© Diego Almazán
© Diego Almazán
Friday, Oct 9 2026 · 8pm
Royal Chapel | Granada
[Free entry]
Concert / Medieval
ENSEMBLE ARQUIVOLTA
Alfonso the Tenth:
The Cantigas de Santa María at the Court of the Wise King
Ana Cristina Vicente | cantus
Alejandro Delgado | recorders & bassus
Enrique Pastor | citole
Calia Álvarez | fiddle
Daniel Garay | percussion
Jesús Nájera | voice-over
Gabriel Atienza | shawm, bassus, recitation & musical direction
Notes /
Ensemble Arquivolta makes its first appearance in Granada, paying tribute to Alfonso X the Wise on the 800th anniversary of his birth with this monographic programme of medieval music, conceived as a historical journey through the most significant events that shaped his life. The project seeks to set this chronological narrative to music in an objective and unbiased manner, portraying through music both the most glorious moments of his reign and its darkest episodes. The programme consists entirely of a small selection of the more than four hundred Cantigas de Santa María composed during his reign, some of which are believed to have been written in Alfonso X’s own hand.
Program /
Alfonso The Tenth:
The Cantigas de Santa María at the Court of the Wise King
1221 – Birth of Alfonso of Castile in Toledo
Recitation: Prólogo A. Don Alfonso de Castéla, de Toledo, de Leôn
Music: Santa Maria, Strela do dia
[CSM 100]
1248 – Conquest of Seville
Music: Quen os pecadores guía e aduz a salvaçôn [instrumental]
[CSM 227]
1249 – Marriage to Violante of Aragon, daughter of James I the Conqueror
Music: Con razôn é d’ haveren gran pavor as bestias
[CSM 144]
1252 – Death of Ferdinand III the Saint, King of Castile and León
Recitation: De lo que muestran las siete letras del nombre de mi padre Don Fernando
Music: Muito demóstra a Virgen, a Sennor esperital, sa lealdade
[CSM 292]
1254 – Foundation of the Studium Generale of Seville / Completion of the Fuero Real
Music: Sempr’ a Virgen groriösa ao que s’ en ela fía [instrumental]
[CSM 377]
1260 – Attack on Rabat and Salé / 1262 – Conquest of Cádiz and Niebla
Music: Sabor há Santa María, de que Déus por nós foi nado
[CSM 328]
1266 – Definitive conquest of Jerez / Mudéjar revolt in Murcia
Recitation: Alfon X a los cadtelleros de Murcia prohibiendo el cobro de impuestos
Music: A que por nos salvar fezo Déus Madr’ e Filla
[CSM 169]
1275 – Death of the heir to the throne, Infante Ferdinand de la Cerda / Renunciation of the throne of the Holy Roman Empire
Música: Muito faz grand’ érro, e en tórto jaz [instrumental]
[CSM 209]
1281 – Second compilation of the Cantigas de Santa María
Music: Porque trobar é cousa en que jaz entendimiento
[CSM Prólogo B]
1282 – Rebellion of his brother Manuel and his son, the future Sancho IV the Brave. King Alfonso disinherits his son following this affront
Music: Como gradecer ben-feito é cousa que muito val
[CSM 235]
1284 – Death in Seville
Music: Santa María loei e loo e loarei
[CSM 200]
Biographies /
Ensemble Arquivolta
Ensemble Arquivolta, resident ensemble of the Soria Early Music Festival (FeMASo), was founded on the initiative of shawm player and oboist Gabriel Atienza Valero and recorder player Moisés Maroto García. Their collaboration has given rise to an intensive programme of musicological research, as well as the transcription and arrangement of musical scores, enabling these young musicians to delve deeply into historically informed performance practice of Spanish medieval and Renaissance music, with a particular predilection for the virtuosity of the Spanish Golden Age. The dissemination and appreciation of this rich intangible heritage has become the ensemble’s principal aim. Its regular members include instrumentalists and singers who are active figures on Spain’s early music scene. Since its foundation, the ensemble has performed at a number of prominent festivals and concert series across Spain, including the Festival de Música Antigua de Soria (FeMASo, 2023, 2024 and 2026), Festival Soria Clásica (2024), Festival de Música Antigua de Sevilla (FeMÀS, 2025), Semana de Música Antigua de Logroño (SMAL, 2025), Tiana Antica (2026) and the Festival Internacional de Música Antiga i Barroca de Peníscola (2026).