Conference on the valencian Golden Age
Music and Literature in the Renaissance
The Valencian Golden Age was a period of great cultural effervescence, as is well known. Authors such as Ausiàs March, Joanot Martorell, Jaume Roig, Joan Roís de Corella, and Isabel de Villena represent the pinnacle of our medieval literature. The Crown of Aragon extended its influence to Naples through the conquests of Alfonso the Magnanimous, and even with the presence of the Borgia popes in Rome, Renaissance cultural currents were increasingly felt in our lands.
This leading position in the European cultural vanguard continued well into the following century. In Valencia, an Italian-style court was established, led by the Duke of Calabria and the widowed queen Germana de Foix, now viceroys of Valencia. This court became the hub of literary production by figures such as Lluís del Milà, Joan Ferrandis d’Herèdia, and Baltasar de Romaní, among others. Alongside this literary activity, there was music. In fact, it is through some of these written works that we can trace how music and dance were integral parts of the cultural milieu of that time.
During these sessions, we will explore this cultural and musical environment with specialists from various universities who will offer their insights into our most distinguished cultural century.
Directed by: Vicent Josep Escartí
Organized by: Fundació Cultural CdM
II CONFERENCE on the valencian Golden Age
Music and Literature in the Renaissance
September 4th-6th , 2025
Salón de Actos del Monasterio de San Miguel de los Reyes (València)
Prior registration is required to attend both the Conference and the Dance Workshop
CONFERENCE SCHEDULED BY DAYS
—– THURSDAY 4th
9:30 Registration of participants
10:00 Opening lecture:
Anna Isabel Peirats (Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir).
Et cantabant canticum novum: music, praise, and the glorious body in Isabel de Villena’s Vita Christi.
10:30 Raül Sanchis Francés (Rovira i Virgili University).
Dances, refrain songs, glossed couplets, and bagatelles in ancient and modern lyric poetry.
11:00 BREAK
11:30 Alejandro Llinares Planells (University of Málaga).
Blind musicians and music in the public space of the Early Modern period.
12:00 Mercè Gras Casanovas (Archive of the Discalced Carmelites of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands).
The soundscape of female convent life in the Crown of Aragon.
12:30 Robert March Tortajada (University of Alicante).
Festivities, music, and urban representation in the Middle Ages, through the Book of Memories of the city of Valencia.
13:00 Round table.
—– FRIDAY 5th
10:00 Rafael Roca Ricart (University of Valencia).
Festivities, music, and urban representation in the Renaissance, through the Book of Memories of the city of Valencia.
10:30 Joan Carles Gomis Corell (Superior Conservatory of Music of Castellón).
The goigs in Renaissance Valencia: from individual prayer to collective chant.
11:00 BREAK
11:30 Jacob Mompó Navarro (Complutense University of Madrid).
Festive music and dance in 16th-century Vincentian celebrations.
12:00 Verònica Zaragoza (University of Valencia).
Music, songs, and texts bearing women’s names: the musical performance of female-authored verses in the Early Modern period.
12:30 Vicent Josep Escartí (University of Valencia).
The memory of music in the 16th century.
13:00 Round table.
–—- SATURDAY 6th
10:30 DANCE WORKSHOP: Anna Romaní and Carles Mas Garcia
The processional dance of the Renaissance: from the baixadansa of the 15th century to the pavans of Lluís del Milà in the 16th century. Choreographic structures and social functions.
The workshop is open to people with varying levels of dance experience: professional and amateur dancers, musicians, musicologists, historians, performing arts interpreters, or anyone interested in exploring this repertoire of dances in an accessible and enjoyable way. The movements taught may range from basic to virtuosic, depending on the group’s overall experience and the individual dancers’ skills. Attending with a partner is not required..
Archive
Music and Literature in the Renaissance
Capella de la Sapiència – Centro Cultural La Nau – UV
Conference on the valencian Golden Age: Music and Literature in the Renaissance
The Valencian Golden Age was a period of great cultural effervescence, as is well known. Authors such as Ausiàs March, Joanot Martorell, Jaume Roig, Joan Roís de Corella, and Isabel de Villena represent the pinnacle of our medieval literature. The Crown of Aragon extended its influence to Naples through the conquests of Alfonso the Magnanimous, and even with the presence of the Borgia popes in Rome, Renaissance cultural currents were increasingly felt in our lands.
