Tiento
Encyclopedia
Tiento is a musical genre originating in Spain in the mid-15th century. It is formally analogous to the fantasia (fantasy)
, found in England, Germany, and the Low Countries, and also the ricercare, first found in Italy. The word derives from the Spanish verb tentar (meaning either to touch, to tempt or to attempt), and was originally applied to music for various instruments. By the end of the 16th century the tiento was exclusively a keyboard form, especially of organ
music. It continued to be the predominant form in the Spanish organ tradition through the time of Cabanilles
, and developed many variants. Additionally, many 20th century composers have written works entitled "tiento."
Tiento is also the name of one of the palos
by which flamenco
tunes are classified.
or rondo
. Nearly all tientos are imitative to some degree, though not as complex or developed as the fugue. This has led to their being associated with the other embryonic imitative forms cited above. Similarly, it is difficult to assign a single texture to the form, since it underwent a considerable amount of evolution from its inception to its decline in the late 18th century. The earliest tientos (such as those of Cabezón
) were stylistically quite close to the ricercare in their extended use of the strict, motet-style counterpoint. Later (especially in the works of Cabanilles), tientos would frequently alternate between the older style of strict counterpoint, and virtuosic, affective figuration typical of the toccata
and some fantasias. The evolution of the form was in part conditioned by the evolution of the Spanish organ, and it eventually came to include several variants or sub-forms, several of which are listed below:
Fantasia (music)
The fantasia is a musical composition with its roots in the art of improvisation. Because of this, it seldom approximates the textbook rules of any strict musical form ....
, found in England, Germany, and the Low Countries, and also the ricercare, first found in Italy. The word derives from the Spanish verb tentar (meaning either to touch, to tempt or to attempt), and was originally applied to music for various instruments. By the end of the 16th century the tiento was exclusively a keyboard form, especially of organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
music. It continued to be the predominant form in the Spanish organ tradition through the time of Cabanilles
Juan Cabanilles
Juan Bautista José Cabanilles was a Spanish organist and composer at Valencia Cathedral...
, and developed many variants. Additionally, many 20th century composers have written works entitled "tiento."
Tiento is also the name of one of the palos
Palo (flamenco)
A palo is the name traditionally given in the flamenco environment for the different musical forms that constitute the traditional musical heritage of flamenco...
by which flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
tunes are classified.
Formal aspects
The tiento is formally extraordinarily diverse, more a set of guidelines than a rigid structural model such as fugueFugue
In music, a fugue is a compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject that is introduced at the beginning in imitation and recurs frequently in the course of the composition....
or rondo
Rondo
Rondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also to a character-type that is distinct from the form...
. Nearly all tientos are imitative to some degree, though not as complex or developed as the fugue. This has led to their being associated with the other embryonic imitative forms cited above. Similarly, it is difficult to assign a single texture to the form, since it underwent a considerable amount of evolution from its inception to its decline in the late 18th century. The earliest tientos (such as those of Cabezón
Antonio de Cabezón
Antonio de Cabezón was a Spanish Renaissance composer and organist. Blind from childhood, he quickly rose to prominence as performer and was eventually employed by the royal family...
) were stylistically quite close to the ricercare in their extended use of the strict, motet-style counterpoint. Later (especially in the works of Cabanilles), tientos would frequently alternate between the older style of strict counterpoint, and virtuosic, affective figuration typical of the toccata
Toccata
Toccata is a virtuoso piece of music typically for a keyboard or plucked string instrument featuring fast-moving, lightly fingered or otherwise virtuosic passages or sections, with or without imitative or fugal interludes, generally emphasizing the dexterity of the performer's fingers...
and some fantasias. The evolution of the form was in part conditioned by the evolution of the Spanish organ, and it eventually came to include several variants or sub-forms, several of which are listed below:
- Tiento de medio registro: A tiento making use of the split keyboard, frequently found on Spanish organs from the mid-16th century on. The split keyboard refers to an organ manual where ranks of pipes may be engaged for half the keyboard, as opposed to the entire compass, which is the norm. This enables the player to utilize different sounds on the same keyboard, generally a solo sound and an accompaniment sound, though occasionally two sounds of equal strength. The tiento de medio registro figures prominently in the oeuvres of Correa de ArauxoFrancisco Correa de ArauxoFrancisco Correa de Araujo was a notable Spanish organist, composer, and theorist of the late Renaissance.-Life:...
