Pilgrimage to Andalucia (2)
On Day 5 we set off from Granada on our way to Cordoba. We stopped off on the way at the town of Baena for a quick tour of an olive oil producer Nunez de Prado (http://www.nunezdeprado.com/). The same family have been producing olive oil at this site since 1795 and still use traditional methods of production and organic methods of growing the olives.
As we proceeded on to Cordoba I gave a short talk to the pilgrims about Spanish polyphony. As many of the great sites we had seen and the characters we had heard about dated from the 16th century, that was also a time of a great flowering of Spanish liturgical music. I spoke of Guerrero, Morales, and probably the greatest of all, Tomas Luis de Victoria. When in Seville I was very happy to discover a recording of Victoria’s music for Holy Week, made by the Monks of Silos, that included not only his well-known Responsories for Tenebrae but also his setting of the Passion and the “Popule Meus” for Good Friday and his setting of the “Miserere”.
We arrived in Cordoba late morning for a tour of the Cathedral. Buildings on this site may date back to a Christian Church in the 6th century but the main building that still exists started with the creation of a mosque in the 8th century. This mosque was one of the biggest and the most beautiful of its time. When Cordoba was taken back by the Christians in 1236 the building was preserved but consecrated as a Christian church dedicated to Our Lady.
Entry through a Moorish style orangery takes you into an area that has very much the atmosphere of a mosque. Marble columns are topped by double arches of alternating red and white brick or stone. The ceiling is low, the lighting subdued. As you move around the vast floor area you begin to pick out Christian images and chapels. Then in the centre of the building, you find the Renaissance High Altar and Choir, soaring above you into a great dome.
Of all the fantastic buildings that we visited, for me this was the most stunning. It showed the genius of the original Moorish builders but also the Christians who recovered the building and preserved rather than destroyed it. And I loved the High Altar and Choir. Some commentators describe them as incongruous and even inappropriate. For me they were not just striking and beautiful but a wonderful symbol of Renaissance civilization rising out of the dark ages. We had Mass in one of the chapels and it was an enormous privilege to sing the solemn “Salve Regina” in this unique building dedicated to the Mother of God.
After Mass I was able to find an excellent tapas bar (Pepes) for some battered aubergine with a dressing of honey and balsamic vinegar, washed down with a glass (alright two) of Fino, poured from a barrel behind the bar. Then it was back to our coach for the journey to our final city: Seville.
As we proceeded on to Cordoba I gave a short talk to the pilgrims about Spanish polyphony. As many of the great sites we had seen and the characters we had heard about dated from the 16th century, that was also a time of a great flowering of Spanish liturgical music. I spoke of Guerrero, Morales, and probably the greatest of all, Tomas Luis de Victoria. When in Seville I was very happy to discover a recording of Victoria’s music for Holy Week, made by the Monks of Silos, that included not only his well-known Responsories for Tenebrae but also his setting of the Passion and the “Popule Meus” for Good Friday and his setting of the “Miserere”.
We arrived in Cordoba late morning for a tour of the Cathedral. Buildings on this site may date back to a Christian Church in the 6th century but the main building that still exists started with the creation of a mosque in the 8th century. This mosque was one of the biggest and the most beautiful of its time. When Cordoba was taken back by the Christians in 1236 the building was preserved but consecrated as a Christian church dedicated to Our Lady.
Entry through a Moorish style orangery takes you into an area that has very much the atmosphere of a mosque. Marble columns are topped by double arches of alternating red and white brick or stone. The ceiling is low, the lighting subdued. As you move around the vast floor area you begin to pick out Christian images and chapels. Then in the centre of the building, you find the Renaissance High Altar and Choir, soaring above you into a great dome.
Of all the fantastic buildings that we visited, for me this was the most stunning. It showed the genius of the original Moorish builders but also the Christians who recovered the building and preserved rather than destroyed it. And I loved the High Altar and Choir. Some commentators describe them as incongruous and even inappropriate. For me they were not just striking and beautiful but a wonderful symbol of Renaissance civilization rising out of the dark ages. We had Mass in one of the chapels and it was an enormous privilege to sing the solemn “Salve Regina” in this unique building dedicated to the Mother of God.
After Mass I was able to find an excellent tapas bar (Pepes) for some battered aubergine with a dressing of honey and balsamic vinegar, washed down with a glass (alright two) of Fino, poured from a barrel behind the bar. Then it was back to our coach for the journey to our final city: Seville.
posted by Alnwickian at 9:14 pm
1 Comments:
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Post a Comment
<< Home