Tomás Luis de Victoria (sometimes Italianised as ''da Vittoria''; ) was the most famous Spanish composer of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

. He stands with

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (between 3 February 1525 and 2 February 1526 – 2 February 1594) was an Italian composer of late Renaissance music. The central representative of the Roman School, with Orlande de Lassus and Tomás Luis de V ...

and Orlande de Lassus as among the principal composers of the late Renaissance, and was "admired above all for the intensity of some of his motets and of his Offices for the Dead and for Holy Week". His surviving ''oeuvre'', unlike that of his colleagues, is almost exclusively

sacred Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...

and

polyphonic Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice ( monophony) or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ...

vocal music, set to Latin texts. As a Catholic priest, as well as an accomplished organist and singer, his career spanned both Spain and Italy. However, he preferred the life of a composer to that of a performer.

Life and career

Family background and early years Tomás Luis de Victoria was born around 1548, most likely in Ávila, the main residence of his family at the time. Victoria’s birthplace has been the subject of debate, and remains unclear since his baptismal record has never been found. The town of Sanchidrián has been proposed as another possible birthplace, however it was only later that the Victorias would settle there, when Tomás’ eldest brother moved to Sanchidrián with his young family and widowed mother. In Tomás’ youth Sanchidrián was only the site of one of the family’s many rural landholdings. The origins of the Luis de Victoria family on the paternal side can be traced only as far back as Tomás’ grandfather, Hernán Luis Dávila, who makes his first documented appearance in Avila during the opening years of the sixteenth century. It is important to note that the name Victoria comes from Hernán’s wife, Leonor de Vitoria. Following Spanish practice of the time, their children combined their surnames, in the order of their preference, or chose between them. The original spelling Vitoria (from the

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

of the same name) was to be used by all members of this family with the exception of Tomás himself, who adopted the Latinized “Victoria.” Hernán Luis Dávila was a prosperous cloth merchant who shrewdly invested his profits into building an expansive real estate portfolio throughout Ávila province. Both his profession and property speculation, as well as the family’s increasing involvement in banking, are strongly suggestive of

converso A ''converso'' (; ; feminine form ''conversa''), "convert" (), was a Jew who converted to Catholicism in Spain or Portugal, particularly during the 14th and 15th centuries, or one of their descendants. To safeguard the Old Christian popula ...

origins, though there is no hard evidence to support this. The Victorias lived on Calle de los Caballeros, which was then lined with wool and silk shops, across from San Juan Bautista, their parish church, and just steps away from the main market square of the city. Their house still stands, and the tombs of Tomás’ parents and grandparents are at San Juan. Victoria was the seventh of nine children born to Francisco Luis de Vitoria and Francisca Suárez de la Concha. His mother's family were affluent wool merchants and bankers of Jewish origin, based in

Segovia Segovia ( , , ) is a city in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Segovia. Segovia is located in the Meseta central, Inner Pl ...

. Francisca's great-grandfather, Jacob Galfón, briefly took his family to Portugal following the expulsion of the Jews, but returned to Segovia with royal authorization late in 1492, converting to Christianity and taking the name Pedro Suárez de la Concha. The Suárez de la Concha family were elevated to the aristocracy, eventually acquiring the title Marqués de Lozoya. Francisco, Tomás’ father, had a lucrative business as a notary in Ávila, and also derived substantial income from rents on the family landholdings and from moneylending; however, he was prone to gambling, which resulted in a decline in the family fortune. As a result of this, upon Francisco’s death his eldest son Hernán sold the family home in Ávila and moved to their estate in Sanchidrián. This was only a temporary setback, and the Victorias would soon regain their footing, becoming more involved in banking, in association with their Suárez de la Concha cousins and others based in Castile’s financial capital of the time,

Medina del Campo Medina del Campo is a town and municipality of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. Part of the Province of Valladolid, it is the centre of a farming area. It lies on the banks of the Zapardiel river, in the centre of t ...

