CRAIG H. RUSSEL and MANUEL de SUMAYA- 'Rowdy Musicians- Cofraternities and the Inquisition'

ROWDY MUSICIANS, COFRATERNITIES AND THE INQUISITION: NEWLY-DISCOVEREDDOCUMENTS CONCERNING MUSICAL LIFE IN BAROQUE MEXICOAuthor(s): Craig H. Russell and Presbyter Manuel de SumayaSource: Revista de Musicología, Vol. 16, No. 5, Del XV Congreso de la Sociedad Internacional deMusicología: Culturas Musicales Del Mediterráneo y sus Ramificaciones: Vol. 5 (1993), pp. 2801-2813Published by: Sociedad Española de Musicologia (SEDEM)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20796894 .

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ROWDY MUSICIANS, COFRATERNITIES AND THE INQUISITION: NEWLY-DISCOVERED DOCUMENTS CONCERNING MUSICAL LIFE

IN BAROQUE MEXICO

Craig H. Russell

Only rarely has a musical document surfaced in Mexico City's General

Archive (the Archivo General de la Naci?n) that was not initially uncovered by the indefatigable labors of Gabriel Sald?var y Silva or

Robert Stevenson.1 Both scholars have mined a wealth of information

concerning Mexico's past by delving into the General Archive's various

branches or ?ramos.? Significantly, then, the appearance of newly discovered information in this institution's Inquisition and Fraternity and

Cofraternity Sections provides the musicologist with some new insights into the musical Ufe of Mexico and New Spain between 1650 and 1750.

New citations in the General Archive's Branch of the Inquisition

provide biographical details about several musicians. Gaspar de Cepeda y

Castro, in addition to being the chantre at the Puebla Cathedral, was a

highly placed official in the Inquisition.2 He died in 1721, and the

Inquisition carefully catalogued his possessions in a lengthy document of

97 folios. His stash of treasures and accumulated wealth would make

Malcolm Forbes or Donald Trump jealous.

1 Consult Gabriel Sald?var y Silva, Historia de la m?sica en M?xico: ?pocas precorte

siana y colonial, Mexico City, Ediciones Gernika & Secretar?a de Educaci?n P?blica, 1987,

rpnt. of Mexico City, Secretar?a de Educaci?n P?blica, 1934; and also Robert Stevenson,

Music in Aztec and Inca Territories, Berkeley & Los Angeles, University of California Press,

1968, and Music in Mexico: A Historical Survey, New York, Thomas Y. Crowell, 1952. 2 Archivo General de la Naci?n (AGN), M?xico. Ramo de la Inquisici?n. Tomo 766,

n?mero 16, hojas 316-413. 1717. ?Autos de embargo en los bienes del Sr. Lic. D. Gaspar de

Cepeda y Castro, Chantre de la Santa Iglesia Catedral de esta ciudad de Puebla de los ?ngeles.?

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2802 CRAIG H. RUSSELL

Of greater interest are the numerous documents that recount the trials and legal proceedings brought against more rambunctious musicians. Then?as now?musicians can be a rather seedy or rowdy lot with a

proclivity for falling into trouble with the law. Bartolom? Ortiz?who had a long list of aliases and false identities?was a professional musician who was tried and convicted of bigamy (casado dos veces)? His story is

fascinating and would make a stupendous screen play. After Ortiz's

conviction, he led a daring escape from jail, was then tracked relentlessly by the Inquisition who eventually recaptured and incarcerated the poor soul in a secret prison. In a similar tale, an organist in Puebla, Manuel de

Z??iga, was charged with having two wives.4 During his trial he defended himself by bemoaning the loss of his first wife who (he tells us) had lamentably died years ago. At this point in the trial his wife?who had

?passed away??strolled into the court room, a very angry woman. Needless to say, he was convicted. Like Ortiz, Z??iga too led a successful

jail break only to be recaptured and die in prison six years later. The choristers Alonso Tirado in Peru and Juan de Escobar y Llamas

of Campeche became embroiled with legal problems with the Inquisition.5 In another document the mestizo Agust?n Alvarez is in court trying to

suppress the scandalous and superstitious songs of Francisco de Molina.6

This, and other documents show the Inquisition to be gravely troubled by any act that is vaguely superstitious. And in Juan Bautista's court case, the defendant is described as a ?foreigner, trickster, and archlutenist.?7 This tidbit is interesting for it confirms the use of archlute on Mexican soil.

