Musical instruments and instrumental musicians in the 17th and 18th century cathedrals of New Spain

Abstract

Seventeenth century in European music history is highlighted by a growing relevance of instrumental music: absolute music, music without a literary support. Nonetheless, in spite of the presence of numerous musical instruments in the chapels of New Spain, instrumental music is not showing in their repertoire until the first decades of the Eighteenth century by the work of Manuel de Sumaya and Ignacio Jerusalem y Stella.

What was the role of musical instruments among the music chapels of New Spain cathedrals? To what end did church authorities equip the music chapels with expensive and most often imported music instruments? At what point in time did cathedrals see their use of musical instruments strengthened in their repertoire?

We can find some answers to these questions within the documents of the time, while some others can be deduced, and yet others remain to be found through the discovery of new information sources.