The Song of the Sybil
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The Song of the Sybil (Catalan El Cant de la Sibil·la) is a liturgical drama and a Gregorian chant, the lyrics of which compose a prophecy describing the Apocalypse, which is performed at some churches of Mallorca (Spain) and Alghero (Sardinia, Italy) on Christmas Eve.
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[edit] Versions
Several versions, differing in text and music, exist.
- Latin Sibyl, from X-XI century, which incorporates fragments of The City of God (XVIII, 23) by St. Augustine
- Provençal Sybil, from XIII century, reflecting influence of troubadour poetry
- Catalan Sybil. The latest and most ornamented version. Incorporates popular traditions of Balearic Islands. Refrain of this version is sometimes written for three or four voices
[edit] Origins
The author of The Song of the Sybil is unknown. The prophecy was for the first time recorded as an acrostic poem in Greek by bishop Eusebius of Caesarea and later translated into Latin by Saint Augustine in The City of God. It appeared again in 10th century in different locations across Catalonia, Italy, Castile, and France in the sermon Contra judeos, later inserted into the reading of the sixth lesson of the second nocturn of matins and was performed as an integral part of the liturgy.
This chant was originally sung in Latin and under the name of Judicii Signum, but from the 13th on, versions in Catalan are found.
These early Catalan versions of the Judici Signum were not directly translated from Latin. Instead, they all come from a previous adaptation in Provençal, which proves the huge popularity this song must have had in the past.
Amongst the Catalan texts which come from this common root, there is a 14th century Codex kept in the Archives of the Mallorca Diocese, which was found in 1908. Oral transmission and lack of written scripts has caused the various old texts in vulgar tongues to suffer many modifications through time, which has originated many versions.
The Song of the Sybil was almost totally abandoned after the Council of Trent declared it was forbidden to perform it. Nevertheless, it was restored in Majorca as soon as in 1575.
[edit] Music
[edit] Original Music
Originally, the Song of the Sybil was sung in a Gregorian tune and, as it can be seen in the Codex previously mentioned, the musical accompaniment that was played in Mallorca, with the exception of some variations, was the same documented in other places across the Iberian Peninsula. Nowadays, one can't tell till when was the Sybil Song sung with this Gregorian tune, but most likely, it was until the 16th or the 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 early Musicologists and Folklorists of the 19th century lead to the transcription of the different known versions of the song. The versions still played nowadays take these transcriptions as model.
[edit] Nowadays Performance
Originally the song was sung by a Presbyter, though this figure was later replaced by a boy. Even though the Song is supposed to be sung by a Sybil woman, for many centuries women were not allowed to sing in church.
Nowadays, in most temples in which it is still interpreted, it is still a boy, even though in some case it is sung by either a little girl or a woman. In the representation, the singer walks till the Altar escorted by two or more altar boys carrying wax candle. Once there, the singer salutates the crucifix, turns around, and starts the song. The song is sung a cappella and in one sole voice. In some churches, organ music or either modern choral interludes are introduced between a verse and the next one. The dress used is pretty similar in all churches (at least around Mallorca) where it is performed. It consists of a white or coloured tunic, sometimes embroidered around the neck and the lower part, and usually, a cape (which is sometimes replaced with a second tunic). Head is covered with a cap of the same colour. The singer holds a sword in his hands, which is held erected during the whole song. Once the song is over, the singer draws a cross in the air with the sword, turns around to the crucifix one again, usually bows, and afterwards is escorted away from the altar by the same boys.
[edit] Lyrics
Note: the lyrics stated here correspond with an Mallorcan version of the song. The text is not standard, but late Medieval Catalan.
The song starts with an introduction, the tune of which differs from the rest of the song. In some performances, the song is finished with the introductory tune as well. It says:
- Al jorn del judici parrà qui avrà fet servici.
Which translates as
- The day of the judgement for whom won't have served.
| Original Catalan | English Translation |
| 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 what is fair will give. |
| 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 loud 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, Elies 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 lightness 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 inside 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 ones he will say: -My sons, come! lucky ones, you possess the kingdom I have entailed for you 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 in this night, to your son want to pray so he will want to keep us from Hell! |
[edit] Recordings
Catalan version was recorded by the vocal ensemble Obsidienne in 1995. The Song of the Sybil (in all versions) was recorded in 1988 by Jordi Savall and Montserrat Figueras. A part of it is also performed by Dead Can Dance on their albums Aion (1990) and Toward the Within (1994).
