The Song of the Sibyl

Chant of the Sybil on Majorca
Chant of the Sybil on Majorca
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Country	Spain
Domains	Social practices, rituals and festive events
Reference	360
Region	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	2010 (5th session)
List	Representative

The Song of the Sibyl
The Song of the Sibyl
Date(s)	Christmas Eve
Frequency	Annual
Location(s)	Majorca,Spain; Alghero,Italy;
Inaugurated	10th–11th century

The Song of theSibyl(Catalan:El Cant de la Sibil·la[əlˈkanddələsiˈβilːə]) is aliturgicaldrama and aGregorian chant,the lyrics of which comprise aprophecydescribing theApocalypse,which has been performed in churches onMajorca(Balearic Islands,Spain) andAlghero(Sardinia,Italy), and some Catalan churches, in theCatalan languageonChristmas Evenearly uninterruptedly sincemedieval times.It was declared aMasterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of HumanitybyUNESCOon 16 November 2010.

Versions[edit]

Several versions, differing in text and music, exist.

Latin Sibyl, from 10th-11th century, which incorporates fragments ofThe City of God(XVIII, 23) bySt. Augustine
Provençal Sibyl, from the 13th century, reflecting influence oftroubadourpoetry
Catalan Sibyl. The latest and most ornamented version. Incorporates popular traditions ofBalearic Islands.Refrain of this version is sometimes written forthree or four voices

Origins[edit]

The author of The Song of the Sibyl is unknown. The prophecy was first recorded as anacrostic poemin Greek by bishopEusebius of Caesareaand later translated into Latin bySaint AugustineinThe City of God.It appeared again in the 10th century in different locations acrossCatalonia,Italy,Castile,andFrancein the sermonContra judeos,later inserted into the reading of the sixth lesson of the secondnocturnofmatinsand was performed as an integral part of the liturgy.

This chant was originally sung inLatinand under the name ofJudicii Signum,but from the 13th on, versions inCatalanare found.

These early Catalan versions of theJudici Signumwere not directly translated from Latin. Instead, they all come from a previous adaptation inProvençal,which proves the huge popularity this song must have had in the past.

Amongst theCatalantexts which come from this common root, there is a 14th-centuryCodexkept in the Archives of theMajorcan Diocese,which was rediscovered in 1908. Oral transmission and the lack of written scripts has caused the various old texts in thevernacularto suffer many modifications over time, which has led to a diversity of versions.

The Song of the Sibyl was almost totally abandoned throughout Europe after theCouncil of Trent(held in 25 sessions from 1545 to 1563) declared its performance was forbidden. Nevertheless, it was restored onMallorcaas soon as in 1575.

Music[edit]

Original music[edit]

Originally, the Song of the Sibyl was sung in aGregorianmelody and, as it can be seen in the codex previously mentioned, the musical accompaniment that was played inMajorca,with the exception of some variations, was the same documented in other places across theIberian Peninsula.Today, it cannot be ascertained when the Song of the Sibyl was sung to this Gregorian melody, but most likely until the 16th or 17th century. Oral transmission of the song caused, as it did with the text, the birth of different variations and models. The interest this chant produced amongst earlyMusicologistsandFolkloristsof the 19th century led to the transcription of the different known versions of the song. The versions still played nowadays take these transcriptions as model.

In theRenaissance,the Gregorian melody of the Song was set topolyphonic musicby various composers, a common practice during that period. Two of these works, both for four voices, can be found in theCancionero de la Colombina,a Spanish manuscript from the second half of the 15th century. The text in them is an abridged version of the Song, in theCastilian language.

Present-day performance[edit]

The song was originally sung by aPresbyter,although this figure was later replaced by a boy. Even though the Song is supposed to be sung by aSibylwoman (prophetess), for many centuries women were not allowed to sing inchurch.

