5000 reis. Yet 10 years later we find him, now a priest, settled in Guatemala at the Santiago Cathedral as the maestro de capella and organist at 400 pesos. By 1606 knowledge of his abilities was so widespread in New Spain that the Chapter at Puebla Cathedral, Mexico, offered Fernandes 800 pesos to be the maestro and organist at Puebla, one of Mexico’s most imposing religious establishments.
During his 20 year tenure at Puebla Fernandes composed and compiled the 278 magnificent works of the Oaxaca Manuscript, many of which represent the diversity of culture of 17th century Mexico . . . the indigenous tribes (Tlascalan, Nahuatl, etc), African elements, and the European influence. Many of the pieces are lively spiritual villancicos written for Christmas and Corpus Christi, which were especially requested by the authorities and much appreciated by the populace. It was a form already current in Spain (eg. Francisco Guerrero at Seville, all be it without the additional color and energy drawn from indigenous tribes and African cultures in New Spain) and passed on by Fernandes to his successor at Puebla, Juan Gutierres de Padilla, who was hired by the Cathedral as assistant in 1622. Gaspar Fernandes died in 1629.
Botay fora
Gaspar Fernandes "Botay fora"
Dame albriçia mano Anton
This Negrita a4 was edited by Dr. Robert Stevenson as part of the Latin American Colonial Music Anthology published in 1975. Fernandes must have had a fantastic choir at Puebla Cathedral to perform these challenging villancicos that he included in his ms. . . now at Oaxaca Cathedral.
Gaspar Fernandes "Dame albriçia mano Anton"
Elegit eum Domino
Gaspar Fernandes "Elegit eum Domino"
En un portalejo pobre
Gaspar Fernandes "En un portalejo pobre"
Eso rigor e repente (Guineo)
Gaspar Fernandes "Eso rigor e repente" (Guineo)
Eso rigor e repente
Juro a qui se ni yo siquito
Que aun que nace poco branquito turu
Somo noso parente
No tenemo branco grande
tenle primo, tenle calje
Husie husia paracia
toca negriyo tamboriiyo.
Canta parente:
Sarabanda tenge que tenge
Sumbacasu cucumbe
Ese noche branco seremo
O Jesu que risa tenemo
O Jesu que risa tenemo
O que risa Santo Tomé. (fine)
Vamo negro de Guinea
A lo pesebrito sola
No vamo nеgro de Angola
Que saturu negla fеa
Queremo que niño vea
Negro pulizo y galano
Que como sanoso hermano
Tenemo ya fantasia
Toca viyano y follia
Bailaremo alegremente
Gargantiya le granate
Yegamo a lo sequitiyo
Manteyya rebosico
Comfite curubacate
Y le cura a te faxue
La guante camisa
Capisayta de frisa
Canutiyo de tabaco
Toca preso pero beyaco
Guitarria alegremente
Canta parente: . . .
Pois con tanta graça
Gaspar Fernandes "Pois con tanta graça"
Pois con tanta graça bela
A naçido un belo niño.
Tocay voso panderiño
Batista sua churumbela,
Toca Afonso a guitarrela.
A for a for a gatiño.
Follijay portuguesiño.
Fufurrufu
Seja bem venido noso Deus a se folgar,
Ay que estos fidalguiños folgão de o festejar
Ay que me morro ay que me fino
De amores da may donsela e seu belo fidalguiño.
E minino tão fermoso
que se semeja a sua may
E todo porque seu pay
es portugues muy honrroso.
Ainda que no portal
Naçe o minino chorando
Pode ser que tempo andando
seja rey de Portugal.
Pois con tanta graça bela . . .
Tlecantimo choquiliya_
Gaspar Fernandes "Tlecantimo choquiliya"
Tleycantimo choquiliya,
mis prasedes mi apission.
Tleycantimo choquiliya,
mis prasedes mi apissión.
Alleloya, alleloya, alleloya.
Dejalto el llando creçida,
mizalto el mulo y el guey.
Jimoiol lali mi rey
tleinmir tolimia mi lada.
No se porque de meis pena,
tan lindo cara de rosa,
mor pihol lochin miño hermosa
nochalchiuh asojena.
Jesos de mi goraçon
no lloreis mi pantasia.
Tleycantimo choquiliya, . . .