Juan del Encina (1469-1529) und die Bedeutung des Humanismus für die spanische Musik am Ende des 15. Jahrhunderts

Abstract

In recent decades studies on humanism have stressed the significance of the humanist movement in Spain during the 15^th and 16^th centuries and thus countered the dictum of "cultural belatedness" or the absence of a Spanish Renaissance. According to education and activity Encina must be called a humanist; moreover he personifies an ideal by combining the functions of poet and composer. In the Cancionero Musical de Palacio Encina is clearly the dominating composer. Since the cultivation of music at the court of the catholic kings in the second half of the 15^th century was comparable to that at other European courts, it is surprising that Spanish composers took up the international style, dominated by franco-flemish composers, only in a very limited way, but established a separate national tradition in the field of secular vocal music. The striking simplicity of Spanish secular polyphony has often been interpreted as a deficiency and the lack of ability to adapt the compositional techniques of franco-flemish composers, who were taken as stylistic model; whereas the Spanish music historiography of the 19^th and early 20^th century emphasizing national aspects endeavored to show equivalents —nonexistent in such a way— to developments in Burgundy and Italy. Taking Encinas "Levanta Pascual" as example, the response to a concrete historical event (the fall of Grenada 1492) characteristic of a specific humanist conception will be illustrated.