The Miserere Tradition from the Cathedral of Santiago de Guatemala

Abstract

This dissertation, "The Miserere Tradition from the Cathedral of Santiago de Guatemala," examines the extensive collection of musical settings of the Miserere (Psalm 50) contained in the Archivo Histórico Arquidiocesano Francisco de Paula García Peláez in Guatemala City (GCA-Gaha), positioning this archive as the most significant source of these works in the former Spanish viceregal territories. The study of over 50 extant manuscripts, spanning from the late sixteenth to the early nineteenth century, reveals a dynamic local musical culture characterized by pragmatism, agency, and creative adaptation amidst significant socioeconomic and political challenges.A central finding in this research is the identification of a pervasive, distinct local performance tradition: a patterned alternation in which odd-numbered psalm verses are set to polyphony, and even-numbered verses are set to plainchant. This pattern was generally maintained even if it required local modifications, such as adding or removing material, rewriting sections, or altering the text, in compositions imported from Europe or composed locally. In this study I argue that the prevalence and modifications of these Miserere settings are directly linked to the tumultuous environment of late-eighteenth-century Guatemala, particularly following the 1773 Santa Marta earthquake. The study postulates that the climactic loud noise (strepitus) during the important ceremony of Tenebrae, symbolizing the earthquake at Christ's death, would have held a profound, tangible significance for a population frequently enduring natural disasters, transforming the penitential psalm into a powerful expression of faith and resilience. The examination of performance practices illuminates the ingenuity of maestros de capilla like Rafael Castellanos and Vicente Sáenz, who navigated severe economic constraints and fluctuating personnel, therefore negotiating between traditions and pragmatic solutions. Under these circumstances, significant practices included the following: (1), instrumental doubling of both vocal and other instrumental lines, notably featuring the enduring use of the bajón (dulcian); (2), flexible roles for musicians, allowing them to both sing and play, or use techniques like falsetto to cover various vocal parts; and (3), compositional merging, demonstrated in the case study of Miserere by Nebra and Lagos (S.147), which integrates sections by different composers to suit the changing requirements. Moreover, the discovery of a previously unnoted concordance between the anonymous Miserere Fabordón a 4 (S.786) in Guatemala and the manuscript El Cuaderno de Domingo Flores from Oaxaca, Mexico, establishes a possible active, shared tradition of simple, improvisatory fabordón practice within the viceregal territories. Overall, this research recasts the Guatemalan Miserere repertoire not as a derivative of the Spanish models, but as a rich, multi-layered musical heritage born from the complex interplay of long-standing Hispanic traditions, local identity, and a pragmatic response to unique colonial circumstances.