Most valuable of the new documents are the detailed payment records for the Festival of San Pedro de Arb?es, a martyr and patron saint of the

3 AGN, Ramo de la Inquisici?n. Tomo 790, n?mero 1, hojas 1-200. 1721. ?El Sr.

Fiscal del Santo Oficio contra Bartolom? Hortiz; alias D. Manuel Echanagucia de Arteaga; alias Pedro Chac?n, Alias D. Francisco Juncos; alias D. Jos? de Lanzagorta, natural de la ciudad de M?rida, al parecer espa?ol y de oficio m?sico, por casado dos veces.?

4 AGN, Ramo de la Inquisici?n. Tomo 840, n?mero 1, hojas 1-264. 1733. ?Manuel de

Z??iga, espa?ol: natural de la ciudad de Puebla, por casado dos veces. ? Guanajuato?

fojas 1 a 264. Inventario de los bienes de Manuel de Zu?iga, de oficio organero, hojas 21 y 22.?

5 AGN, Ramo de la Inquisici?n. Tomo 889, hojas 204-251. 1721. ?Contra Fr. Alonso

Tirado, Religioso Corista del Orden de Santo Domingo de la Provincia de Quito en el Reino del Per?.? AGN, Ramo de la Inquisici?n. Tomo 830, n?mero 33, hojas 419-429. 1730. ?Juan de Escobar y Llamas, Chantre y Vicario General del Obispado de Campeche.? 6

AGN, Ramo de la Inquisici?n. Tomo 858, hojas 605-610, 612-621. 1735. ?Denuncia

Agust?n ?lvarez, mestizo m?sico a Francisco de Molina por unos versos supersticiosos.? 7 ?extranjero, m?sico ta?edor de un arcilaud, y jugador de manos, etc.? AGN, Ramo

de la Inquisici?n. Tomo 725, hoja 156. 1720. ?Denuncia contra Juan Bautista, extranjero, m?sico ta?edor de un arcilaud, jugador de manos, &a.?

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ROWDY MUSICIANS, COFRATERNITIES AND THE INQUISITION 2803

Mexican Inquisition. Every expense for the opulent festivities surrounding San Pedro Arbues's feast day of September 16 during the years 1669-1741 is recorded with meticulous care in an enormous document of 240 folios in the Branch of Fraternities and Cofraternities.8 The annual budget supplies precise figures for such things as candles, lilies, bouquets, bonfires, carpets for the chapel, dramas, and?of course?music.

The budget for 1668 provides a representative example of the festival's

expenditures. Its primary emphasis is the spectacular illumination of the

Cathedral. Without question, the single most expensive item is candle wax. The number of candles, their individual weights and specific

disposition or location is spelled out in great detail. The document reads:9

First, for the main altar are 10 candles of 2 lbs. each = 20 pesos For placement next to the Saint, 2 candles of 12 ozs. 1 peso Plus 16 candles of 12 ozs. for the candelabras 12 pesos Plus 12 candles at 4 ozs... 3 pesos Plus 10 and a half for the chandeliers 10 pesos

And it continues. The total sum for wax mounts to a whopping 65

pesos, or 66, if one includes the peso that was charged for delivering the wax to the Cathedral?a sort of Baroque equivalent of 'shipping-and handling'. The sum is staggering given that the budget for the entire festival is only 133 pesos. In short, half of the funds were expended exclusively on candles.

