Mudarra

Mudarra is a Spanish surname and, in historical contexts, a name associated with early Renaissance music. The most prominent figure bearing the name is Enríquez de Mudarra (c. 1510–1580), a Spanish priest and composer who contributed significantly to the vihuela repertoire of 16th-century Spain. He is best known for the Cancionero de Mudarra, a mid-16th-century collection of polyphonic pieces arranged for the vihuela and including transcriptions of vocal works. The manuscript provides important evidence of Spanish Renaissance polyphony and the instrumental practice of the period.

Enríquez de Mudarra’s work reflects the broader stylistic currents of Iberian sacred and secular music, as well as the technique and notation of vihuela performance. The Cancionero de Mudarra is widely studied by music historians and performers for its repertoire, which helped shape the development of guitar- and vihuela-based music in early modern Spain.

Beyond this historical figure, Mudarra appears as a surname in contemporary and historical records, carried by individuals in various professions across Spanish-speaking regions. As with many Iberian surnames, its distribution today reflects historical migration and cultural contact. In musicology, the name Mudarra is primarily associated with Enríquez de Mudarra and the important vihuela repertoire preserved in the Cancionero de Mudarra.