Latin America: Spears, Jaguars and Eagles
The Spanish colonisation of the Americas, depicted in poems and journals by indigenous peoples and the invading armies and settlers, and set against music.
The Spanish colonisation of the Americas, depicted in poems and journals by the Aztecs, Incas and other indigenous peoples, and in the writings of the invading European Conquistadors. Spanish actor Enrique Arce (Money Heist) reads from accounts of Bernal DÃaz del Castillo, a soldier who participated in the 1521 conquest of Mexico, Bartolomé de las Casas, a Dominican Friar who documented the atrocities committed against the native communities, and Garcilaso de la Vega, son of a Spanish conquistador and an Inca noblewoman born in the early years of the conquest. Brazilian-born actress Thalissa Teixeira (Two Weeks to Live) reads poems and perspectives from the Acolhua philosopher Nezahualcoyotl, Nahua writer Chimalpahin, and other first-hand sources documented in Camilla Townsend's acclaimed new history of the Aztecs, Fifth Sun. Alongside Spanish Baroque there's music by Mexican guitarists Rodrigo y Gabriela, Bolivian singer and champion of indigenous rights Luzmila Carpio, who sings in the Andean Quechua language, and the Afro-Colombian group Sexteto Tabalá.
Readings
Trad Nahuatl: Nothing but flowers...
Christopher Columbus trans. J.M. Cohen: extract from The Four Voyages
Scarlet Macaws: Pascale Petit
Bernal Diaz trans. J.M. Cohen: 'Early next day'...extract from The Conquest of New Spain
Trad Nahuatl: The City is Spread out in Circles of Jade
Camilla Townsend: ‘The frightened girl’…extract from Fifth Sun
Bernal Diaz trans. J.M Cohen: 'The great Montezuma'...extract from The Conquest of New Spain
Mills, Taylor, Graham: ‘You have told us that we do not know’…extract from Colonial Latin America
Garcilaso de la Vega trans. H.V Livermore: The Royal Commentaries of the Incas
Bartolome de la Casas: A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies
Camilla Townsend: ‘The walls of the adobe houses’ extract from Fifth Sun
Juan Battista: 'There was more raging and shouting;... extract from the Annals of Juan Batista
Bernal Diaz trans. J.M Cohen: 'As there was such a stench'...extract from The Conquest of New Spain
Bernardino de Sahagún: 'The smell of burning bodies'...extract from the Florentine Codex
Bernal Diaz trans. J.M Cohen: 'Many interested readers'...extract from The Conquest of New Spain
Camilla Towsned: 'The Quill'...extract from Fifth Sun
Nezahualcoyotl: Flowers are our only garments
Producer: Ruth Thomson
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Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
-
00:00
Trad (Cayamura)
Sacred Flutes of the Urua Ceremony
Performer: Unnamed.- Smithsonian Folkways.
- 13.
-
Trad
Nothing but flowers, read by Thalissa Teixeira
00:01Trad (Bolivia)
Song of the Condor
Performer: Unnamed.- Smithsonian Folkways.
- 38.
Christopher Columbus trans. J.M.Cohen
The Four Voyages, read by Enrique Arce
00:05°Õ°ùä»å
Follias Criollas: Gallarda Napolitana
Performer: Hesperion XXI, Jordi Savall.- Alia Vox.
- 1.
Pascale Petit
Scarlet Macaws, read by Thalissa Teixeira
00:11Philip Glass
Aguas da Amazonia: No. 4, Amazon River
Performer: Third Coast Percussion.- Cedille.
- 901.
Bernal Diaz trans. J.M Cohen
The Conquest of New Spain, read by Enrique Arce
00:17Anon
Zarabanda and Marizapalos
Performer: The Extempore String Ensemble, George Weigand (conductor).- Hyperion.
- 4.
Trad
The City is Spread out in Circles of Jade, read by Thalissa Teixeira
00:22Luzmila Carpio
The Song of the Earth and Stars
Performer: Luzmila Carpio.- Accords Croises.
- 4.
Camilla Townsend
‘The frightened girl’…extract from Fifth Sun, read by Thalissa Teixeira
Bernal Diaz trans. J.M Cohen
The Conquest of New Spain, read by Enrique Arce
00:30Francisco Guerau
Tarentela
Performer: The Extempore String Ensemble, George Weigand (conductor).- Hyperion.
- 4.
00:32°Õ°ùä»å
Homagio Kogui
Performer: Hespèrion XXI. Performer: Jordi Savall.- Alia Vox.
- CD 2 T15.
Mills, Taylor, and Graham
‘You have told us that we do not know’…extract from Colonial Latin America, read by Thalissa Teixeira
Garcilaso de la Vega trans. H.V Livermore
The Royal Commentaries of the Incas, read by Enrique Arce
00:36Lido Pimienta
Quiero Que me Salves
Performer: Sexteto Tabalá.- ANTI.
- 8.
Bartolome de la Casas
A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, read by Enrique Arce
00:38Rodrigo y Gabriela
Diablo Rojo
Performer: Rodrigo y Gabriela.- Rubyworks.
- 2.
Camilla Townsend
‘The walls of the adobe houses’ extract from Fifth Sun, read by Thalissa Teixeira
00:44Anon
‘Processional: Salve feste dies’ from Codex Calixtinus
Performer: Anonymous 4.- Harmonia Mundi.
- 2.
Camilla Townsend
Annals of Juan Bautista, read by Thalissa Teixeira
00:50Luzmila Carpio remixed El Remolon
Amaotayku Avelino Sinani
Performer: Luzmila Carpio.- ZZK Records.
- 6.
Bernal Diaz trans. J.M Cohen
The Conquest of New Spain, read by Enrique Arce
00:54Trad (Peru)
Cachua al Nacimento de Christo Nuestro Señor
Performer: Ensemble Villancico.- Chandos.
- 6.
Bernardino de Sahagún
‘ The smell of the burning bodies…’ extract from the Florentine Codex, quoted in C. Townsend Fifth Sun
00:57Anon
Al Alva Venid Buen Amigo
Performer: Catherine Bott.Bernal Diaz trans. J.M Cohen
The Conquest of New Spain, read by Enrique Arce
01:02Cortes/Monge
Cielito lindo/Mexico lindo y querido
Performer: Rollando Villazon (tenor), Bolivar Soloists.- DG 4779234.
- 15.
Camilla Townsend
‘The Quill’ extract from Fifth Sun, read by Thalissa Teixeira
01:09Trad (Bolivia)
Song of the Condor
Performer: Unnamed.- Smithsonian Folkways.
- 38.
Nezahuacoyotl
Flowers are our only Garments, read by Thalissa Teixeira
Broadcasts
- Sun 18 Oct 2020 17:30³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3
- Sun 8 Aug 2021 17:30³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3