The rest of the budget elucidates the sort of activities and cost that the remaining 67 pesos provided. For instance, the holy fathers spent 2 pesos, 2 tomines for six dozen rockets or fireworks.10 The same amount went toward firewood for the luminarias, small bonfires that glowed outside the Cathedral. Three pesos went toward the bouquets and carpets the sacristan had placed in the chapel. With respect to artistic functions, 20

pesos were sufficient to commission the writing and production of a new

8 AGN, Ramo de Cofrad?as y Archicofrad?as. Tomo 17, expediente 2, hojas 73-312.

1688-1741. ?M?xico Sr Sn Pedro de Arbues.? This document contains the budgets for the

Festival of San Pedro de Arb?es celebrated by the Tribunal of the Inquisition every year on

September 16. 9 ?Primeramte Para El Altar mayor dies velas de a dos libras Vo 20 p.

Para Junto al Sto dos Velas de a doce onsas Vo 01 p. mas dies y seis velas de a doce oncas para Los quatro coraterales Vo 12 p. mas doce Velas de a quatro En Libra Vo 03 p. mas dies Libras y media de a seis En Libra para La campara y candiles Vo 10 p.?

10 In the monetary system of the time, 8 tomines equalled one peso.

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comedia or play for the celebration. Lastly, the cathedral musicians received 30 pesos for performing vespers and a mass.

The budget for the year 1710 is similar although much more concise.11 Don Joseph de Bustos, the Treasurer of the Inquisition, submitted the

following budget:12

Don Joseph de Bustos reports that the funds that were expended in the Festival of San Pedro Arbuez came to 162 pesos and 3 tomines in the

following fashion:

For the candle wax for the altar and renewal of the de las manos as is specified by the receipt that I am submitting13 75 p[esos], 7

For the Preacher 12 p. For the Musicians as is specified by the receipt14 30 p. For the Sacristans 4 p. For firewood and resinous pine 2 p. 41. For the juncia,15 string players, and shawms,

firecrackers and fireworks 18 p. For the play 20 p.

The expenses for the cited items amount to 162 p. 3t. one hundred sixty two pesos and three tomines that I attest to in the proper form. I request that You send me the dispatch of payment.

A systematic examination of the yearly entries as seen in accompanying table at the end of this article provides valuable information regarding the Festival of San Pedro Arbues and its expenses. Beginning with the first

entry in 1668 we find that from the outset the chapel musicians were paid 30 pesos for singing vespers and mass. This performance fee of 30 pesos remains the same for each year all the way through the document's final

entry in 1741. In 1671, Matheo Xaramillo is specified as the author of a

11 AGN, Ramo de Cofrad?as y Archicofrad?as. Tomo 17, expediente 2, hoja 181.

12 A facsimile of this budget appears at the end of this article. 13 Since wax was such an expensive item, there was often an additional receipt pertain

ing to candle wax that spelled out precisely the ?going rate? for the price of wax per pound and the total number of pounds delivered.

14 The receipt that is alluded to pertains to the practise begun in 1701 of having the chap el master sign a receipt in acknowledgement of the 30 pesos paid for the services of the ca

thedral musicians. 15 It is unclear just what instrument is referred to by the term juncia. The present writer

feels it most likely is a low-registered double-reed instrument such as a baj?n or bassoon.

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new play or comedia for which he is paid 20 pesos in order to write, rehearse, and perform the work with his own theater troupe. In 1673

Rodrigo Bernal is commissioned to build a stage for musicians. The first

expansion of the musical resources occurs in 1681 with the inclusion of

clarines (clarion trumpets), and the budget allows an additional 4 pesos to

pay for their fee on top of the immutable 30 pesos paid to the cathedral musicians. In 1682 the trumpets were paid 6 pesos, 2 pesos more than the

previous year: perhaps there were additional trumpeters which could account for the elevated fee. The chirim?as (or shawms) received 4 pesos in 1683, and trumpets and shawms collectively got 5 pesos in 1684.

