New Book Release – “Immaculate Sounds: The Musical Lives of Nuns in New Spain” by CSWAC Faculty Cesar Favila
Congratulations to CSWAC faculty member Cesar Favila on his new book, titled Immaculate Sounds: The Musical Lives of Nuns in New Spain (Oxford University Press). Assistant Professor Cesar Favila is a distinguished scholar whose research and teaching are dedicated to the exploration of Mexican music, from colonial New Spain to the contemporary Chicano experience. His work delves into the intersections of music, religion, gender, and race, shedding light on how the sacred and the profane influence beliefs about salvation.
View an open-access copy of the book, courtesy of UCLA Library’s Toward an Open Monograph Ecosystem (TOME) program: Immaculate Sounds: The Musical Lives of Nuns in New Spain.
Immaculate Sounds is an unprecedented contribution to the field, focusing on the musical endeavors of women in colonial Latin America. It skillfully weaves together traditional methods in musicology, such as the transcription of rare music sources and the translation of historical documents, with insights from the realms of religious history, art, literary studies, and critical theory. Favila’s book suggests that women were not only active contributors to the musical landscape of colonial New Spain but were elevated as co-redeemers when they chose to become part of one of the nine orders of nuns during this era.
Immaculate Sounds: The Musical Lives of Nuns in New Spain is the first monograph on women’s music-making in colonial Latin America and unveils the rich musical traditions and the unique roles that women played during this period.
This book represents a significant milestone in the exploration of women’s contributions to music-making in colonial Latin America. Cesar Favila’s meticulous research and eloquent narrative shed light on a fascinating yet often overlooked aspect of the region’s history.
Join us in celebrating Cesar Favila’s exceptional work and this remarkable addition to the field of musicology. Immaculate Sounds: The Musical Lives of Nuns in New Spain is available here.
