La viola en el ámbito eclesiástico hispano: La orquesta de la capilla de música de la catedral de Santiago de Compostela y el uso de dos violas en la música de Melchor López (1783-1822)

Abstract

During the last quarter of the XVIIIth century and the first quarter of the XIXth century, coinciding with the musical mastery of Buono Chiodi (1770-1782) and Melchor López (1783-1822) in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, an unusual proliferation of instrumental music took place in the Galician scene, revitalised in the particular case of Santiago by a powerful influence of the new foreign tendencies coming form Italy and the court of Madrid – an even from Paris, London, Lisbon or Porto. In this atmosphere, the Compostelan cathedral orchestra reached an enormous prominence which had never enjoyed previously and rarely achieved in the whole Hispanic area. Whitin the contemporary context – where music produced by ecclesiastic chapels usually built their instrumental groups according to the pattern without viola based on the baroque trio – the introduction and habitual presence of this instrument stands out in the Compostelan orchestral group. Recieving a surprising and unexpected impulse, viola was the object of many efforts, made both by musicians and the Chapter – staff of instruments for the chapel’s musicians, presence of specialized instrumentalists, works both copied and acquired which demanded the participation of two violas, etc. – concluded with its definitive adoption for the daily instrumental practice.