Tom\u00e1s Luis De Victoria (1548-1611)

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2022

A Requiem For Maria

20220620

Donald Macleod surveys Victoria's duties as chaplain to a retired Empress Maria and the Requiem he composed for her funeral

Tomကs Luis de Victoria has become the most famed Spanish composer of the Renaissance and ranks alongside Palestrina and Lassus as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. He was a singer, organist, scholar, teacher, and a priest but it was in composition that he made his most significant impact. His motets, Offices for the Dead and music for Holy Week are admired for their great beauty and intensity and his musical talent thrust him into the orbit of Spain's royal family and the most senior clerics in Rome. His devotion to God sat at the heart of his creative life; and he wrote, `there is not a single thing as useful as music, which, reaching our hearts soft but deeply, provides a clear benefit not only for our soul but also for our body.`

Today, Donald Macleod explores the last work Victoria published, his Missa pro defunctis. This Requiem Mass is believed to have been written and performed to mark the death of his employer, the Dowager Empress Maria in 1603. Victoria returned to Spain from Italy to work as Chaplain for the Empress in the mid to late 1580s, where he greatly enhanced the cultural prestige of her household. Although Victoria was expected to undertake various priestly duties, he also served as unofficial Director of Music to the convent where the Empress was living. The post allowed him much time to compose and also to travel to oversee his various publications. When Empress Maria was taken ill, Victoria was one of the chaplains who attended her, as nuns sang psalms and recited prayers. After her death, Victoria was charged with organising music for the numerous services of mourning which took place. His Requiem stands as one of the pinnacles of his musical achievements.

O magnum mysterium

Grex Vocalis

Carl Høgset, director

Ave Maria

Matrise Nationale de Versailles

Choir of New College Oxford

Edward Higginbottom, director

Missa pro defunctis (Taedet animan meam)

Gabrieli Consort

Paul McCreesh, director

Missa pro defunctis (excerpt)

Magnificat octavi toni

The Sixteen

Harry Christophers, director

Donald Macleod surveys Victoria's duties as chaplain to retired Empress Maria.

2022

Moving To The Eternal City

20220621

Donald Macleod follows the young composer from his Spanish home in @vila to Rome.

Victoria was born in 1548 in @vila, Spain. In today's programme, Donald Macleod explores how the city and its culture may have shaped the young composer. He became a choirboy at the Cathedral of @vila, around the age of nine or ten, where he learned much about sacred music, its performance and composition. Victoria was then sent to Italy to prepare for holy orders, at the German College in Rome. It must have been an overwhelming experience for Victoria, arriving in the teeming metropolis of the Eternal City. He would have quickly encountered the music of Rome's most celebrated composer, Palestrina, and it's possible that Victoria was able to study with him, too.

O Magnum Mysterium

Carlos Mena, countertenor

Juan Carlos Rivera, lute

Vadam et circuibo civitatem a 6

Collegium Vocale Gent

Philippe Herreweghe, director

Ascendens Christus in altum

The Choir of the Queen's College, Oxford

Owen Rees, director

Super flumina Babylonis

Les ɀl退ments

Jo뀀l Suhubiette, director

Missa O magnum mysterium

Oxford Camerata

Jeremy Summerly, director

Ave maris stella a 4

ORA Singers

Suzi Digby, director

Donald Macleod follows the young composer from his home in \u00c1vila to Rome.

2022

Becoming A Priest

20220622

Donald Macleod follows the young Victoria as he takes holy orders and seeks to improve his circumstances.

In today's programme, we find Victoria working as director of music at the church of Sant'Apollinare in Rome. His duties kept him very busy, including training the choir, tuning and maintaining the church's organ and providing music for high mass on at least 180 days each year. Around 1575, Victoria was ordained and he was able to find a new position as a priest at San Girolamo. This role came with a better income and lodgings, and gave him more time to devote to composition. Victoria remained there for several years, bringing many of his works into print.

Gaude Maria

The Sixteen

Harry Christophers, director

Nigra sum sed formosa

Ensemble Plus Ultra

Michael Noone, director

Ardens Est Cor Muem

Nordic Voices

Magnificat septimi toni

The Choir of Westminster Cathedral

Martin Baker, director

Lamentations for Maundy Thursday

The Tallis Scholars

Peter Philips, director

Conditor alme siderum a 4

Aurea luce a 4

Donald Macleod follows Victoria as he seeks to improve his circumstances.

