"Resumen de acompañar", printed in 1714, is the earliest of three collections of music for five-course guitar composed and arranged by Santiago de Murcia.
Very little is known about Murcia. In "Resumen de acompañar" he is referred to as "Master of the guitar to the queen, our lady, Doña Maria Luisa Gabriela of Savoy." Maria Luisa was the first wife of the first Bourbon king of Spain, Philip V, who succeeded to the throne on the death of Charles II in 1700. Their marriage place by proxy in Turin on 11th September 1701 when she was just thirteen years old. On 3rd November the couple met for the first time and the marriage was re-celebrated at Figueras in Catalunya. They remained in Catalunya until April 1702. Philip then left on a tour of his Italian posessions appointing Maria Luisa as regent in his absence. She proceded first to Zaragossa where she presided over the Cortès and then to Madrid, arriving there for the first time on 30th June.
There are two references to Maria Luisa learning the guitar, neither of which mentions Murcia. In a letter dated 30th September 1704 the Duc de Gramont informed Louis XIV that she was learning to play the guitar and in a letter to her grandmother dated 3rd July, 1705, she herself mentions that she is learning to play the guitar and studying music. Murcia probably obtained his appointment sometime between June, 1702 and September, 1704. After giving birth to several children Maria Luisa's health deteriorated and she died on 14th February, 1714 before "Resumen de acompañar" had appeared in print. Presumably Murcia's appointment had terminated by then if not earlier.
No reference to Murcia has yet come to light in any official documents relating to the period in question. It was however an unsettled period in Spanish history. Philip's title to the Spanish throne was challenged by the Hapsburg dynasty in the person of the Archduke Charles of Austria, known to his supporters as Charles III of Spain, and later emperor Charles VI. The ensuing War of the Spanish Succession was waged intermittently until 1714. Murcia's employment may therefore have been occasional rather than continuous and any record of it could have disappeared either at the time or in later upheavals.
Two other Murcias, Gabriel and Antonio, were active as luthiers in Madrid and are mentioned in official records between 1682 and 1717. The first reference to Gabriel is on 22nd February, 1682. A document mentions that his wife, Juliana de Leon, had deputized for her father, Francisco de Leon, as violero to the Queen (Marie Louise de Orleans, first wife of Charles II, who died in1689) after his death, and appoints Gabriel to succeed her. The wording of the document suggests that the marriage had taken place recently. There are further references to Gabriel in 1685, 1689, 1690 and 1695. His employment probably terminated in 1701 when Philip V restructured the Royal Chapel. He was not paid his outstanding expenses for the period 1st January 1696 to 31st October 1700 (the day on which Charles II died) until 10th July 1717. There are no references to him after that date. Antonio de Murcia's name first occurs as a witness to the examination of the instrument maker, Juan López de Ana on 2nd May 1694, and he was a co-signatory to the agreement between Gabriel de Murcia and two other violeros in 1695. On 25th November, 1704 he was appointed to succeed Marcos Ximénes as violero to Queen Luisa Maria Gabriela. He died in 1709 and was succeeded by Juan de Campos. It is possible that Gabriel and Antonio were brothers and either might have been Santiago's father. However any relationship between the three men is unproven. (Note1)
"Resumen de acompañar" is dedicated to Jacome Francisco Andriani, knight of the Order of St. James and Extraordinary Envoy of the Catholic Cantons (those areas of Switzerland which remained catholic after the Reformation) whose patronage Murcia seems to have enjoyed after the death of Maria Luisa. It also includes a recommendation from the composer Antonio Literes. Presumably he and Murcia were acquainted. Literes refers to the book as having been engraved (and presumably printed) in Antwerp. Murcia may have done the engraving himself. In the introductory letter to the reader he seems to be claiming credit personally for the attractive appearence of the tablature and says that the work was carried out abroad. (Note2). As the name of the printer is lacking and the book has no licences, it may have been printed privately. (Note3)
