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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 Díaz 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

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 8 Aug 2021 17:30

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

  • 00:01

    Trad (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

  • 00:11

    Philip 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

  • 00:17

    Anon

    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

  • 00:22

    Luzmila 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

  • 00:30

    Francisco 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

  • 00:36

    Lido 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

  • 00:38

    Rodrigo 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

  • 00:44

    Anon

    ‘Processional: Salve feste dies’ from Codex Calixtinus

    Performer: Anonymous 4.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 2.
  • Camilla Townsend

    Annals of Juan Bautista, read by Thalissa Teixeira

  • 00:50

    Luzmila 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

  • 00:54

    Trad (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

  • 00:57

    Anon

    Al Alva Venid Buen Amigo

    Performer: Catherine Bott.
  • Bernal Diaz trans. J.M Cohen

    The Conquest of New Spain, read by Enrique Arce

  • 01:02

    Cortes/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

  • 01:09

    Trad (Bolivia)

    Song of the Condor

    Performer: Unnamed.
    • Smithsonian Folkways.
    • 38.
  • Nezahuacoyotl

    Flowers are our only Garments, read by Thalissa Teixeira

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