Meaning of "Alba" in Music
In the context of music, the term "alba" refers to a specific type of song that originated in the medieval period. The alba was a song of lament or warning that was typically sung at dawn, often depicting the parting of lovers or a watchman's warning to lovers at daybreak. It was a popular form of music among the troubadours, who were poet-musicians from southern France in the 11th and 12th centuries.
The alba can be seen as an early form of the aubade, although there are some differences between the two. While the alba is a song of lament or warning, the aubade is usually a celebration of the dawn. The alba often takes the form of a dialogue between a watchman and a lover, adding a dramatic element to the song.
Examples of albas for which music also survives include "Reis glorios" by Giraut de Bornelh and the anonymous "Gaite de la tor." The German counterparts of the troubadours, known as minnesingers, also used a similar form called "Tagelied," which means "day song".
Overall, the alba is a significant musical genre that emerged during the medieval period, characterized by its themes of parting lovers and the watchman's warning at dawn.
In the repertory of the troubadours and Trouvères, a song dealing with a lover's morning departure from his beloved after an illicit tryst.
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