This leading position in the European cultural vanguard continued well into the following century. In Valencia, an Italian-style court was established, led by the Duke of Calabria and the widowed queen Germana de Foix, now viceroys of Valencia. This court became the hub of literary production by figures such as Lluís del Milà, Joan Ferrandis d’Herèdia, and Baltasar de Romaní, among others.
Alongside this literary activity, there was music. In fact, it is through some of these written works that we can trace how music and dance were integral parts of the cultural milieu of that time.
During these sessions, we will explore this cultural and musical environment with specialists from various universities who will offer their insights into our most distinguished cultural century.
Directed by: Vicent Josep Escartí
Organized by: Fundació Cultural CdM
DOWNLOAD BROCHURE
Thursday, September 5th, 2024
09:30.
Recepción de asistentes.
10:00.
Ponencia inaugural. Albert Hauf (Universitat de València) La Vita Christi de sor Isabel de Villena: un valuós repositori himnològic medieval.
10:45. Vicent Josep Escartí. La música i la dansa al Cortesano, de Lluís del Milà.
11:15.
Descanso.
11:45. Alejandro Llinares (Universidad de Málaga) Els cants de la forca: literatura popular d’ajusticiats en la Corona d’Aragó del segle XVI.
12:15. Rafael Roca (Universitat de València) Del món medieval al món popular: Els cants de la Carxofa.
12:45. Round Table.
Friday, September 6th, 2024
10:00. Teresa Izquierdo (Universitat de València) Els Àngels músics de la Seu de València.
10:30. Francesc Villanueva Presentación Actas PMCA 2021 y Congreso PMCA 2025.
11:00. Descanso.
11:30. Eulàlia Miralles (Universitat de València) Els espais sonors de les Germanies.
12:00. María Luz Mandingorra (Universitat de València) “quia in omnem terram exivit sonus eorum”. La música en els sermons de Sant Vicent.
12:30. Round Table.
Saturday, September 7th, 2024
10:00. Francesc Massip (Universitat Rovira i Virgili) Les danses macabres medievals.
10:30. Conferencia – Taller de danza. Raül Sanchis Francés (Universitat Rovira i Virgili; Del pas al traç), Carles Mas (Baixandansar; Del pas al traç) y Anna Romaní (Xuriach; Del pas al traç). Cartes de danses del Renaixement – Una lliçó amb els mestres de dansa dels segles XVI i XVII.
14:00. Closing of the Conferences.
This activity consists of two parts: a preliminary lecture that introduces attendees to the choreomusical universe of handwritten dance cards from Catalan (and Iberian) dance masters of the 16th and 17th centuries, followed by a workshop that delves into the choreographic practice of these repertoires. In this dance workshop, participants will be guided in learning the primary movements and choreographic figures written and described in choreographic documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. On one hand, participants will learn the entry and several variations of the pavane, a choreutic genre belonging to the category of dances, distinguished from dance or ballet genres by its forms and ritualistic execution. The formal structure of the pavane (Iberian), with its entry, variations (mudanza), and concluding cadence, provides the audience with an accessible approach to the choreographic practice of Renaissance and Baroque dance. On the other hand, to understand and practice the other main genre in the repertoire, ballets or dances, we focus on learning La Valenciana. We have discovered and studied new documentary sources that allow for a better and more rigorous approach to its execution.
Who is it for?
The workshop is aimed at individuals of varying levels in dance practice: professional and amateur dancers, musicians, musicologists, historians, performers in the performing arts, or anyone else interested in exploring this repertoire of dances in an accessible and enjoyable manner. The variations (mudanzas) to be learned can range from basic levels to virtuosity, depending on the overall experience of the group and the individual dancers. Attending the course without a partner is not necessary.
Materials needed: Comfortable clothing and footwear with thin, flexible soles.
Taught by:
– Anna Romaní: Dancer, choreographer, and pedagogue in both early and contemporary dance (artistic director of the Xuriach company).
– Carles Mas Garcia: Dancer, musician, and pedagogue specializing in early and traditional dance and music (artistic director of the Baixadansar company).
– Raül Sanchis Francés: Researcher with the LAiREM-Nexus and ICONODANSA groups (Rovira i Virgili University).