. Significantly, during this time of financial insecurity Hernán would break with conventional practice and share his inheritance, ensuring that his siblings received educations and dowries. In Tomás’ case this made possible, along with the support of their uncle the priest Juan Luis de Vitoria, his early music training at Ávila’s cathedral school. Education and career After his father's death in 1557, his uncle, Juan Luis, became Tomás' guardian. He was a choirboy in Ávila Cathedral. Cathedral records state that his uncle, Juan Luis, presented Victoria's Liber Primus to the Church while reminding them that Victoria had been brought up in the Ávila Cathedral. Because he was such an accomplished organist, many believe that he began studying the keyboard at an early age from a teacher in Ávila. Victoria most likely began studying "the classics" at St. Giles's, a boys' school in Ávila. This school was praised by St.Teresa of Avila and some highly regarded people of music. After receiving a grant from Philip II in 1565, Victoria went to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

and became cantor at the

German College The ''Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum'', or simply ''Collegium Germanicum'', is a German-speaking seminary for Catholic priests in Rome, founded in 1552. Since 1580 its full name has been ''Pontificium Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum de Urb' ...

founded by St. Ignatius Loyola. He may have studied with

Palestrina Palestrina (ancient ''Praeneste''; , ''Prainestos'') is a modern Italian city and ''comune'' (municipality) with a population of about 22,000, in Lazio, about east of Rome. It is connected to the latter by the Via Prenestina. It is built upon ...

around this time, though the evidence is circumstantial; certainly he was influenced by the Italian's style. For some time, beginning in 1573, Victoria held two positions, one being at the German College and the other being at the

Pontifical Roman Seminary The Pontifical Roman Major Seminary () is the major seminary of the Diocese of Rome. It is located at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran. Since 2017, the rector of the seminary has been Gabriele Faraghini, a priest of the Little Brothers of ...

. He held the positions of chapelmaster and instructor of

plainsong Plainsong or plainchant (calque from the French ; ) is a body of chants used in the liturgies of the Western Church. When referring to the term plainsong, it is those sacred pieces that are composed in Latin text. Plainsong was the exclusive for ...

. In 1571, he was hired at the German College as a teacher and began earning his first steady income. After Palestrina left the

Seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...

, Victoria took over the position of maestro. Victoria was ordained a priest in 1574 by bishop Thomas Goldwell. Before this he was made a

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Cathol ...

, but did not serve long in that capacity as typically deacons became priests soon after. In 1575, Victoria was appointed Maestro di Capella at S. Apollinare. Church officials would often ask Victoria for his opinion on appointments to cathedral positions because of his fame and knowledge. He was faithful to his position as convent organist even after his professional debut as an organist. He did not stay in

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, however. In 1587 Philip II honoured Victoria's desire to return to his native Spain, naming him chaplain to his sister, the Dowager Empress María, daughter of Charles V, who had been living in retirement with her daughter Princess Margarita at the Monasterio de las Descalzas de St. Clara at Madrid from 1581. In 1591, Victoria became a godfather to his brother Juan Luis's daughter, Isabel de Victoria. Victoria worked for 24 years at Descalzas Reales, serving for 17 years as chaplain to the Empress until her death, and then as convent organist. Victoria was also being paid much more at the Descalzas Reales than he would have earned as a cathedral chapelmaster, receiving an annual income from absentee benefices from 1587 to 1611. When the Empress Maria died in 1603, she willed three chaplaincies in the convent, with one going to Victoria. According to Victoria, he never accepted any extra pay for being a chapelmaster, and became the organist rather than the chapelmaster. Such was the esteem in which he was held that his contract allowed him frequent travel away from the convent. He was able to visit Rome in 1593 for two years, attending Palestrina's funeral in 1594. He died in 1611 in the chaplain's residence and was buried at the convent, although his tomb has yet to be identified.

Music

Victoria is the most significant composer of the

Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also sometimes called the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to, and as an alternative to or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time. It w ...

in Spain, and one of the best-regarded composers of

sacred music Religious music (also sacred music) is a type of music that is performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. It may overlap with ritual music, which is music, sacred or not, performed or composed for or as a ritual. Reli ...

in the late Renaissance, a genre to which he devoted himself exclusively. Victoria's music reflected his personality, expressing the passion of Spanish mysticism and religion. Victoria was praised by Padre Martini for his melodic phrases and his joyful inventions. His works have undergone a revival in the 20th century, with numerous recent recordings. Many commentators hear in his music a mystical intensity and direct emotional appeal, qualities considered by some to be lacking in the arguably more rhythmically and harmonically placid music of Palestrina. There are quite a few differences in their compositional styles, such as treatment of melody and quarter-note dissonances. Victoria was a master at overlapping and dividing choirs with multiple parts with a gradual decreasing of rhythmic distance throughout. Not only does Victoria incorporate intricate parts for the voices, but the organ is almost treated like a soloist in many of his choral pieces. Victoria did not originate the development of psalm settings or antiphons for two choirs, but he continued and increased the popularity of such repertoire. Victoria republished works that had appeared previously, and incorporated revisions into each reissue. Victoria published his first book of motets in 1572. In 1585 he wrote his ''Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae'', a collection which included 37 pieces that are part of the

