Album insights
During the reign of Philip II, Francisco Guerrero was the most influential and renowned composer in Spain. Born in Seville in 1528, he passed away in the year 1599. At just 17 years old, he was appointed Kapellmeister in Jaén before returning to Seville. There, he served as a singer and then as an assistant to Pedro Fernández for many years. From 1574 to 1599, Guerrero held the position of maestro di capilla at Spain's largest and most majestic cathedral - surpassing all others in wealth, grandeur, choir performances, and instrumentalists.
Guerrero published motets, mass compositions, psalm settings, vesper hymns, music for funeral masses, two passions, and an impressive collection of religious Spanish villancicos that were written in colloquial language instead of Latin, with prints circulating in Seville, Leuven, Paris, Rome, and Venice between 1555 and 1597.
A skilled musician, Guerrero possessed a beautiful deep alto (or high tenor) voice, playing the organ, vihuela, harp, and cornett. He briefly studied under Morales, who had learned from Peñalosa, a disciple of Josquin. Guerrero met the young Vivanco and Alonso Lobo during his career.
His motets exhibit diverse styles and vocal distributions. One example, "Surge propera" (1570), vividly interprets the Song of Solomon in church music. On the other hand, "O altitudo divitiarum" (1597) features a harmonious, declamatory, and antiphonal double choir setting that reflects Sevilla's late 16th-century performance practices.
Guerrero's works, including "O Domine Jesu Christe" for Palm Sunday, "O sacrum convivium," and "Regina caeli laetare," highlight his versatility and mastery in choral composition. His widely acclaimed "Ave virgo sanctissima" was republished by other composers, showcasing Guerrero's enduring influence across Spain and its territories even after his death.
Alonso Lobo, born in Osuna in 1555, eventually succeeded Guerrero as Kapellmeister in Seville and later led the music program at the Toledo Cathedral. His compositions, including masses and motets published in 1602, were cherished across Spain, Portugal, and Mexico for centuries. Lobo's intricate works, like "Versa est in luctum" and "O quam suavis est, Domine," display a profound religious devotion and often employ the Spanish tradition of canonical imitation effectively.
Sebastián de Vivanco, born around January 1551, hailed from Avila and followed a similar musical path as Victoria, his Avila-born contemporary. Vivanco's compositions, featured in print editions like the 1607 Magnificat settings, reflect vibrant polyphony and a rich harmonic palette. Alongside Alonso Lobo and Juan Esquivel, Vivanco represents the culmination of Spain's Renaissance composers, inheriting the legacy of Morales and Guerrero.