Atabales (timpani) appear on the payment records for the first time in

1685 along with the now-obligatory trumpets and shawms. Moving down to 1688 we see strings (or arcos) included for the first time, momentarily falling out of use again until their inclusion as the expected norm

beginning in 1694. A fascinating side note in 1691 specifies the ethnic origin of the shawm and trumpet players as being Native Americans or

Indios. In 1699 we encounter a rather novel book-keeping practise of lumping

together strings, juncia, shawms, and firewood as a single item in the

budget! We can safely conclude from the preceding and following entries that the instruments continued to receive their customary 6 pesos, while 1

peso, 4 tomines was the allotted amount for firewood?the sum of the two

figures equalling 7 pesos, 4 tomines as recorded in 1699.

Beginning in 1701, it became customary for the Chapel Master to sign a receipt acknowledging the 30 pesos paid for his services and that of the

Chapel musicians. The list of chapel masters is quite impressive. Antonio de Salazar signs the years 1701-1714, Geronimo Z?rate for the years 1715-1724, Juan Salibes for 1725-1732, and then a hop-scotch alternating between Manuel de Sumaya and Fernando de Castillo for the years through 1738, followed by Salvador Zapata in 1739 and Thadeo

Torquemada in the last two documented years of 1740 and 1741. Two facsimiles at the end of this article provide representative examples of these receipts: the first facsimile is signed by chapel master Antonio de Salazar in 1710. It reads:

I received from Don Diego Joseph de Bustos thirty pesos for the attendance of the Chapel at vespers and mass for the festival of San Pedro Arbues that the Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition celebrated in the Royal Convent of Santo Domingo. I testify this to be true. Mexico, the 17 of

September, 1710.

Maestro Anttonio [sic] de Salazar.

30 pesos

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The second receipt is signed by Manuel de Sumaya in 1733 and states:

I received from the Treasurer of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Mexico, Don Augustt[in]o Castillo y Collanttes, thirty pesos for the attendance by the Chapel at vespers and the day of the glorious martyr San Pedro de Arb?es that the Tribunal of the Holy Office annually celebrates in the Imperial Convent of Santo Domingo of Mexico. So that it might be

declared, I sign this on the 16 of September, 1733.

300 pesos Presbyter Manuel de Sumaya

Although these new documents provide much food for thought, further research is needed. A meticulous combing of the Mexico City Cathedral music holdings might provide some clues as to what specific musical pieces were actually performed. The sudden disappearance of the Festival of San Pedro de Arb?es after 1741 is also mysterious, given the

political strength of the Inquisition (who were the sponsors of the festival) well beyond that date and considering the long tradition of the festival itself. Equally fascinating is the existence of ?Indian? shawm and trumpet

players that landed paying jobs at the festival. The music education

system on the American continents that produced these professional instrumentalists must have been quite respectable and merits further study.

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Archivo General de la Naci?n, M?xico Ramo Cofrad?a y Archicofrad?as, Tomo 17, Expediente 2, fols. 73-312

Sr. Sn. Pedro de Arbues

Year Folio Maestro deCapiila & M?sicos 30 pesos

Chirim?as Clarineso

[Trompetas

Arcos Ata bales

Receipt signed by the Chapel Master!

Details of the

Budget

Expenses (Pesos & Reales)

1668 75v

De les m?sicos de la capila de la Cathed:' v?speras, y misa treinta pesos

133 P.

1669 78 146 PA| 11 R.

1670 81 141 P.&I 3R.

1671 83 A Matheo Xaramillo autor de Comedias por la que representa con su compa??a El dia del 8*20

144 .& 7R.

1672 85 A Matheo Xaramillo, autor de Comedias... 20 P.