The two later manuscript collections of Murcia's music, Codice Saldivar no. 4" (c.1730) and GB:Lbl Ms.Add "Passacalles y obras" (1732) both came to light in Mexico in relatively modern times. "Passacalles y obras" is described in the British Library's "Catalogue of additions to the manuscripts...1876-1881" as "a volume of tablature purchased in Mexico." It has always been assumed that the purchase in Mexico was made by the previous owner, the book collector, Julian Marshall, who sold the manuscript to the British Library in 1880 although this is not certain. "Codice Saldivar no. 4" was purchased in Leon, in the province of Guanajuato by the Mexican musicologist, Gabriel Saldivar in 1943. Because it lacks a title page its connection with Murcia was not recognised until 1980. It is possible that Murcia and the dedicatee of "Passacalles y obras", Joseph Albarez de Saavedrra, spent their later years in Mexico. However, it is just as likely that the manuscripts were taken there at a later date, by a subsequent owner. (Note4)
"Resumen de acompañar" includes one of the most comprehensive treatises on accompanying a bass line with the guitar. It was evidently much admired. There are three complete 18th century manuscript copies of it. Biblioteca nacional, Madrid Ms.M881, dated 1726, is a straightforward copy. In Biblioteca nacional, Madrid Ms.1233 (1763) and Granada University Ms.16972 it is combined with excerpts from Sanz's "Instruccion de musica"(1674). Minguet y Irol (Note5) reproduces Murcia's notes on Tiempos (p.42-43) without the musical examples and the text and music from p.28 separately with an ingenious device for reproducing the scales on p.29-34. The musical examples illustrating the different keys are included in Mexico City: Biblioteca Nacional Ms.1560. Vargas y Guzman mentions "Resumen de acompañar" as one of the works which he has consulted when writing his own "Explicacion para tocar la guitara" (1776) (Note6) and is clearly influenced by Murcia's work.
"Resumen de acompañar" also includes much attractive music which has been somewhat neglected in favour of that in Codice Saldivar no. 4. There are six fine sets of variations, three suites and a large number of simple arrangements of French ballroom dances.
1. It has been suggested that Gabriel de Murcia was the father of Antonio and Santiago. However as children were apprenticed in instrument making at around the age of 14, and the apprenticeship lasted five or six years, Antonio must have been at least 20 years of age in 1694 and was probably older. If, as seems likely, Gabriel married between 1679 and 1682, his sons would have been too young to have qualified as luthiers by 1694. Return to text
2. It is known that Sanz did the engraving for "Instruccion de musica" (Zaragoza, 1674) and Corbetta for "Guitarre royale" (Paris, 1671). This may have been common practice. It certainly makes good sense as the composer could work directly onto the plates, whereas anyone else would need a fair copy to work from. Antwerp was an important centre for the printing of Spanish books in the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries. A special type of press, known as an intaglio press, is needed to print from an engraving. The availability of such a press in Antwerp may have prompted Murcia to have his work printed there. Return to text
3. Books printed in Spain required licences from both the Church and the State. In theory books printed abroad were subject to scrutiny on being brought into the country but this was enforced erratically. Murcia may have solicited Antonio Literes' "Aprobacion" in order to comply with these requirements. It should be emphasised that Spain was no different from most other European countries in exercising censorship. Return to text
4. It has been asserted that Julian Marshall purchased his manuscript in the city of Puebla in Mexico and that it was there that Murcia and Joseph Albarez de Saavedrra were living when the manuscripts were copied. It is not known however where Marshall purchased the manuscript. Los Angeles Public Library possesses a copy of "Resumen de acompañar" which was purchased from the dealer Francis Borton in Puebla in 1910 and it seems that the two have been confused. A "Joseph Alvarez" buried in the Parish of Analco in Puebla, has been identified as Murcia's patron but the name is too common for this to be regarded as certain. Return to text
5. Minguet y Irol, Pablo, "Reglas y advertencias generales" (Madrid, 1752) Return to text
6.Newberry Library, Chicago Ms.VMT 582 V29e - Vargas y Guzman, Juan Antonio, "Explicacion para tocar la guitara"(1776). An earlier version (manuscript in the collection of Angel Medina Alvarez dated 1772) does not mention Murcia. Return to text
This translation is in two parts. Part 1 is the introductory material as far as page 4; Part 2 is the treatise from page 4 to 44. The translation is text only, to be used in conjunction with the facsimile edition published in Monaco by Editions Chanterelle (1980.)