A new 17th-century Iberian source of instrumental music

The finding of a new musical source is always exciting. It helps to fill in gaps and bring up new questions to Music History. The recent rediscovery of a new Iberian source for instrumental music is no exception. From the rich musical tradition of the Santa Cruz monastery at Coimbra, Portugal, this 17th-century manuscript contributes to the keyboard repertoire with new works by the composers Diego de Alvarado, D. Agostinho da. Cruz, (possibly) Diego del Castillo and a newcomer, D. Jorge. But, apparently having had more than one musical function, this same manuscript was also used as a libro de ministriles and, by the latest hands, as a sketch book of new instrumental works. This article attempts to convey the importance of this new Portuguese source.