Manuel de Zumaya

Manuel de Sumaya
Born1680
México, New Spain (now Mexico City, Mexico)
Died21 December 1755(1755-12-21) (aged 77)
Antequera, Valle de Oaxaca, New Spain (now Oaxaca, Mexico)
OccupationsComposer, organist, Roman Catholic priest
Years activeca. 1690 – 1755
EraBaroque
Notable workOpera (Partenope, lost), polyphony, Masses (e.g. Misa del tercer tono), Latin-texted liturgical works (e.g. Victimæ paschali laudes), cantatas (e.g., Si ya a aquella nave, Alegres luces del día, Como aunque culpa), villancicos (e.g., Ya se eriza el copete, El sol-fa de Pedro, Cerca de México el templo, Celebren, publiquen, Angélicas milicias')

Manuel de Sumaya (1680 – December 21, 1755) was the most notable composer of New Spain (present-day Mexico).[1] His music represents a synthesis of traditional Spanish musical practices with elements of the Italian style that was becoming influential in the Spanish Empire in the early eighteenth century. It is possible that he was the first New World composer to write an Italian-language opera, entitled Partenope (now lost). Like Antonio Vivaldi, Sumaya was an ordained Roman Catholic priest. His name appears in the historical record spelled as both "Sumaya" and "Zumaya," but the former spelling is more common, particularly in his manuscripts.

Life

Manuel de Sumaya was born in Mexico City in 1680. The exact date of his birth is not known, but he was baptized on January 14, 1680. Around 1690, his parents sought to enroll him in the Mexico City Cathedral choir school. Due to regulations related to limpieza de sangre, only children of pure European descent were allowed to attend. It was discovered that his baptism had been recorded in the books containing non-white baptisms, and so it was moved into those containing white baptisms to ensure his admission.

Sumaya began his studies at the cathedral as a seise (choirboy). There he gained recognition for his exceptional talent and progressed quickly. His name first appeared in a document dated May 25, 1694, when the cathedral chapter provided financial assistance following his father's premature death to prevent him from withdrawing to help support his family.[2] With this support he was able to begin keyboard study with cathedral organist José de Ydiáquez, whose assistant he became in 1708. He continued composition and counterpoint studies with maestro de capilla Antonio de Salazar. In 1710, due to his failing eyesight, Salazar requested of the cathedral chapter that Sumaya be named as his assistant. In 1714, Sumaya was promoted to the position of principal organist. In 1715, Salazar died and Sumaya competed for and was appointed to the post of maestro de capilla, prevailing over his long-time rival Francisco de Atienza.[3][1] During Sumaya's tenure as maestro, he produced many dictámenes (administrative reports) that reveal him as a composer who placed great value on traditional Spanish counterpoint and harmony, and a maestro de capilla who enforced high standards for the cathedral's music.[4]

Sumaya's play Rodrigo, intended to honor the birth of Crown Prince Luis was performed on August 25, 1707, possibly with his own music. He was also hired by the viceroy, Fernando de Alencastre, 1st Duke of Linares, as a composer and translator. The viceroy commissioned the opera Partenope, which premiered in 1711.[5]

In 1738, after serving 23 years as maestro de capilla in Mexico City, Sumaya moved to Oaxaca, following his friend and protector Tomás Montaño who had recently been appointed as bishop there. It is unclear why he left his position in Mexico City but evidence suggests that he wished to escape the highly political environment there.[4] When he arrived in Oaxaca, the position of maestro de capilla at the cathedral was held by Tomás Salgado. At first Sumaya served as Montaño's chaplain and worked as a notary. Later, on November 16, 1742, he was appointed interim curate of the cathedral parish. In 1745, Salgado was demoted from his position as maestro de capilla, presumably to allow Sumaya to assume the post, which he did on January 11 of that year.[2][1] He expanded the cathedral capilla by hiring choristers and instrumentalists, oversaw the installation of a new organ, and mentored several promising musicians.[5]

Sumaya died on December 21, 1755 in Oaxaca. He was buried in the Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua in the Sagrario, adjacent to the cathedral.[6]

Style

His works are a multiplicity of his talents and styles. He was a master of the older Renaissance style and of the newer Baroque style.