Holy Week Holy Week () commemorates the seven days leading up to Easter. It begins with the commemoration of Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, marks the betrayal of Jesus on Spy Wednesday (Holy Wednes ...

celebrations in the

Catholic liturgy Catholic liturgy means the whole complex of official liturgical worship, including all the rites, ceremonies, prayers, and sacraments of the Church, as opposed to private or collective devotions. In this sense the arrangement of all these s ...

, including the eighteen motets of the '' Tenebrae Responsories''. Two influences in Victoria's life were Giovanni Maria Nanino and Luca Marenzio, whom Victoria admired for their work in

madrigal A madrigal is a form of secular vocal music most typical of the Renaissance (15th–16th centuries) and early Baroque (1580–1650) periods, although revisited by some later European composers. The polyphonic madrigal is unaccompanied, and the ...

s rather than church music. It has been speculated that Victoria took lessons from Escobedo at an early age before moving to Rome. Victoria claimed that he composed his most creative works under his patron Otto, Cardinal von Truchsess. However, Stevenson does not believe that he learned everything about music under Cardinal Truchsess's patronage. During the years that Victoria was devoted to

Philip II of Spain Philip II (21 May 152713 September 1598), sometimes known in Spain as Philip the Prudent (), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from 1580, and King of Naples and List of Sicilian monarchs, Sicily from 1554 until his death in 1598. He ...

, he expressed exhaustion from his compositional work. Most of the compositions that Victoria wrote that were dedicated to

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to * Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae ***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...

Michele Bonelli,

, or

Pope Gregory XIII Pope Gregory XIII (, , born Ugo Boncompagni; 7 January 1502 – 10 April 1585) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 May 1572 to his death in April 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake ...

were not compensated properly. Stylistically, his music shuns the elaborate

counterpoint In music theory, counterpoint is the relationship of two or more simultaneous musical lines (also called voices) that are harmonically dependent on each other, yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. The term originates from the Latin ...

of many of his contemporaries, preferring simple line and

homophonic Homophony and Homophonic are from the Greek language, Greek ὁμόφωνος (''homóphōnos''), literally 'same sounding,' from ὁμός (''homós''), "same" and φωνή (''phōnē''), "sound". It may refer to: *Homophones − words with the s ...

textures, yet seeking rhythmic variety and sometimes including intense and surprising contrasts. His melodic writing and use of dissonance is more free than that of Palestrina; occasionally he uses intervals which are prohibited in the strict application of 16th century counterpoint, such as ascending major sixths, or even occasional diminished fourths (for example, a melodic diminished fourth occurs in a passage representing grief in his

motet In Western classical music, a motet is mainly a vocal musical composition, of highly diverse form and style, from high medieval music to the present. The motet was one of the preeminent polyphonic forms of Renaissance music. According to the Eng ...

''Sancta Maria, succurre''). Victoria sometimes uses dramatic word-painting, of a kind usually found only in madrigals. Some of his sacred music uses instruments (a practice which is not uncommon in Spanish sacred music of the 16th century), and he also wrote polychoral works for more than one spatially separated group of singers, in the style of the composers of the Venetian school who were working at St. Mark's in

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

. His most famous work, and his masterpiece, '' Officium Defunctorum'', is a Requiem Mass for the Empress Maria.