142 P.&I 5R.

1673 87v &92

Al Mro Rodrigo Bemal por el tablado cf9 hico para los m?sicos y cinco ps y seis R 8 A Matheo Xaramillo...

148P.&I 2R.

1674 94 AJ Rodrigo Bernal por el Tablado... 149 P.

1675 96 Al Mfb Rodrigo Bemal por el Tablado...

149 P.& 1.5 R.

1676 98 Al Mft> Rodrigo Bernal por el Tablado...

149P.&I 1R.

1677 100 144P.&I 2R.

1678 102 142 P.

1679 104 140 P.

1680 106 141 P.&I 3R.

1681 108 de los clarines, quatro 143P.&I 4R.

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Year Folio

Maestro decapila & M?sicos 30 pesos

Chirim?as Clarines o ?Trompetas

Arcos Juncia Ata bates

Tablado Receipt signed by the Chapel Master

Details of the

Budget

Expenses (Pesos & Reales)

1682 110 de los clarines seis pesos 146 P.

1683 113 de los chirim?as del SancttTO sacramento de la cathedral quatre ps

152P.&I 4R.

1684 115 de Chirim?as y Clarinero 5 144P.il .5R.

1685 117 de Chirim?as Clarineros ataba?llos y tule seis p[esos] y quatre R[eales]

143P.&I 4.5 R.

1686 119 De los clarines y cKrimias 6 y rr? 6p[esos]4R[eaJes]

150 P.

1687 120 A los clarineros y chirim?as seis pesos y medio. 6 pfesos] 4 (Reales)

160P.&I 4R.

1688 121 A los clarines y chirim?as seis pess j De los arcos quatre reales. 151 PA| 6R.

1689 122 De los Clarines y Chirim?a seis pesymedio

144 PA| 4R.

1690 123 De las chirim?as y clarines 6p4 143 PA| 3R.

1691 127 a los Yndios chirimiteros y trompetas seis ps

139P.&I 4T.

1692 129 159 P.

1693 134 a los sacristanes y musica de chirim?as 6 pfesos) 159 P.

1694 136 de las Chirirnias Clar?n atabales Arcos y Juncia quatre ps y quatre tom[?ne]s

161 PA| 4T.

1695 137 Trompetas darin arcos Junsia quatre pessos y quatro tomines

191 P.8 7T.

1696 139 Trompetas chirim?as arcos y juncia 4 p[esos] 4 ((omines]

149 P.

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Year Folio


Chirr?as Clarines o

Trompetasl Arcos Juncia Ata

bales Tablado Receipt

signed by the Chapel Masterl

Details of the

Budget

Expenses (Pesos & Tomines)

1697 140 Arcos Juncia y Chirim?as 4 p(esos] 4 [tomines]

161 P.&l 4T.

1698 142 Arcos Juncia Y chirim?as 4p4 168 P.&j 6T.

1699 144 de los Arcos, Juncia, Chirim?as y Le?a 7 p(esos]4 [tomines]

161 P.&l 41

1700 145 de Arcos Juncia y Chirim?as 161 P.&I 4T.

1701 147 Antonio de Salazar fol. 148

Chirim?as Clar?n Arcos y Juncia 6 175 P.&l 2T.


Chirim?as arcos y Junzia 6 181 P.&l 71


Junzia y Chirim?as 6p 230 P.&l

4T.


Juncia Arcos y Chirim?as seis ps 228 P.&I

4T.


Juncia Arcos y Chirim?as 6 219 P.


