The original message about the "Mass on a M.M." was forwarded to another
list, Maphist. This message to Maphist was in reply and I thought it would
be of interest to Maps-L readers.----------------Johnnie
------------------------------
>Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 09:21:52 -0600
>Sender: Map History Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
>From: WOODWARD David <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Mass on a Mappa Mundi
I think the "mass" referred to is the Missa del Mappamondo of Cornaro,
which compares the land of Sicily to the singer's loved-one Cecilia. The
song starts out:
I have seen the world map, and the navigation charts.
But Sicily seems to me to be the most beautiful in this world.
I have seen all the islands in the world,
but to me the most beautiful island-Cecilia-is not on any map.
She came from the other world.
No particular mappamundi is being celebrated, but the song--which was
popular in the mid fifteenth century, seems to indicate that the idea of
both a "mappamondo" and a "carta da navigare" would have made sense to the
average person.
See: Allan W. Atlas, 'Aggio visto lo mappamondo: A New Reconstruction', In
Studies in Musical Sources and Style: Essays in Honor of Jan LaRue, ed.
Eugene K. Wolf and Edward H. Roesner, (Madison, Wisconsin: A-R Editions,
1990), 109-17. Francis Herbert brought this reference to my attention in
time to include it in the published version of the Panizzi lectures.
These are the kinds of things we think about in frozen Wisconsin in February.
>>
>>Yesterday morning,our classical music "listeners'
>>requests" programme broadcast a piece of music
>>called "Mass on a Mappa Mundi" by a Spanish
>>composer of the 15th. century called Juan Cornado.
>>Groves' Dictionary of Music reveals that this
>>gentleman worked at the Court of Naples c. 1455-
>>1485, and that the work was commissioned by
>>Fernando of Naples in either 1465-70 or about
>>1480, presumably at the same time as or a little
>>after the date of the map. Any ideas as to which
>>Mappa Mundi was being celebrated? (if you think
>>it matters, or would like the challenge.....?)
>>It's summer here , and you in the Northern Hemi-
>>sphere usually issue a challenge linking maps to
>>some of form of information/entertainment during
>>your summer holidays, so now we are doing it!
>>
>>Judith Scurfield
David Woodward
Arthur H. Robinson Professor of Geography
University of Wisconsin
443 Science Hall
550 North Park Street
Madison WI 53706-1491 USA
Tel: 608 262 0505 (Office)
608 251 1074 (Home)
Fax: 608 263 0762
Web Site: http://feature.geography.wisc.edu/woodward/
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