Zumaya, an exceptional composer from the New Spain in the 18th century, demonstrated versatility in both pseudo-Renaissance vocal polyphony and Baroque stylings. While his Latin motets and hymns often featured free imitative counterpoint, his Alma Redemptoris mater creatively paraphrased plainchant, and his Lamentations for Holy Saturday incorporated the Spanish Lamentation tone. What distinguishes Zumaya is his bold harmonic exploration, particularly in his use of augmented and diminished chords, as well as secondary dominants. His Baroque compositions are marked by energetic motivic activity, intricate instrumental figuration, and lively harmonic progressions. In the villancico Celebren, seemingly unassuming motifs emerge in the accompaniment, gradually intertwining in complex ways to generate a sense of continuous advancement.[5]

In 1711, the new Viceroy of New Spain, Don Fernando de Alencastre Noroña y Silva, Duke of Linares, a devotee of Italian opera, commissioned Sumaya to translate Italian libretti and write new music for them. The libretto of the first, La Parténope survives in the Biblioteca Nacional de Mexico in Mexico City, though the music has been lost.

The Hieremiae Prophetae Lamentationes is a Gregorian-style antiquated notational piece.

Zumaya authored the charmingly jolly Sol-fa de Pedro (Peter's Solfeggio) in 1715 during the examinations to select the Chapel Master at Mexico City's cathedral.

Zumaya's other famous piece, Celebren Publiquen, shows his ability to handle the polychoral sound of the high Baroque era. With his distribution of the choral resources into two choirs of unequal size, he copied the style that was favoured by the Spanish and Mexican choral schools in the early 18th century. The rich textures and instrumental writing reflect Zumaya's "modern" style and are at the opposite end of the spectrum from his anachronistic Renaissance settings.

Zumaya's recessional Angelicas Milicias presents his ability to superbly combine the Baroque orchestra and choir to create a sublime and stately piece in honor of the Virgin Mary. The interludio Albricias Mortales is done in much the same style as Angelicas Milicias.

References

  1. ^ a b c Davies, Drew Edward (2024). Forging repertories: cathedral music in New Spain and its performance. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-972990-6.
  2. ^ a b Ramos-Kittrell, Jesús A. Playing in the cathedral: music, race, and status in New Spain. Currents in Latin American and Iberian music. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-023681-6.
  3. ^ Russell, Craig (2002). "Manuel de Sumaya: Reexamining the a cappella Choral Music of a Mexican Master". In Crawford, David; Wagstaff, George Grayson (eds.). Encomium musicæ: Essays in memory of Robert J. Snow. Hillsdale, NY: Pendragon Press. pp. 91–106. ISBN 9780945193838.
  4. ^ a b Illari, Bernardo E. (2020). "Ideas de Sumaya". Revista de Musicología. 43 (2): 587–628. doi:10.2307/26975139.
  5. ^ a b c Russel, Craig H. (2001). "Zumaya [Sumaya], Manuel de". Grove Music Online (8th ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.31064. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0. (subscription, Wikilibrary access, or UK public library membership required)
  6. ^ Quiñones, Jaime González (1997). "La verdadera fecha de la muerte de Manuel de Sumaya". Latin American Music Review / Revista de Música Latinoamericana. 18 (2): 317–319. doi:10.2307/780400. ISSN 0163-0350.

Further reading

  • Barwick, Steven. Two Mexico City Choirbooks of 1717. Carbondale, Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press, 1982. ISBN 0-8093-1065-1
  • Saldívar, G. (1987). Historia de la música en México. Gernika.
  • Stevenson R. (1952). Music in Mexico : a historical survey. Crowell.
  • Stevenson, R. (1964). "Mexico City Cathedral Music: 1600–1750". The Americas, 21(2), 111–135. doi:10.2307/979056
  • Stevenson, R. (1965). "La música en la Catedral de México: 1600–1750". Revista Musical Chilena, 19(92), 11–31.
  • Sumaya, M. de, & Tello, A. (1994). Archivo Musical de la Catedral de Oaxaca. Cantadas y villancicos de Manuel de Sumaya. CENIDIM.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.