Renaissance and Baroque characteristics in four choral villancicos of Manuel de Sumaya: Analysis and performance editions

The music composed by Mexican chapelmasters during the Colonial period (1530--1820) was mostly unknown until the middle of the 20th century. In the last fifty years there has been significant research into the music that was written and performed in the cathedrals of Mexico by Spanish and Mexican musicians during the Renaissance and Baroque. During this time of scholarly activity many of the musical archives in Mexico's cathedrals have been catalogued, the composers have been studied, and their music has been transcribed and performed. Manuel de Sumaya (ca. 1678--1755) was one of the greatest Mexican chapelmasters and a pivotal figure in the introduction of the Baroque style into the music of Mexico. This dissertation focuses on the transcription and analysis of four choral villancicos by Sumaya which have never been transcribed into modern notation. The purpose is to show the transitory nature of Sumaya's choral villancicos by examining them in light of how each piece exhibits traits most commonly associated with the Renaissance and the Baroque. In order to understand the musical development that took place in Mexico the society and music during the entire Colonial period are reviewed. Following that overview is a study of the life and works of Sumaya as well as an in-depth musical analysis of four villancicos: Sabio y amante de Pedro, Quien es aquella paloma, Pues que triunfo de las sombras, and De las flores y estrellas. Included in this analysis is a description of Sumaya's compositional traits that are evident in these villancicos as well as in other music by Sumaya that has already been transcribed, including his most celebrated villancico, Celebren, publiquen. Performance editions of the four villancicos analyzed are included in the appendix.