Enríquez de Valderrábano and Silva de Sirenas (1547): A Landmark in Vihuela Music

In 1547, Enríquez de Valderrábano published Silva de Sirenas ("Songs of the Sirens"), a popular and influential collection of vihuela music. This work, dedicated to Francisco de Zúñiga, Duke of Béjar, became one of the most significant books of instrumental and vocal music for the vihuela in the 16th century.

The Importance of Silva de Sirenas

• It is one of the most comprehensive collections of vihuela music, containing a wide variety of musical forms.
• The seven sections include:
  • Fugues and contrapuntos (counterpoint pieces).
  • Sonetos (structured instrumental pieces).
  • Bajas and vacas (dance music).
  • Discantes and pavanas (ornamental melodic works).
  • Proverbios and canciones (lyric songs).
  • Romances and villancicos (popular secular and sacred songs).
• The pieces are ordered by level of difficulty, making it a valuable pedagogical resource for vihuela players.

Instrumental and Vocal Combinations

• The book includes music for solo vihuela, but also duets and accompaniments, such as:
  • Two vihuelas playing together.
  • Vihuela and another instrument.
  • Vihuela and voice, expanding its appeal beyond instrumentalists.

Influences and Transcriptions

• Silva de Sirenas incorporates arrangements and transcriptions of works by some of the most significant Renaissance composers, including:
  • Cristóbal de Morales (Spain)
  • Josquin des Prez (Franco-Flemish)
  • Nicolas Gombert (Franco-Flemish)
  • Philippe Verdelot (France/Italy)
  • Jorge Báez de Sepúlveda (Spain)
  • Adrian Willaert (Flanders/Italy)
  • Vincenzo Ruffo (Italy)
  • Diego Ortiz (Spain)
  • Juan Vásquez (Spain)
  • Jean Mouton (France)

By including works from both Spanish and international composers, Valderrábano demonstrated the vihuela’s versatility in playing both native Iberian music and European polyphony.

Legacy of Silva de Sirenas

• Silva de Sirenas became a standard reference for vihuela players and contributed to the instrument’s golden age in 16th-century Spain.
• It showcased the vihuela’s ability to reproduce both complex polyphony and expressive solo music, affirming its role as the Spanish equivalent of the lute.
• Today, the collection remains an essential source for musicologists and performers interested in Renaissance stringed instruments and early Spanish music.

Conclusion: A Pinnacle of Spanish Vihuela Music

Enríquez de Valderrábano’s 1547 publication of Silva de Sirenas stands as one of the most important collections of vihuela music from the Spanish Renaissance. Featuring a diverse range of compositions and transcriptions from major European composers, it represents a key moment in the history of Iberian instrumental music, ensuring Valderrábano’s place among the great vihuelists of the 16th century.