The Song of the Sibyl

The Song of the Sibyl (Catalan El Cant de la Sibil · la ) is an Iberian space known since the early Middle Ages custom. Every year, the song of the Sibyl is carried forward as part of the liturgy of the Christmas Fair. Sung by a solo voice a cappella in Catalan it was formerly widespread throughout the Iberian Peninsula; Today, however, is only going to listen to Majorca and Sardinia, the traditional singing of the Sibyl in the Christmas night. The chant of the Sybil on Majorca was recorded in 2010 in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

History of texts

The still presented in some places in Catalan dialects singing goes back to Latin manuscripts from monastic libraries of the 10th century. These texts emerged in turn from predictions, which were thought in the Middle Ages that it came from the ancient pre-Christian seers. So the first verse of the song of the Sibyl from the court starts from an already in the 4th century by Augustine traditional and interpretiereten in a Christian sense saying erytrhäischen Sibylle from the date of the court and its sign; other parts of the text of the song and the shape of the Sibyl in themselves are mainly characterized by yellowing of the traditional predictions of a Tiburtinian Sibylle the Golden Age after the birth of the child. Such predictions had made after late medieval idea this Sibylle even the Emperor Augustus.

Predictions of the Sibyl

In her singing the sibyl predicts the coming of a Christian savior and the end of the world. She emphasizes that rewarded in this days of the apocalyptic judgment of God only the faithful servants of God regardless of social status, but punishing others mourn the wrath of God and would go under. It describes the signs that will precede the Day of Judgment and admonishes the faithful to prepare for the second coming of a Messiah. Thus, the performance of the song during the Christmas season, in which Christians commemorate the first coming explained. Today, often seen as dark prophecy in the Middle Ages many believers an end expectation far more familiar and the Sibyl was a well-known and popular figure in the people and clergy.

Sibyllenlieder in the medieval religious imagination

The Sibyl was seen in the Middle Ages as a pagan counterpart to the prophets of the Old Testament. Featured Forecasts of this ancient seer were regarded as equal to the biblical prophecies. Sibyllensprüche were involved in the important throughout the Middle Ages eschatological conceptions of the world and the end of the justice of a Savior. Similarly, the song of the Sibyl in the Iberian Peninsula there were the later Middle Ages throughout southern Europe liturgical texts and songs in which Sibylle and prophets together reciting Christian beliefs of the Middle Ages. Compared to joint appearances in this "order of the prophets " mentioned and most frequently performed outside the church hall Prophet dramas of single song of the Sibyl in the Iberian Peninsula is far less involved in the whole ecclesiastical faith requirements. Therefore, the song of the Sibyl in addition to its historical and linguistic also another special importance are attributed, as you can see her song as the " voice of the White agendas woman" and a certain influence of the pagans and Sehertums modern twist in an otherwise mostly patriarchal - Old Testament faith notion of the Middle Ages and his Church.

Transfer into Catalan

The building on antique models first Latin texts of the song of the Sibyl were transferred later than the beginning of the 15th century into Catalan. First, probably mostly passed on orally resulted in several local variants of Proverbs and adaptations, some of which are attributed to famous medieval poets of the 15th century, such as Alonso de Cordoba. The Song of the Sibyl became a populist, so folkloric significance by the transfer in addition to its liturgical. Next today are the various texts of the song of meaning in the linguistic research of Catalan.

Melody and performance practice

From the obtained today first Latin and Catalan early versions of the song of the Sibyl no melodies have survived. They were well presented and unanimously unaccompanied by instruments in the style of Gregorian chant. It was not until the mid-15th century are the lyrics also added to notes. Initially, the song of several clerics were alternately presented. Over time, a staged performance with dramatic support of the sung word developed. Singer and entourage were often dressed with liturgical robes and decked with attributes such as gloves and a judge sword. This can today can still be reconstructed on the basis of stage directions in some medieval texts or descriptions of performance practice. Elements of such dramaturgy can be found even today in the performances.

Maintaining a tradition

From 1545, the performances were due to the reforms of the liturgy and church music back through the Council of Trent. The previously used and popular in the Mediterranean custom of singing the Sibyl was preserved in only very few places in the Balearics and Sicily. Today, it is usually presented only in the Cathedral of Palma de Mallorca, in the monastery church of Lluc Majorca as well as in a church in Alghero in Sardinia. However, in these places, he is presented with brief interruptions, until now an integral part of Weihnachtszdeit and is in Majorcan and in Sardinia in a Catalan dialect, as Alghero was settled in 1372 by colonists from Barcelona and even into the 17th century Catalan official language there. Since 2009, the tradition of song of the Sibyl is again revived in the Cathedral of Barcelona and in some places in Valencia. For this purpose, the local versions of lyrics and melody were reconstructed from existing documents.

Local and World Heritage

The chant of the Sybil was charged by the Government of the Balearic Autonomous Region to the historic heritage of the island of Mallorca in December 2004. In 2010 he was further added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. It recognized that the preservation of the singing of the island are a specific cultural identity, even if the song was used in earlier times throughout the Iberian Peninsula.