Juncia Arcos y Chirim?as 6p 224P.&I 71


Juncia Arcos y Chirim?as 6 185 P.&I 3 T.


de Juncia Arcos y Chirim?as 6 170 P.&I 51


De Juncia Arcos y Chirim?as 6 194P.&I 4T.


de Juncia Arcos Chirim?as Bombas y Cohetes 18p(esos]

162 P.&l 3T.


Junzia Chirimias y atabales 6 173P.&I 61

[27]





Year Folio Chirim?as Clarines o

[Trompetas I Arcos Juncia Ata

bales Tablado Receipt

signed by the! Chapel Master

Details of the

Budget


Junzia arcos y Chir?mias 6


Juncia Arcos y Chirim?as 6


Bombas Juncia Arcos Chirim?as Atauales y Le?a pa las luminarias 20 pfesos] 4 [Reales]

1715 207 Geronimo Zarate fol. 206

Juncia, Arcos, chir?mias y atauales seis p06

1716 209 Geronimo

Zarate fol. 211

Junzia Arcos Chirim?as seis


Junzia, Arcos Chirim?as y atabales, seis ff6


Junzia Arcos Chirim?as Y atabales, seis p08


Juncia Arco Chirim?as y Atabales, seis p08

1720 225 Geronimo

Zarate fol. 226

Juncia Arcos Chirim?as y Atabales 6


Juncia Arcos Chirim?as Y Atabales 6p


Junzia Arcos Chirim?as Y atabales 6


Juncia Arcos Chirim?as 6

1724 241 Geronimo

Zarate foi. 243

Juncia, Arcos, Chirim?as, Y Atabales 6p

1725 245 Juan

Salibes fol. 248

Juncia, Arcos, Chirim?as, Y 6p

1726 249 Juan

Salibes fol. 252

Juncia Arcos Chirim?as Y Atabales 6p

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Year Folio Maestro decapila & M?sicos 30 pesos

Chirim?as Clarines o

?Trompetas

Arcos Juncia Ata bales

Tablado Receipt signed by the Chapel Master

Details of the

Budget

Expenses (Pesos & I

1727 253 Juan

Salibes foi. 256

Junzia Arcos Owimias Y Atabales 6 p.

I 199 PAI FL

1728 257 Juan

Salibes fol. 259

Juncia Arcos Y Chirim?as 6 I 217 P. a| 4.5 R.

1729 261 Juan

Salibes fol. 262

Junzia, arcos, Chirim?as, Y atabales 6 p. I 265 PA I

.5R.

1730 265 Juan

Salibes fol. 267

Juncia, arcos, chirim?as y atabales 6 p.

179 PA| 1R.

1731 269 Juan

Salibes fol. 272

Junzia, arcos, chirim?as, Y atabales 6 p. 1178P.il

5T.

1732 273 Juan

Salibes fol. 275

Junzia, Arcos, Chirim?as, y Ataus 6 p.

167 A| 1R.

1733 277 Manuel de Sumaya fol. 279

Junzia, Arcos, Y chirim?as 6 p. I 159 A| 1R.


Junzia, arcos, Y chirim?as seis p 165 P.

1735 285 Francisco de) Castillo fol. 287

Junzia Arcos Y chirim?as 161 P.

1736 289 Manuel de Sumaya foi. 290

Junzia arcos Y Chirim?as seis pesos

|168 PA| 3R.


Junzia, Arcos, Y Chirim?as seis 08 168P.&I

3R.

1738 297 Francisco del Castillo fol. 299

Junzias, arcos Y chirim?as seisp08

169 A| 7R.

1739 301 Salvador Zapata fol. 303

Junzia, arcos, Y chirim?as seisd*

I 170 PA| 5R.

1740 305 Thacteo

Torquemada fol. 307

Junzia, arcos Y chirim?as seis ff6

I 234P.&I 3R.

1741 309 Thadeo

Torquemada fol. 310

Junzia, arcos Y chirim?as se?sd08 1198 P.&l

4R.

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^^^^^cJ^J/^^y :._.- ?)j ?>4 '?

Archivo General de la Naci?n. Ramo de Cofrad?as y Archicofrad?as. Tomo 17, expediente 2, hoja 181.

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CRAIG H. RUSSEL and MANUEL de SUMAYA- 'Rowdy Musicians- Cofraternities and the Inquisition'

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