Juan García de Zéspedes (ca. 1619 – 5 August 1678) was a Mexican composer, singer,
viol
The viola da gamba (), or viol, or informally gamba, is a bowed and fretted string instrument that is played (i.e. "on the leg"). It is distinct from the later violin family, violin, or ; and it is any one of the earlier viol family of bow (m ...
player, and teacher.
Biography
He is thought to have been born in
Puebla
Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...
, Mexico. As a boy he was a soprano in the choir at
Puebla Cathedral
The Basilica Cathedral of Puebla, as the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is known according to its Titles of Mary, Marian invocation, is the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Puebla de los Ángeles, Archdioces ...
in 1630 under
Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla. In 1664 he succeeded ''maestro'' Gutiérrez in an interim capacity. The title ''maestro'' became permanent in 1670. Although censured by the cathedral chapter more than once over disagreements as to his duties, he had a long career ended by his paralysis late in life. He died in Puebla.
His musical compositions ranged from sacred pieces to secular pieces inspired by folk music.
Works
*''Convidando está la noche''
on Youtube
*''A la mar va mi Niña''
*''Plange quasi virgo plebs mea''
*''Salve regina''
*''Guaracha: Ay Que Me Abraso''
Bibliography
*''Renaissance and baroque musical sources in the Americas,'' R. Stevenson, 1970
*''Christmas Music from Baroque Mexico,'' R. Stevenson, 1974
*''Tesoro de la Música Polifónica en México,'' F. Ramírez, 1981
External links
*
1610s births
1678 deaths
Mexican Baroque composers
Mexican classical composers
Viol players
People from Puebla (city)
17th-century classical composers
Mexican male classical composers
17th-century male musicians
Musicians from New Spain
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