Spanish musical and poetic form consisting of several stanzas (coplas) linked by a refrain (estribillo). Originally derived from a medieval dance lyric and associated with rustic or popular themes, it was cultivated in the late 15th and 16th centuries. More than 300 appear in the famous Cancionero Musical de Palacio (c1490-1520), in three or four parts, with a melody in the top voice and a simple contrapuntal style. In the 16th century all voices shared in text and melody through imitation, as in the Italian madrigal; religious themes gained in importance and the genre entered the liturgy.

In the 17th century the religious villancico became more popular while the secular form was largely displaced by theRomance. From 1700 the villancico was affected by the Italian cantata style, and the dramatic effects became increasingly theatrical. Villancicos with vernacular texts were prohibited in the churches in 1765 but remained popular in both Spain and Latin America into the 19th century. Since then ‘villancico’ has meant simply ‘Christmas carol’.

The Concise Grove Dictionary of Music. Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.. All rights reserved.