Thursday, September 5th, 2024
10:00. Albert Hauf (Universitat de València)
Philologist, historian, and academic. He earned his degree and PhD from the University of Barcelona (UB). He taught at the University of Wales until 1987, when he joined the University of Valencia as a full professor. He is the principal investigator of several teams focused on late medieval Catalan classics. He has been a member of various academic and cultural institutions, including Catalan language and literature academies. Recognized with awards and honors, such as the Best Researcher Award from the University of Valencia in 2007. Author of over 200 research papers, he is particularly noted for his critical editions of key works in Catalan medieval literature, including the Vitae Christi by Francesc Eiximenis and Isabel de Villena, as well as Tirant lo Blanc. He has also published studies on medieval historiography and works reflecting the influence of religion in late medieval Catalan literature.
10:45. Vicent Josep Escartí.
He holds a degree and a PhD in Medieval History and Catalan Philology from the University of Valencia and is a full professor of Medieval and Modern Catalan Literature. He has been a visiting professor at the Università degli Studi di Verona. Escartí has published numerous studies and editions of ancient Valencian texts, including works by Jaume I, Joanot Martorell, and Isabel de Villena. He has been recognized with awards such as the Enric de Larratea Prize from the IEC in 1996 and the Criticism Prize from the Institut Interuniversitari de Filologia Valenciana in 2001. In 2012, he published “From Renaissance to Renaissance: (Re)creating Valencian Culture (15th-19th)” (University of California). As a writer, he has won several awards for his novels. He collaborates with media outlets such as Levante and Saó, and is a member of various academic institutions, including the Real Academia de Buenas Letras de Barcelona. He is the founder and director of several literary and philological journals.
11:45. Alejandro Llinares (University of Málaga) Músiques i cançons de patíbul al segle XVI: el cas de Catalunya.
Alejandro Llinares Planells (Altea la Vella, 1993), holds a PhD in History from the University of Málaga (2023) and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the same university. His doctoral thesis focused on banditry in printed popular literature, supervised by Dr. Antonio Calvo. He has participated in international conferences and has published various articles and book chapters on banditry, criminality, and chapbook literature in the Ancien Régime. Some of his publications include works such as “El final del bandolero: aproximación a la literatura de patíbulo de la Corona de Aragón” (2017), “Pliegos poéticos de bandoleros en la Cataluña del barroco” (2018), and “Catalan Identity and Banditry in the Ancient Regime” (2020). He has also coordinated volumes in journals like “Culture, society and power in the Iberian Peninsula (XV-XVIII centuries)” (2018) and “Religiosity and conflictivities in the Crown of Aragon (15th-18th centuries)” (2019/2).
12:15. Rafael Roca (Universitat de València)
Rafael Roca is an associate professor in the Department of Catalan Philology, the mobility coordinator for the Bachelor’s degree in Catalan Philology, and the secretary of the Faculty of Philology, Translation, and Communication at the University of Valencia. He is also a member of several academic societies and research groups, focusing his research on 19th-century writers and institutions. Among his notable works are studies on Teodor Llorente and the Renaixença Valenciana, awarded titles like “Teodor Llorente, líder de la Renaixença Valenciana” (2007) and “El valencianismo de la Renaixença” (2011). He serves as managing editor for journals like Scripta and Revista Valenciana de Filología.
Friday, September 6th, 2024
10:00. Teresa Izquierdo (Universitat de València)
She holds a degree in Art History and is a Superior Music Teacher. She is a researcher in the Department of Art History at the University of Valencia. In 2011, she defended her European doctoral thesis under the supervision of Dr. Amadeo Serra on medieval carpentry in Valencia. She has conducted research at institutions such as the Biblioteca Hertziana in Rome and the Laboratoire de Archéologie Médiévale Méditerranéenne in Aix-en-Provence. Izquierdo has led projects focused on heritage restoration and dissemination and has actively participated in international congresses. In 2010, she directed a study on the conventual of San Vicente de la Roqueta in Valencia. She is a member of research groups like GV/2018/117 and AICO/2020/044, and her interests encompass Gothic painting and architecture, urban identity, and music in the 15th and 16th centuries.
