Serenades and Serenins: musical practice and staging of royal power at Palácio da Ajuda in the late 18th century, according to the testimony of a French traveler

Abstract

Music in court ceremonies is often associated with representations of power, underlining or attenuating certain aspects that help us to understand, beyond purely musical matters, also the political action as a whole. This article examines the musical practice at Ajuda Palace in the late 18th century, during the reign of Queen Maria I, based on the testimony of the French diplomat Marc Antoine Marie, Marquis de Bombelles. The construction of Ajuda Palace and the remodelling of the Room of the Serenin are historically framed, addressing some of its characteristic decorative features. Then, the location and use of the two music spaces of the Palace is discussed. The musical practice in these spaces is examined, with special attention to the location of the instrumentalists and spectators and, finally, the musical performances thus portrayed are related to the strategy of political representation of Queen Maria I, and some conclusions are suggested.