De musica latine scribenda: How to approach a Latin text as a composer without summoning a demon in the process (2022)

Juan Carlos Aliaga del Bosque

doi:10.62230/antec.v7i1.181

Authors

Juan Carlos Aliaga del Bosque Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3058-0971

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62230/antec.v7i1.181

Keywords:

Music written in latin, vocal music, classical latin, latin prosody, vocal music composition

Abstract

While composing vocal music, it is usually required an extra “set of rules” that is generally related with the language of the text used in the music. Each language has characteristics connected with its pronunciation, prosody, meaning, etc., that are necessary in order to set the text in a way that is understandable, but also some of these “quirks” can be exploitable and shape the music in a way that is closer to the sound, rhythm or even the culture carried by the language. This first paper on the topic addresses the use of Latin language in musical composition, as many others have tackled its pronunciation in performance but there is not much written about how a composer can use the language confidence and efficiency. In this paper, the concepts of syllable length and tonic accent in Latin will be introduced and they will be explained and applied through musical examples from different historical periods.

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Author Biography

Juan Carlos Aliaga del Bosque, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

He is a Peruvian composer and violinist. His music, influenced by his interest in philosophy, synthesizes locutions of past styles with present-day sounds. His music has been played in Europe and Latin America. He has participated in competitions such as Sorodha's piano Composition Competition (Belgium), Carlos Guastavino Composition Competition (USA), and Taki 2020 and 2021 (Peru), where he won first prize. As a performer he has performed on stages and at important events in Europe, the United States and Latin America. He performs in different genres as part of orchestras and ensembles such as those at UNM, playing violin and piano in jazz, rock and Peruvian music bands, and as a member of Susana Baca's band (2022). He has a bachelor's degree in Composition from the National University of Music (UNM), a bachelor's degree in Physics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP) and a master's degree in Composition from the Mannes School of Music (New York). Part of his topics of interest are classical languages, especially Latin, which is why he has studied at the Circulus Latinus Berolinensis and has been part of events such as Living Latin in New York. Currently, he is a teacher at the PUCP Faculty of Performing Arts.

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