Today, in most temples in which the song is interpreted, it is still sung by a boy, although in some cases it is sung by either a little girl or a woman. In the performance, the singer walks up to theAltarescorted by two or more altar boys carrying wax candles. Once there, the singer greets thecrucifix,turns around, and begins the song. The song is sunga cappellaand in a solo voice. In some churches, organ music or either modernchoral interludesare introduced between one verse and the next.

The costume used to perform the song is rather similar in all churches (at least aroundMajorca) where it is performed. It consists of a white or coloured tunic, sometimes embroidered around the neck and the hem, and usually, a cape (which is sometimes replaced with a second tunic). The head is covered with a cap of the same colour. The singer holds a sword in his hands, which is held erect during the whole song. Once the song is over, the singer draws a cross in the air with the sword, turns around to thecrucifixonce again, usually bows, and afterwards is escorted away from the altar by the same boys.

Today the performer is either a boy or a girl, and increasingly more places in the Catalan-speaking world are taking up the tradition again, such that in 2010, it will be performed not only in the majority of municipalities on Mallorca and in L'Alguer (Sardinia), but also in the following municipalities ofCataloniaand theValencian Country:Barcelona(at 3 different churches),Gandia,Lleida,Ontinyent,Sueca,Vicand others.^[1]

Lyrics[edit]

The song starts with an introduction, the melody of which differs from the rest of the song. In some performances, the song ends with the introductory melody as well.

The lyrics stated here correspond with aMajorcanversion of the song. For theAlguerversion of the song, seeCant de la Sibil·la (L'Alguer) on Wikisource.The text is not standard, but late MedievalCatalan.Some verses are attributed to the 14th-century Mallorcan writer,Anselm Turmeda,who translated into Catalan theJudicii Signum(Book of the Final Judgement), on which the composition is based.^[2]

The lyrics used on Mallorca are as follows:

Original Catalan	English Translation
Al jorn del judici parrà qui avrà fet servici.	On the day of judgment, he will be spared who has done service.
Jesucrist, Rei universal, home i ver Déu eternal, del cel vindrà per a jutjar i a cada u lo just darà.	Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, man and true eternal God, from Heaven will come to judge and to everyone will give what is fair.
Gran foc del cel davallarà; mars, fonts i rius, tot cremarà. Daran los peixos horribles crits perdent los seus naturals delits.	Great fire from the heaven will come down; seas, fountains and rivers, all will burn. Fish will scream loudly and in horror losing their natural delights.
Ans del Judici l'Anticrist vindrà i a tot lo món turment darà, i se farà com Déu servir, i qui no el crega farà morir.	Before the Judgement the Antichrist will come and will give suffering to everyone, and will make himself be served like God, and who does not obey he will make die.
Lo seu regnat serà molt breu; en aquell temps sots poder seu moriran màrtirs tots a un lloc aquells dos sants, Elíes i Enoc.	His reign will be very short; in these times under his power will die martyrs, all at once those two saints, Elijah and Enoch.
Lo sol perdrà sa claredat mostrant-se fosc i entelat, la lluna no darà claror i tot lo món serà tristor.	The sun will lose its light showing itself dark and veiled, the moon will give no light and the whole world will be sorrow.
Als mals dirà molt agrament: —Anau, maleits, en el turment! Anau-vos-ne en el foc etern amb vòstron príncep de l'infern!	To the evil ones he will say very sourly: —Go, damned, into the torment! Go into the eternal fire with your prince of Hell!
Als bons dirà: —Fills meus, veniu! Benaventurats posseïu el regne que us he aparellat des que lo món va esser creat!	To the good he will say: —My children, come! Lucky ones, you possess the kingdom I have kept for you ever since the world was created!
Oh humil Verge! Vós qui heu parit Jesús Infant aquesta nit, a vòstron Fill vullau pregar que de l'infern vulla'ns lliurar!	Oh humble Virgin! May you who have given birth to Child Jesus on this night, pray to your son so he will want to keep us from Hell!