 Mass by Cristóbal de Morales |
16th Century In Carlos 1st age there were composers as Mateo Flecha "the Old" (1481-ca.1549), author of The Salads (Prague, 1581), a gener that combinates verses in different languages. Cristóbal de Morales (Sevilla, ca.1500-1553) studied in Rome, where he published several Masses in 1544. Other composers were Pedro de Pastrana, Juan Vázquez or Diego Ortiz. In Philip 2nd age lived Gabriel Gálvez, Andrés Torrente, Juan Navarro and Rodrigo de Cevallos. Francisco Guerrero (ca.1527-1599), who travelled to Italy and published his work between 1555 and 1589, worked in Seville. |
 Cipher for organ |
 Officium Defunctorum |
The most important artist in this century, Tomás Luis de Victoria (Ávila, 1548-1611), learnt in his native town's Cathedral. He worked in Rome and published about 170 works -65 motetes, 34 masses 37 officcia for Holy Week, Magnificat and Psalms- from 1572. After 1587 he worked for the Empress, whose death was the occasion for a famous Officium Defunctorum (1605) for six voices. His polychoralism -compositions for several choirs- and sense of harmony -for writing flats and sustained notes- made him a forerunner of Baroque. He was protected by Philip 3rd. |
 Manuscript letter by Tomás Luis de Victoria |
