Understanding Spanish Ballads and Lyrics: History and Key Features
Spanish Ballads and Lyrics: An Overview
The Ballad (Romance)
The ballads (romances) are epic or lyrical compositions with an indefinite number of verses, composed to be sung or recited. They typically have eight-syllable verses with assonant rhyme. Being oral, several versions of the same ballad often exist.
Some theories suggest they originate from ancient epics, while others propose they predate epic songs and were created by individual authors. The Ballad is the collection of ballads performed in the fifteenth century by the upper classes.
These are categorized as old ballads, transmitted orally and anonymously, and new ballads, poems written since the sixteenth century by known authors who emulated the older style.
Ballad Topics
- Biblical and Classical: Stories from the Old and New Testaments, as well as classical tales like the Trojan War or the burning of Rome by Nero.
- Epic: Themes mirroring the chansons de geste, including national, Carolingian, and Breton subjects.
- Historical and News: Events and incidents between Christians, or between Christians and Arabs/Moors.
- Romantic and Lyrical: Stories and expressions of feelings with little historical basis.
Language and Style
Ballad language and style are varied but possess distinct repetitive features:
- Fixed formulas to introduce the story or characters.
- Repetition.
- Varied tenses to avoid monotony.
- Simple language and archaisms.
- Resources to engage the listener, such as vocatives and apostrophes.
- Situational elements and the first-person pronoun highlighted at the beginning of the poem.
The Lyrics
The sixteenth century saw a renewal of Castilian lyric poetry with the introduction of Italian forms. Juan Boscán pioneered the use of Italian themes and forms. However, it was his friend Garcilaso de la Vega who achieved greater perfection in these compositions.
Key Innovations
- Metrics: Use of seven-syllable and eleven-syllable verses; the sonnet, a famous Italian Renaissance stanza consisting of two quartets and two triplets.
- Themes: Love as the main theme, nature as the backdrop for laments, and the revitalization of the classical locus amoenus. Classical mythology also appears frequently.
- Song Books: Collections of works by different poets on various issues, evolving into personal diaries and testimonies of a single poet.
Fray Luis de León (1527-1591)
Born in Belmonte (Cuenca) in 1527, Fray Luis de León was a man of great knowledge. He was imprisoned in 1572 for not adhering to church standards and died in 1591. He synthesized humanism and religion, representing both religious and national ideals.
Works
His work comprises fewer than forty original compositions and several translations. His most important verse works include: Life Retreat, Serene Night, Ode to Francisco Salinas, and Ascension or Abode of Heaven. In prose, he translated the Song of Songs and the Book of Job, which led to his denunciation by the Inquisition.
His themes include solitude, contemplation of nature, spiritual peace, and the harmony of the universe. Christian influence is evident. His style is simple and clean, employing the Renaissance lira verse form.