, Aguilera de HerediaSebastian Aguilera de HerediaSebastian Aguilera de Heredia was a Spanish monk, musician and composer.He was first the organist at the cathedral in Huesca from 1585 to 1603, and then moved to a more prestigious position as maestro de música at La Seo Cathedral in Saragossa. He published a collection of works in 1618, and...
, and BrunaPablo BrunaPablo Bruna was a Spanish composer and organist notable for his blindness , which resulted in his being known as "El ciego de Daroca" . It is not known how Bruna received his musical training, but in 1631 he was appointed organist of the collegiate church of St...
. - Tiento de lleno: The opposite of the tiento de medio registro; a tiento played on one sound (full register).
- Tiento de falsas: A tiento making frequent use of dissonance, so as to achieve particularly dramatic effect. "Falsas" refers to "false notes," or dissonant tones not part of the current mode or key. It is similar to the Italian idea of Durezze e ligature (consonance and dissonance).
- Tiento pleno: an irregular tiento consisting of three sections: a prelude, fugue, and postlude. It has more in common with the German praeludium than with other tientos.
Composers
- Antonio de CabezónAntonio de CabezónAntonio de Cabezón was a Spanish Renaissance composer and organist. Blind from childhood, he quickly rose to prominence as performer and was eventually employed by the royal family...
(1510–1566) - António CarreiraAntónio CarreiraAntónio Carreira was a Portuguese composer and organist of the Renaissance.He held the post of organist at the Royal Chapel in Lisbon. His compositions reveal his high contrapuntal craftsmanship...
(ca. 1520/30– fl. 1587/97) - Bernardo Clavijo de Castillo (1545–1626)
- Manuel Rodrigues CoelhoManuel Rodrigues CoelhoManuel Rodrigues Coelho was a Portuguese organist and composer. He is the first important Iberian keyboard composer since Cabezón....
(1555–1635) - Sebastián Aguilera de HerediaSebastian Aguilera de HerediaSebastian Aguilera de Heredia was a Spanish monk, musician and composer.He was first the organist at the cathedral in Huesca from 1585 to 1603, and then moved to a more prestigious position as maestro de música at La Seo Cathedral in Saragossa. He published a collection of works in 1618, and...
(1561–1627) - Francisco de Peraza (1564–1598)
- Gaspar FernandesGaspar FernandesGaspar Fernandes was a Portuguese composer and organist active in the cathedrals of Santiago de Guatemala and Puebla de los Ángeles, New Spain .-Life:Most scholars agree that the Gaspar Fernandes listed as a singer in the cathedral of Évora,...
(1566–1629) - Estacio de Lacerna (ca. 1570–after 1616)
- Francisco Correa de ArauxoFrancisco Correa de ArauxoFrancisco Correa de Araujo was a notable Spanish organist, composer, and theorist of the late Renaissance.-Life:...
(1584–1654) - José Ximénez (1601–1672)
- José Perandreu (fl. mid-17th century)
- Pablo BrunaPablo BrunaPablo Bruna was a Spanish composer and organist notable for his blindness , which resulted in his being known as "El ciego de Daroca" . It is not known how Bruna received his musical training, but in 1631 he was appointed organist of the collegiate church of St...
(1611–1679) - Juan CabanillesJuan CabanillesJuan Bautista José Cabanilles was a Spanish organist and composer at Valencia Cathedral...
(1644–1712)
Contemporary composers
- Jean LanglaisJean LanglaisJean Langlais was a French composer of modern classical music, organist, and improviser.- Biography :Jean Langlais was born in La Fontenelle , a small village near Mont St Michel, France...
(1907–1991): includes a tiento as movement 2 of his Suite Médiévale (1947) - Maurice OhanaMaurice OhanaMaurice Ohana was an Anglo-French composer of Sephardic Jewish origin.Ohana was born in Casablanca, Morocco. He was a British citizen until 1976, as his father had been born in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. He originally studied architecture, but abandoned this in favour of a...
(1913–1992): composed a Tiento for guitarClassical guitarThe classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
(1957)