Works

The number of voices are included in parentheses

Masses

* Alma redemptoris mater (8) * Ascendens Christus (5) * Ave maris stella (4) * Ave regina coelorum (8) * De Beata Maria Virgine (5) * Dum complerentur (6) * Gaudeamus (6) * Laetatus sum (12) * O magnum mysterium (4) * O quam gloriosum (4) * Pro defunctis (4) * Pro defunctis (6) * Pro Victoria (9) * Quam pulchri sunt (4) * Quarti toni (4) * Salve regina (8) * Simile est regnum coelorum (4) * Surge propera (5) * Trahe me post te (5) * Vidi speciosam (6) Spurious * Dominicalis (4) * Pange lingua (4) Magnificat (each sets just the odd verses polyphonically, or just the even verses, a few set all) Odd / Even * primi toni (4) * secondi toni (4) * tertii toni (4) * quarti toni (4) * quinti toni (4) * sexti toni (4) * septimi toni (4) * octavi toni (4) Both * primi toni (8) * sexti toni (12)

Lamentations

* Cogitavit Dominus (4) * Ego vir videns (5) * Et egressus est (4) * Incipit lamentation Jeremiae (4) * Incipit oratio Jeremiae (6) * Manum suam (5) * Matribus suis dixerunt (4) * Misericordiae Domini (4) * Quomodo obscuratum (4)

Motets

Four voices * Beati immaculati * Benedicam Dominum * Date ei de fructu * Doctor bonus amicus Dei Andreas * Domine non sum dignus * Duo seraphim clamabant * Ecce sacerdos magnus * Ego sum panis vivus * Estote fortes in bello * Gaudent in coelis animae Sanctorum * Hic vir despiciens mundum * Iste sanctus pro lege * Magi viderunt stellam * Ne timeas, Maria * O decus apostolicum * O doctor optime * O magnum mysterium * O quam gloriosum est regnum * O quam metuendus * O regnum coeli * O sacrum convivium * O vos omnes * Pueri Hebraeorum * Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui * Sancta Maria, succurre miseris * Senex puerum portabat * Veni, sponsa Christi * Vere languores nostros Five voices * Ascendens Christus in altum * Cum beatus Ignatius * Descendit angelus Domini * Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes * Ecce Dominus veniet * Gaude, Maria virgo * O lux et decus Hispaniae * Resplenduit facies ejus Six Voices * Ardens est cor meum * Beata es Virgo Maria * Benedicta sit Sancta Trinitas * Congratulamini mihi * Nigra sum * O Domine Jesu Christe * O sacrum convivium * Quem vidistis, pastores * Surrexit Pastor Bonus * Trahe me post te * Tu es Petrus * Vadam, et circuibo civitatem * Vidi speciosam * Versa est in luctum Eight voices * Ave Maria * Domine in virtute tua * O Ildephonse * Vidi speciosam

Canticles

* Benedictus Dominus * Nunc dimittis (4) * Nunc dimittis (5)

Hymns

(All 4 voices except Tantum ergo, 5) * Ad caenam agni provide * Ad preces nostras * Aurea luce et decore * Ave maris stella (even verses) * Ave maris stella (odd verses) * Christe redemptor omnium I * Christe redemptor omnium II * Conditor alme siderum * Decus egregie Paule * Deus tuorum militum * Exultet caelum laudibus * Hostis Herodes impie * Huius obtentu Deus * Iste confessor * Jesu corona virginum * Jesu nostra redemptio * Lauda mater Ecclisia * Lucis creator optime * O lux beata Trinitas * Pange lingua I * Pange lingua II * Quicumque Christum queritis * Quodcumque vinclis (also Petrus beatus catenarum) * Rex gloriose martyrum * Salvete flores martyrum * Sanctorum meritis * Tantum ergo sacramentum * Te Deum laudamus * Te lucis ante terminum * Tibi Christe splendor patris * Tristes errant apostoli * Urbs beata Jerusalem * Veni creator spiritus * Vexilla Regis prodeunt I * Vexilla Regis prodeunt II

Magnificats

(odd or even verses, 4 voices) * Primi toni (4) * Secondi toni (4) * Terti toni (4) * Quarti toni (4) * Quinti toni (4) * Sexti toni (4) * Septime toni (4) * Octavi toni (4) Both * Primi toni (8 voices) * Sexti toni (12 voices)

Lamentations

Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday, also referred to as Holy Thursday, or Thursday of the Lord's Supper, among other names,The day is also known as Great and Holy Thursday, Holy and Great Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Sheer Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries. is ...

* Incipit lamentation Jeremiae (4) * Et egressus est (4) * Manum suam (5)

Good Friday Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, or Friday of the Passion of the Lord, is a solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary (Golgotha). It is observed during ...

* Cogitavit Domino's (4) * Matribus suis dixerunt (4) * Ego vir videns (5)

Holy Saturday Holy Saturday (), also known as Great and Holy Saturday, Low Saturday, the Great Sabbath, Hallelujah Saturday, Saturday of the Glory, Easter Eve, Joyous Saturday, the Saturday of Light, Good Saturday, or Black Saturday, among other names, is t ...

