Cantigas de Santa Maria project - Alfonso X of Castile El Sabio (1221–1284). Cantiga-No 1

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CANTIGA   No 1 
Introduction CANTIGA 77

Paula Bär-Giese - soprano & kettledrum
Hans Meijer - vihuela & lute

https://musicksmonument.nl/styled-51/

The Cantigas de Santa Maria are 420 poems with musical notation, written in the medieval Galician-Portuguese language during the reign of Alfonso X of Castile El Sabio (1221–1284) 

It is one of the largest collections of monophonic (solo) songs from the Middle Ages and is characterized by the mention of the Virgin Mary in every song, while every tenth song is a hymn.

This is the first song of praise to Holy Mary, enumerating the seven joys She had from her Son.
From this day forth I will sing for the Honored Lady in whom God chose to take on blessed and sacred flesh in order to give us great reward in His Kingdom and to bequeath to His followers eternal life, so that we might not suffer death again.
Therefore, I wish to begin with how She was hailed by Gabriel when he went to summon Her: “Oh, Blessed Virgin, Beloved of God, you now bear within Him Who will save the world, and your kinswoman Elizabeth, who doubted, is thereby proven wrong.”

Then I wish to relate to you how She arrived in Bethlehem. Being weary, She took shelter at the gates of the city and soon thereafter gave birth to Jesus Christ. Like a poor and hapless woman, She laid Him in the manger where they place the barley, to rest among the beasts of the field.

The Seven Joys of the Virgin is a popular devotion to events of the life of the Virgin Mary, arising from a trope of medieval devotional literature and art.

1) The Immaculate Virgin joyfully conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit.
2) She joyfully carried Jesus when she went to visit Elizabeth.
3) The Immaculate Virgin brought Jesus joyfully into the world.
4) The Mother of God joyfully exhibited Jesus to the adoration of the Magi.
5) The Immaculate Virgin Mary joyfully found Jesus in the Temple.
6) The Immaculate Virgin Mary joyfully beheld Jesus after his Resurrection.
7) The Immaculate Virgin Mary was joyfully received by Jesus into heaven, and crowned Queen of heaven and earth.