Cifras nuevas: The harp and guitar in early modern Spain
Duos from the 16th and 17th centuries, from sacred works and courtly fantasias to infectious New World dances.
Amanda Beranek, triple harp
Dani Zanuttini-Frank, baroque guitar
Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.
Free Admission
Cifras nuevas presents music from the 16th and 17th centuries for the duo of harp and guitar or vihuela. Widely attested to in European iconography and Latin American folkloric traditions, this combination of instruments performed music ranging from ornamented canto llano to dances of African origin. The first half of our program will feature sacred works and instrumental fantasies from the 16th century, including Luis Venegas de Henestrosa’s setting of the "Ave maris stella." The second half will explore the preludes and dances of the 17th century, spotlighting the dual influences of Italian harmonic innovations and the rhythms of Spain’s colonial possessions. The program will display the dizzying range of music that coexisted in one place a one time.
