Como poden per sas culpas, from Cantigas de Santa Maria (cello duo)

Title: Como poden per sas culpas, from Cantigas de Santa Maria

Composer: unknown, arr. David Gable

Instrumentation: Two Cellos

Printout: 2 pages

Note: The Cantigas de Santa Maria (Songs of St Mary) is one of the most important sources of music from the Middle Ages. Consisting of over 400 devotional songs collected at the instruction of Alfonso X of Castile, they have as much appeal today as at the time of their creation. Como poden is an interesting example. Since none of the cantigas were written with meter indications, modern-day performers must figure out rhythmic and metric structure. Como poden is variously interpreted as being in 4/4 with syncopations or as having alternating measures of 6/8 and 3/4. The latter solution is used here.