10:30. Francesc Villanueva
He holds a PhD in Music from the Universitat Politècnica de València (2016), where he received an outstanding award. . His research and publications focus on various aspects of music from the 15th to 17th centuries in the Iberian Peninsula, with a particular emphasis on Valencia. His work has been featured in leading Spanish specialist journals such as Anuario Musical, Revista de Musicología, Nassarre, Revista Catalana de Musicología, Cuadernos de Investigación Musical, and Hispanica Lyra, as well as in European publications like Early Music, Rivista Italiana di Musicologia, and The Organ Yearbook. His book “A la honor e mostrar stado. La música en la corte de Juan II de Aragón” fills a historiographical gap in the musical activities of the later Aragonese kings. Additionally, he has coordinated two collective books and is involved in the national R&D project HISPAMUS at the Universitat d’Alacant, focusing on the automatic transcription of musical notation through image processing.
11:30. Eulàlia Miralles (Universitat de València)
She holds a degree (1994) and a PhD (2001) in Catalan Philology from the University of Barcelona, with experience as a predoctoral researcher, researcher, and associate professor at various academic institutions. She has been a postdoctoral researcher at several Spanish universities and has taught in both in-person and on-line settings. She is an active member of various academic institutions related to Catalan philology. Her research focuses on the study of literary culture in the Early Modern period, particularly non-fiction literature during the Baroque era, text editing, and cultural history. She has devoted efforts to topics such as historical and political literature, learned poetry, and literature written by secular women.
12:00. María Luz Mandingorra (Universitat de València)
María Luz Mandingorra Llavata is an Associate Professor of Historiographical Sciences and Techniques at the University of Valencia. She obtained her PhD in History in 1989, focusing her research on the editing of medieval texts and the study of private writings and memories. She has participated in various funded research projects, including studies on medieval royal documentation. Maria has authored books on memoirs from the 16th and 17th centuries and collaborated on the edition of Latin sermons by Saint Vincent Ferrer. Since 2008, she has been a member of the Academic Coordination Committee for the Master’s Degree in Cultural Heritage. She has supervised several Master’s theses and served on committees for the development of Master’s degree verification documents. Additionally, she is involved in the cataloging of incunabula in the Archive of the Cathedral of Valencia.
Saturday, September 7th, 2024
10:00. Francesc Massip (Universitat Rovira i Virgili)
Dedicated to university teaching of theater history and criticism, he has published several books on medieval and modern drama and scenic techniques. His works include Teatro religioso medieval en los Países Catalanes (1984), Consueta de 1709 (1986), and La ilusión de Ícaro (1997). He won awards such as the Massó i Torrents (1987) and Jaume I (1991) for the critical edition of the Festa d’Elx. Author of Historia del teatro catalán (vol. I, 2007) and co-author of La obra dramática de Mercè Rodoreda (2002) with Montserrat Palau.
He has directed several stage productions such as “Lo Canonge Ester convida festes” (1983), “De Tribus Mariis” (1992), and “El drac i la poncella” (1995). Former secretary general of the Société Internationale pour l’Étude du Théâtre Médiéval, he has been a theater critic for magazines such as Canigó and Drammaturgia, as well as for the newspaper Avui.
10:30. Raül Sanchis Francés (Universitat Rovira i Virgili)
He has an interdisciplinary background in scientific, technological, and musical fields. In 2019, he earned his Ph.D. in Humanities from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona. He has primarily taught at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Since 2014, he has been a collaborating researcher with international research groups ICONODANSA and LAiREM (URV), and more recently with the Biografías marginales working group at the Universitat de València. He is the author and editor of several books and articles in specialized and popular international journals. He has participated in numerous international seminars and congresses, and has directed and coordinated international events, congresses, shows, and exhibitions on festive dance, music, and theatricality. He is part of the editorial team of the Enciclopèdia de les Arts Escèniques Catalanes at the Institut del Teatre in Barcelona. He has received several awards and research grants, including an honorable mention at the V Premi Rafael Tudó (2018), the XXIV Pepita Martí de Duran Research Grant (2018), and the 35th Valeri Serra y Boldú Award (2020). His current research focuses on festive alterity, the presence of marginal characters in popular dance and theater, ancient lyricism, medieval and modern historiography, history of mentalities, and the analysis and editing of choreomusical sources.
