Cantiga #159 From the 13th Century Cantigas de Santa Maria Performed on Medieval Gittern

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Here is Cantiga #159 (Non Sofre Santa Maria) from Cantigas de Santa Maria, a collection of 420 poems with musical notation dedicated to the virgin Mary during the reign of Alfonso X of Castile El Sabio (1221-1284). This one might be called the original "where's the beef?!". Some pilgrims ordered dinner at an inn then went to the church to pray. A servant girl stole one piece of meat and when the pilgrims returned they prayed to the Virgin Mary to recover it. The piece of meat then flung itself against the walls of the box in which it was hidden. The pilgrims rejoiced then took the meat to the church where they hung it from a silk cord in front of the Virgin's altar.

Performed by Daniel Shoskes on a 5 course medieval gittern made by George Stevens.

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