We are delighted to have Andrew Cashner, Ph.D. Candidate in Music History and Theory, present in the final Workshop of winter quarter.

Andrew A. Cashner

Christ as a Vihuela, and the Limits of Imitation: José de Cáseda’s Villancico Qué música divina, c. 1700

Wednesday, March 13 from 4:30 to 6:00 PM
Logan Center for the Arts, Seminar Room 802

Andrew writes about his project:

This workshop paper is a very rough draft excerpted from my dissertation in progress. It is a poetic, musical, and theological analysis of a villancico from c. 1700, preserved in the collection of a convent in Puebla, Mexico, and attributed to José de Cáseda, a composer active in Zaragoza, Spain. This villancico represents Christ as a vihuela—the Spanish plucked string instrument related to the lute and guitar. In so doing, it pushes the norms of musical representation to their limits by including intentional errors of counterpoint and other kinds of “false” music (in the words of the villancico poem). I explore the piece’s place in several traditions: of theological and musical tropes of Christ as a musical instrument, and of earthly music as an imperfect reflection of heavenly music.

I would invite workshop participants to evaluate my interpretations of the poetry, music, and theology, and to critique the ways I have attempted to integrate historically-informed musical analysis with historical context and theological interpretation. I also welcome specific criticism of the translation and musical transcription.

Chelsea Burns will serve as respondent.

Andrew’s document is available here. If you require the password, please contact one of the student coordinators.

We hope to see you there for a lively discussion! Food & drink provided.

Yours,

Dan and Marcy

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