ABSTRACT
The three basic modes of performance for the cancionero repertory that emerge from the evidence of the literary sources are: all-vocal; all-instrumental; and vocal soloist accompanied by a plucked instrument such as lute, vihuela or harp. The Iberian sources have their own contribution to make to the so-called 'a cappella heresy' in that they clearly point to a tradition of performing polyphonic songs with unaccompanied voices, usually but not exclusively with one voice to a part. A poem by Costana in the Cancionero general, the largest printed anthology of lyric verse from the time of the Catholic Monarchs, suggests that the concept of all-instrumental performance of a song was a perfectly acceptable one. Possibly there were other settings, and possibly the minstrels improvised around the melodies associated with these songs, perhaps each taking one song, but Costana's poem provides at least some evidence for the interpretation of the cancionero repertory on 'bas' instruments.
