Francisco López Capillas (1608–1674), known also as "López of the Chapels," was a Mexican

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

and

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

born in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

. He is considered one of the most prolific composers of sacred music in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

during the

Baroque era The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from the early 17th century until the 1750s. It followed Renaissance art and Mannerism and preceded the Rococo (i ...

Biography

He was born Francisco López, the son of Bartolome López, potentially a royal notary, and María de la Trinidad. He was admitted into the Mexico City Cathedral choir in 1625, where he studied early European Gregorian chant and organum under organist and choirmaster Antonio Rodriguez Mata. During this time, it is likely that he enrolled at the University of Mexico and received a bachelor's degree in theology in 1626. The period of his life between 1626 through 1641 is not well understood, however by 1641 he had found employment as an

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...

, dulcianist, and cantor at La Catedral de la Puebla de los Angeles, under the directorship of

Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla (ca. 15901664) was a Renaissance-style Spanish composer and cantor, most of whose career took place in Mexico. Life and career Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla was born in Málaga, Spain. He received his musical education f ...

. Puebla at this time was overseen by the Archbishop

Juan de Palafox y Mendoza Juan de Palafox y Mendoza (26 June 1600 – 1 October 1659) was a Spanish politician, administrator, and Catholic clergyman in 17th century Spain and a viceroy of Mexico. Palafox was the Bishop of Puebla (1640−1655), and the interim Archb ...

, who greatly supported the city's emergence as a cultural and intellectual haven through various development and infrastructure projects, including the construction of new chapels and cathedrals in the villages surrounding Puebla. In 1641, Capillas was hired on as an assistant organist, a move that allowed the lead organist, Pedro Simón, an opportunity to leave Puebla and assist in the installation of organs in the new churches and schools that were springing up in the surrounding villages. This move also granted Capillas an opportunity to further study the music of European medieval and early renaissance masters including

Tomás Luis de Victoria Tomás Luis de Victoria (sometimes Italianised as ''da Vittoria''; ) was the most famous Spanish composer of the Renaissance. He stands with Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Orlande de Lassus as among the principal composers of the late Re ...

Clément Janequin Clément Janequin (c. 1485 – 1558) was a French composer of the Renaissance. He was one of the most famous composers of popular chansons of the entire Renaissance, and along with Claudin de Sermisy, was hugely influential in the development o ...

, and Giovanni Palestrina. In 1648, Capillas was brought back to Mexico City to assist Fabián Pérez Ximeno, who had succeeded Mata as the organist and choirmaster of the Catedral de México. In this role, Capillas assisted Pérez Ximeno, oversaw the installation of a new grand organ (built in the style of the ones at Puebla) and developed of a children's choir at the Cathedral. His whereabouts for the next six years are unknown. In March 1654, he presented a book of his compositions to the authorities of the

Mexico City Cathedral The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven (), also commonly called the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, is the cathedral church of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico. It is situated on top of the ...

. A month later, the chapel's choirmaster, Fabián Ximeno, died. Four days later, López was appointed choirmaster and principal organist "in recognition of his great sufficiency and ability for the ministries" at the Catedral de México. At this point he began signing his name as 'López Capillas' ('López of the Chapels'). He held this position until 1668, when the duties of the organist were separated from the choirmaster. After a five year period of declining health, Capillas died on January 18, 1674. The rediscovery of Capillas' last will and testament in the 1980's renewed scholarly interest in this composer.

Works

He is regarded as the first notable composer born in

America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and the colonies of

New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( ; Nahuatl: ''Yankwik Kaxtillan Birreiyotl''), originally the Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain. It was one of several ...

. He composed eight masses, ten

magnificat The Magnificat (Latin for "y soulmagnifies he Lord) is a canticle, also known as the Song of Mary or Canticle of Mary, and in the Byzantine Rite as the Ode of the Theotokos (). Its Western name derives from the incipit of its Latin text. This ...

s, five works for double chorus, and several other works for various feast days of the liturgical year including one extended work for Holy Week and Easter. He also wrote villancicos and other incidental music to be performed at or in honor of the various cathedrals where he worked. Source:

Masses

* Missa Pange lingua; 6 voices * Missa super scalam Aretinam; 5 voices (on hexachord) * Missa Aufer a nobis; 4 voices (on López motet) * Missa super Alleluia; 5 voices (on López motet) * Missa Benedicta sit Sancta Trinitas; 4 voices (on Palestrina motet) * Missa Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui; 4 voices (on Palestrina motet) * Missa Re Sol; 4 voices (on Riscos' canción) * Missa batalla; 6 voices (on Janequin chanson)

Motets

* Adiuva nos, Deus (part I by Antonio Rodriguez Mata) * Aufer a nobis * Christus factus est * Cui luna, sol et omnia * Cum iucunditate * Ecce nunc tempus * Ego enim * Et incarnatus est * In horrore visionis nocturnae * Lumen ad revelationem * Quicumque coluerit apostolorum * Tenebrae factae sunt * Velum templi

Other

* 8 magnificats

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lopez Capillas, Francisco 1608 births Musicians from New Spain 1674 deaths Mexican classical composers Mexican Baroque composers Musicians from Mexico City 17th-century classical composers Mexican male classical composers 17th-century male musicians