«A city of Roman origin, it received its honorific title, Ebora Liberalitas Julia, from Julius Caesar himself. A Christian bishop is attested here in the early fourth century. After centuries of Muslim rule, the city returned to Christian hands in 1165. The cathedral was restored the following year, and chant has resounded here ever since. During the first half of the sixteenth century, Évora served for several decades as an alternative to Lisbon as the royal capital; polyphony flourished accordingly as an elaborate complement to chant, often in the form of improvised counterpoint—a relationship that will be illustrated in Saturday’s concert. Évora became an archdiocese in 1540, and its university was founded in 1550. Some of the music manuscripts that survive from this period will be on display during the conference.

This is a fitting location for a meeting of the Cantus Planus study group. It is also conveniently close both to Vila Viçosa, seat of the Bragança royal dynasty and of a rich collection of music manuscripts (of which a selection will be shown there), and to the small Marian sanctuary of Terena, where some of the miracles recounted in King Alfonso the Learned’s famous Cantigas de Santa Maria are said to have taken place—two of these songs will be performed on Sunday.»

[Excerpt from the welcome note written by Manuel Pedro Ferreira]

Book of Abstracts (.pdf)