2022

Moving To A Convent

20220623

Donald Macleod sees Victoria return to Spain where he makes the most of his new Royal connections.

Victoria had been hoping for some time to return home to Spain and seized his opportunity when a position arose in the household of the Spanish Dowager Empress Maria. Donald Macleod explores this fruitful period in Victoria's career, in the employ of one of the senior members of Europe's most powerful family, the Habsburgs. As part of the Empress's staff in Madrid, Victoria came regularly into contact with influential members of the Spanish Court and was also involved in music making at the convent where Maria lived. His job gave him plenty of time to compose and also to travel; he often returned to Rome to oversee his publications and he was able to attend the funeral of the famed composer, Palestrina.

O Ildephonse

Pro Cantione Antiqua

Bruno Turner, director

Pange Lingua more hispano' a 4

Ensemble Plus Ultra

Michael Noone, director

Victimae paschali Laudes a 8

Veni, Sancte Spiritus a 8

Missa pro Victoria a 9

The Cardinall's Musick

Andrew Carwood, director

Missa Surge Propera a 5 (Credo)

John Potter, voice

Ariel Abramovich, guitar

Jacob Heringman, guitar

Donald Macleod follows Victoria as he leaves Rome and returns to Spain.

2022

05 LAST

Death Of The Empress

20220624

Donald Macleod explores Victoria's last published music, his Requiem, written for the death of the Dowager Empress Maria

Tomကs Luis de Victoria has become the most famed Spanish composer of the Renaissance, and ranks alongside Palestrina and Lassus as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. He was a singer, organist, scholar, teacher, and a priest, but it was in composition that he made his most significant impact. His motets, Offices for the Dead and music for Holy Week are admired for their great beauty and intensity and his musical talent thrust him into the orbit of Spain's royal family and the most senior clerics in Rome. His devotion to God sat at the heart of his creative life; and he wrote, `there is not a single thing as useful as music, which, reaching our hearts soft but deeply, provides a clear benefit not only for our soul but also for our body.`

When the Dowager Empress Maria died in 1603, arrangements for the funeral were far from straightforward. As Donald Macleod relates in today's episode, the Empress wanted only a simple service, and to be buried at the Convent where she'd been living. The King of Spain and his royal court felt very differently! Victoria was charged with writing music for the Empress's Requiem Mass, and produced one of his most intense and heartfelt works. Little is known of Victoria's life after the death of the Empress. He published his Requiem in 1605 and also stepped back from his unofficial role of Director of Music at the convent. The Empress's will stipulated that Victoria should say Mass for his late employer every week - which he did until his own death in 1611.

O quam gloriosum

Monteverdi Choir

Sir John Eliot Gardiner, director

O vos omnes

Stile Antico

Missa pro defunctis (excerpt)

Collegium Vocale Gent

Philippe Herreweghe, director

Versa est in luctum

Libera me (Absolution)

