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La Bomba By Mateo Flecha el Viejo
Today we're traveling to Spain in the 16th-century, where (over many years) a form developed called 'ensalada'. This was a species of quodlibet, in which a number of songs were combined together into a new piece. Many of them are very clever, weaving different melodies and texts into a single new unit. They are of course especially effective if one knew the original songs--like hearing 'Amazing Grace', 'Home on the Range', 'America the Beautiful' and 'Simple Gifts' make featured appearances in a new piece. But the Spanish tunes were so lively and catchy that they can still arouse a frisson of delight in us latter-day non-Iberian personages.

The generally acknowledged peak of the ensalada was a collection of works by Mateo Flecha el Viejo,
'Las Ensaladas de Flecha', published in 1581 in Prague by Flecha's nephew. The set of partbooks contains eight compositions, all ultimately on a Christmas theme, and including verbal and melodic quotations in Spanish, Italian, Franch, Portuguese, Catalan and Latin.

The prototypical Flecha ensalada is some sort of disaster scene, with much weeping and wailing and fear and desperation. After a period in which the composer entertains himself (and us) by depicting such a scene in musical terms, a ray of hope appears. This ray expands to be salvation from the aforesaid disaster; metaphorically (and this ends up being spelled out) the salvation arises out of the conception and birth of the Christ child. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief, and much singing and dancing and general celebration ensues.

Today's project is 'La Bomba' (in contradistinction to 'La Bamba', which actually has nothing to do with early music). Frightened sailors in the midst of stormy seas call for an eponymous pump to bail with, run back and forth, heave sails, call to each other, and one poor soul laments his inability to swim. Extensive prayers are lifted to the Virgin, with promises of pilgrimages to Monterrat and Jerusalem.

Then, lo!, a sail on the horizon! Rescue appears in the form of a second ship. All are saved. A prayer of thanks and solemn devotion is duly sung. And then Gil Picarra pulls out his guitar and (after some trouble tuning) the celebratory singing and dancing begins. When the party finally winds down, we hear a closing verse which provides a moral to the story.

It's quite a musical journey (or, back to the culinary metaphor, it's quite a mixed salad). As you'll hear, many of the melodies are simple, attractive tunes of the type which can become ear-worms. These follow each other in short order, with interludes of the more solemn type of melody as the protagonists grow serious in recalling their peril and render thanks for their heaven-sent delivery. Overall a rollicking good time is has by all.

As usual, I am attaching score and text-translation. My favorite recording of the piece (by the King's Singers) is too large to attach, so here it is in a Dropbox link. There are also some links to fun, creative performances on YouTube. Here's one, also by the King's Singers. And here's a very different one by the Camerata Renacentista de Caracas.

I am not expecting anyone to necessarily sing this piece, though some may wish to try. But by all means take a listen, ideally with the text-translation in hand. It ought to brighten your day.
Download Score
Text and Translation
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