July 24, 2017.Tomás Luis de Victoria.A week ago, when we presented three great composers of the High Renaissance, we gave Tomás Luis de Victoria short shift.We’ll try to correct it in this post.A younger contemporary of Palestrina and Orlando di Lasso, Victoria was born in 1548 in a small town of Sanchidrián near Ávila.We know some unusual facts about him, for example, that his mother was from a converso family, that is a family of Spanish Jews who were forced to convert to Catholicism.Victoria went to school in Ávila, sang as a choirboy in the local cathedral and probably learned there to play the organ.The cathedral of Ávila was one of Spain’s musical centers, and Victoria’s teachers were prominent composers and musicians. Some speculate that while in Ávila, he met Antonio de Cabezón, the famous blind composer, second in fame only to Cristóbal de Morales.Somewhere around 1563, once his voice had broken, Victoria was sent to Rome, to the Collegio Germanico, a preeminent Catholic school known for its excellent music education.As we mentioned last week, while at the Collegio, Victoria almost certainly met Palestrina, who at the time was maestro di cappella at the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, and very likely was his pupil.In 1569 Victoria became a singer and the organist at Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli, the Spanish national church in Rome.Such was his reputation, that a couple years later he was invited to teach music at the Collegio Germanico and eventually was appointed maestro di cappella. In 1574, he was ordained a priest.A year later he was appointed maestro di capella at Sant'Apollinare alle Terme, the church of the Collegium.By then Victoria was already a widely known and well-published composer.
In 1583 Victoria dedicated the second volume of masses (Missarum libri duo) to King Philip II and expressed the desire to return to Spain and lead the life of a priest.His wish was granted: Victoria was named the chaplain to the Dowager Empress María.Empress Maria lived in the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales.Masses at the convent were served daily, with Victoria acting as the choir master and organist.After dowager’s death in 1603 he remained at the convent in a position endowed by Maria.Victoria was held in very high esteem, was paid very well, and was free to travel.In 1594, he happened to be in Rome when Palestrina died; the funeral mass was celebrated at Saint Peter’s Basilica, with Victoria in attendance.By the end of his own life, Victoria’s music was played all over Europe and even in the New World: his masses were very popular in Mexico and Bogotá.He died on August 20th of 1611 and was buried at the Monasterio de las Descalzas.
Last time we mentioned that Victoria wrote some of the most profound music of the time; it’s not an exaggeration, and here’s an example.When Dowager Empress María died in 1603, Victoria wrote Officium Defunctorum – music for a prayer cycle for the deceased, practically a funeral mass.Listen to the selected movement and judge for yourself: here is the introductory movement, Taedet Animam Meam (My soul is weary of my life); and here – Kyrie.They’re performed, with extraordinary clarity and style, by Musica Ficta, a Spanish ensemble.You can hear all 10 movement of Officium Defunctorum by searching our library.
Tomás Luis de Victoria, 2017
July 24, 2017. Tomás Luis de Victoria. A week ago, when we presented three great composers of the High Renaissance, we gave Tomás Luis de Victoria short shift. We’ll try to correct it in this post. A younger contemporary of Palestrina and Orlando di Lasso, Victoria was born in 1548 in a small town of Sanchidrián near Ávila. We know some unusual facts about him, for example, that his mother was from a converso family, that is a family of Spanish Jews who were forced to convert to
Catholicism. Victoria went to school in Ávila, sang as a choirboy in the local cathedral and probably learned there to play the organ. The cathedral of Ávila was one of Spain’s musical centers, and Victoria’s teachers were prominent composers and musicians. Some speculate that while in Ávila, he met Antonio de Cabezón, the famous blind composer, second in fame only to Cristóbal de Morales. Somewhere around 1563, once his voice had broken, Victoria was sent to Rome, to the Collegio Germanico, a preeminent Catholic school known for its excellent music education. As we mentioned last week, while at the Collegio, Victoria almost certainly met Palestrina, who at the time was maestro di cappella at the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, and very likely was his pupil. In 1569 Victoria became a singer and the organist at Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli, the Spanish national church in Rome. Such was his reputation, that a couple years later he was invited to teach music at the Collegio Germanico and eventually was appointed maestro di cappella. In 1574, he was ordained a priest. A year later he was appointed maestro di capella at Sant'Apollinare alle Terme, the church of the Collegium. By then Victoria was already a widely known and well-published composer.
In 1583 Victoria dedicated the second volume of masses (Missarum libri duo) to King Philip II and expressed the desire to return to Spain and lead the life of a priest. His wish was granted: Victoria was named the chaplain to the Dowager Empress María. Empress Maria lived in the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales. Masses at the convent were served daily, with Victoria acting as the choir master and organist. After dowager’s death in 1603 he remained at the convent in a position endowed by Maria. Victoria was held in very high esteem, was paid very well, and was free to travel. In 1594, he happened to be in Rome when Palestrina died; the funeral mass was celebrated at Saint Peter’s Basilica, with Victoria in attendance. By the end of his own life, Victoria’s music was played all over Europe and even in the New World: his masses were very popular in Mexico and Bogotá. He died on August 20th of 1611 and was buried at the Monasterio de las Descalzas.
Last time we mentioned that Victoria wrote some of the most profound music of the time; it’s not an exaggeration, and here’s an example. When Dowager Empress María died in 1603, Victoria wrote Officium Defunctorum – music for a prayer cycle for the deceased, practically a funeral mass. Listen to the selected movement and judge for yourself: here is the introductory movement, Taedet Animam Meam (My soul is weary of my life); and here – Kyrie. They’re performed, with extraordinary clarity and style, by Musica Ficta, a Spanish ensemble. You can hear all 10 movement of Officium Defunctorum by searching our library.