* Misericordiae Domini (4) * Quomodo obscuratum (4) * Incipit oratio Jeremiae (6) Lesson * Taedet animam meam Litany * de beata Virgine

Passions

* St. Matthew * St. John

Psalms

(Number, voices, ode, verses * Nisi Dominus (126, 8) * Super flumina Babylonis (136, 8) * Dixit Dominus (109, 8) * Laudate pueri Dominum (112, 8) * Laudate Dominum omnes gentes (116, 8) * Laudate sum (121, 12) * Ecce nunc benedicite (135, 8) * Dixit Dominus (109, 4, I, odd) * Confitebor tibi Domine (110, 4, 4, odd) * Beatus vir (111, 4, 8, even) * Laudate pueri Dominum (112, 4, 6, even) * Lauda Jerusalem (147, 4, 7, odd) * Confitebor tibi Domine (110, 4, 4, even) * Beatus vir (111, 4, 8, odd) * Nisi Dominus (126, 4, 8, odd) * Credidi (115, 4, 6, odd)

Tenebrae Responsories

Thursday Matins * Amicus meus * Judas mercator pessimus * Unus ex discipulis meis Thursday Lauds * Eram quasi agnus * Una hora * Seniores populi Friday Matins * Tamquam ad latronem * Tenebrae factae sunt * Animam meam dilectam Friday Lauds * Tradiderunt me * Jesum tradidit impius * Caligaverunt oculi mei Saturday Matins * Recessit pastor noster * O vos omnes * Ecce quomodo moritur Justus Saturday Lauds * Astiterunt reges terrae * Aestimatus sum * Sepulto Domino

Sequences

* Lauda Sion salvatorem (8) * Victimae Paschali (8) * Veni Sancte Spiritus (8)

Selected recordings

The following are recordings of music by Tomás Luis de Victoria. As in all of his music, the texts are in

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

and drawn from the Roman Catholic Liturgy. * Victoria, ''Tenebrae Responsories''. Pro Cantione Antiqua: Deutsche Harmonia Mundi CD GD77056 * Victoria, ''Et Jesum. Motets, antífonas y partes de miss''. Carlos Mena, Juan Carlos Rivera: CD Harmonia Mundi Iberica 987042 * Victoria, ''Officium Defunctorum''. Musica Ficta, Raúl Mallavibarrena: Enchiriadis CD EN 2006 * Victoria, ''Sacred Works''. Ensemble Plus Ultra: DGG Archiv CD DDD 0289 477 9747 0 AM 10 * Victoria, ''Tenebrae Responsories''. The

Tallis Scholars The Tallis Scholars is a British professional early music vocal ensemble established in 1973. Normally consisting of two singers per part, with a core group of ten singers, they specialise in performing ''a cappella'' Religious music, sacred vocal ...

: Gimell Records. CDGIM 022 * Victoria, ''Lamentations of Jeremiah''. The Tallis Scholars: Gimell Records. CDGIM 043 * Victoria, Gesualdo, Palestrina, White, ''Lamentations''. Nordic Voices: CHANDOS CHACONNE. CHAN 0763 * Victoria, ''Misas y Motetes''. Ars Combinatoria, Canco López: Musaris. Mars 03-21161/16. Select recordings of music by Victoria are discussed in an article published in March 2011 by ''Gramophone''Tomás Luis de Victoria – a 400th-anniversary profile
by Edward Breen, Gramophone online, March 2011

Notes

References

Books * * Journal and encyclopedia articles * * * * *

External links

* * * *
Victoria dedicated website
in Spanish and English

by the Umeå Academic Choir

Catálogo de la obra de Tomás Luis de Victoria {{DEFAULTSORT:Victoria, Tomas Luis de 1548 births 1611 deaths Cantors Classical composers of church music People from the Province of Ávila Spanish male classical composers Musicians from Castile and León Spanish Renaissance composers 16th-century Spanish composers Spanish Roman Catholic priests Oratorians

Life and career

Music

Works

Masses

Lamentations

Motets

Canticles

Hymns

Magnificats

Lamentations

Passions

Psalms

Tenebrae Responsories

Sequences

Selected recordings

Notes

References

Further reading

External links