SAVAE:

Cathy Crosby-Shmidt, soprano  Chris Crosby-Schmidt, tenor
Kathy Mayer, soprano
Tanya Moczygemba, alto
Covita Moroney, alto
Christopher Moroney, baritone
Lee P'Pool, tenor
Phil Zamora, bass

Eric Casillas, percussion

SAVAE’s first CD, Native Angels, is a collection of early music from Latin America. In its review of the CD, The San Antonio Express News said “The music beams with joy, hope, and life. The performances by SAVAE are astonishingly perfect.”

1. Juan Pérez BOCANEGRA (c. 1598-1631), Cuzco,Peru
Hanacpachap cussicuinin
Published in Lima in 1631, Hanacpachap cussicuinin has the distinction of being the first piece of polyphonic music printed in the Western Hemisphere. The title means “God of the Heavens.” It was sung as a processional on feast days honoring the Virgin Mary.

2. Don Hernando FRANCO (fl. c. 1575?1585), Mexico City
¡Oh Señora! - Motete
Don Hernando Franco was an Aztec noble who adopted the name of his teacher, the Spaniard Hernando Franco, who was Chapelmaster of the Cathedral of Mexico City from 1575 to 1585. He uses a Nahuatl religious text to praise the Virgin Mary in simple, balanced polyphony.

3. Anonymous (c. 1647)
Sã qui turo zente pleta - Guineo
This boisterous guineo (so-called because of its textxual and rhythmic references to the Guinean people) describes a party honoring the Christ Child.

4. Gaspar FERNANDES (c. 1570?1629), Puebla, Mexico
En un portalejo pobre - Romanse
“In a humble little portico covered with frost, the Word has been made flesh through the virgin mother.”

5. Gaspar FERNANDES
Dame albriçia mano Anton - Negrito
The delightfully infectious rhythms and “non-tonal” harmonies of this song bear the unmistakable stamp of the African people. It describes a group of West Africans making their way to the manger to dance for the Christ Child.

6. Gaspar FERNANDES
Xicochi xicochi conetzintle - Indio
“Go to sleep, go to sleep, little babe, caomiz hui hui* as the angels play music, Alleluia.” (*translation uncertain)

7. Gaspar FERNANDES
Eso rigor e repente - Guineo
A group of Guinean Blacks sing and dance on Christmas Eve as they bring their gifts to the Christ Child.

8. Juan Gutiérrez de PADILLA (c. 1590?1664), Puebla, Mexico
A siolo Flasiquiyo - Negrilla
This song describes a group of Blacks entertaining the Christ Child at the manger, singing “toomboocootoo” softly so as not to frighten him.

9. Gaspar FERNANDES (c. 1570?1629), Puebla, Mexico
Tururu farara con son - Guineo
Tururu farara con son describes a dance honoring Saint Mary, “Spanish saint of your heart.”

10. Juan Gutiérrez de PADILLA (c. 1590?1664), Puebla, Mexico
A la xacara xacarilla Jacara
This jacara or merry ballad, describes a group of roisterers singing and dancing in the streets as they make their way to a village pot-luck Christmas dinner.

11. Tomás PASCUAL (c. 1600), Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Oy es dia de placer

12. Gaspar FERNANDES (c. 1570?1629), Puebla, Mexico
Tleycantimo choquiliya - Mestizo e Indio
The designation mestizo e indio indicates that this rhythmic villancico is written in the vernacular of the native Indians and the people of mixed European and Indian ancestry, thus the text is half Spanish and half Indian. The Spanish text indicates that this is a lullabye: Jesus of my heart, don’t cry my little flower.

13. Juan García de ZÉSPEDES (c. 1670), Puebla, Mexico
Convidando esta la noche
The refrain of this song praising God is called a guaracha, a dance of African origin still popular in Cuba.

14. Tomás PASCUAL (c. 1600), Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Si tanta gloria se da / Victoria victoria Si tanta gloria se da sings praises to the glory of God, the saints, and the angels. Victoria victoria describes the triumphant victory of Michael the archangel over Luzbel or Lucifer.

15. Cristóbal de BELSAYAGA (fl. 1580?1620), Cuzco & Lima, Peru
Magnificat sexti toni
This setting of the Virgin Mary’s canticle is divided into six musical sections and written for double choir.

16. Juan Gutiérrez de PADILLA (c. 1590?1664), Puebla, Mexico
Las estreyas se rien Juego de cañas
Las estreyas se rien is a setting of a juego de cañas (cane game) poem. It depicts a game on horseback that takes place in the sky over Bethlehem on Christmas Eve in which various heav enly troupes engage in a skirmish, with leather shields serving as their protection against the canes that they throw at each other.