Missa Salve regina a 8

The Sixteen

Harry Christopher, director

Alma Redemptoris Mater

I Fagiolini

Robert Hollingworth, director

Donald Macleod explores Victoria's final years in Spain employed by Empress Maria.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2022	01	A Requiem For Maria	20220620	Donald Macleod surveys Victoria's duties as chaplain to a retired Empress Maria and the Requiem he composed for her funeral Tomကs Luis de Victoria has become the most famed Spanish composer of the Renaissance and ranks alongside Palestrina and Lassus as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. He was a singer, organist, scholar, teacher, and a priest but it was in composition that he made his most significant impact. His motets, Offices for the Dead and music for Holy Week are admired for their great beauty and intensity and his musical talent thrust him into the orbit of Spain's royal family and the most senior clerics in Rome. His devotion to God sat at the heart of his creative life; and he wrote, `there is not a single thing as useful as music, which, reaching our hearts soft but deeply, provides a clear benefit not only for our soul but also for our body.` Today, Donald Macleod explores the last work Victoria published, his Missa pro defunctis. This Requiem Mass is believed to have been written and performed to mark the death of his employer, the Dowager Empress Maria in 1603. Victoria returned to Spain from Italy to work as Chaplain for the Empress in the mid to late 1580s, where he greatly enhanced the cultural prestige of her household. Although Victoria was expected to undertake various priestly duties, he also served as unofficial Director of Music to the convent where the Empress was living. The post allowed him much time to compose and also to travel to oversee his various publications. When Empress Maria was taken ill, Victoria was one of the chaplains who attended her, as nuns sang psalms and recited prayers. After her death, Victoria was charged with organising music for the numerous services of mourning which took place. His Requiem stands as one of the pinnacles of his musical achievements. O magnum mysterium Grex Vocalis Carl Høgset, director Ave Maria Matrise Nationale de Versailles Choir of New College Oxford Edward Higginbottom, director Missa pro defunctis (Taedet animan meam) Gabrieli Consort Paul McCreesh, director Missa pro defunctis (excerpt) Magnificat octavi toni The Sixteen Harry Christophers, director Donald Macleod surveys Victoria's duties as chaplain to retired Empress Maria.
2022	02	Moving To The Eternal City	20220621	Donald Macleod follows the young composer from his Spanish home in @vila to Rome. Tomကs Luis de Victoria has become the most famed Spanish composer of the Renaissance and ranks alongside Palestrina and Lassus as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. He was a singer, organist, scholar, teacher, and a priest but it was in composition that he made his most significant impact. His motets, Offices for the Dead and music for Holy Week are admired for their great beauty and intensity and his musical talent thrust him into the orbit of Spain's royal family and the most senior clerics in Rome. His devotion to God sat at the heart of his creative life; and he wrote, `there is not a single thing as useful as music, which, reaching our hearts soft but deeply, provides a clear benefit not only for our soul but also for our body.` Victoria was born in 1548 in @vila, Spain. In today's programme, Donald Macleod explores how the city and its culture may have shaped the young composer. He became a choirboy at the Cathedral of @vila, around the age of nine or ten, where he learned much about sacred music, its performance and composition. Victoria was then sent to Italy to prepare for holy orders, at the German College in Rome. It must have been an overwhelming experience for Victoria, arriving in the teeming metropolis of the Eternal City. He would have quickly encountered the music of Rome's most celebrated composer, Palestrina, and it's possible that Victoria was able to study with him, too. O Magnum Mysterium Carlos Mena, countertenor Juan Carlos Rivera, lute Vadam et circuibo civitatem a 6 Collegium Vocale Gent Philippe Herreweghe, director Ascendens Christus in altum The Choir of the Queen's College, Oxford Owen Rees, director Super flumina Babylonis Les ɀl退ments Jo뀀l Suhubiette, director Missa O magnum mysterium Oxford Camerata Jeremy Summerly, director Ave maris stella a 4 ORA Singers Suzi Digby, director Donald Macleod follows the young composer from his home in \u00c1vila to Rome.
2022	03	Becoming A Priest	20220622	Donald Macleod follows the young Victoria as he takes holy orders and seeks to improve his circumstances. Tomကs Luis de Victoria has become the most famed Spanish composer of the Renaissance and ranks alongside Palestrina and Lassus as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. He was a singer, organist, scholar, teacher, and a priest but it was in composition that he made his most significant impact. His motets, Offices for the Dead and music for Holy Week are admired for their great beauty and intensity and his musical talent thrust him into the orbit of Spain's royal family and the most senior clerics in Rome. His devotion to God sat at the heart of his creative life; and he wrote, `there is not a single thing as useful as music, which, reaching our hearts soft but deeply, provides a clear benefit not only for our soul but also for our body.` In today's programme, we find Victoria working as director of music at the church of Sant'Apollinare in Rome. His duties kept him very busy, including training the choir, tuning and maintaining the church's organ and providing music for high mass on at least 180 days each year. Around 1575, Victoria was ordained and he was able to find a new position as a priest at San Girolamo. This role came with a better income and lodgings, and gave him more time to devote to composition. Victoria remained there for several years, bringing many of his works into print. Gaude Maria The Sixteen Harry Christophers, director Nigra sum sed formosa Ensemble Plus Ultra Michael Noone, director Ardens Est Cor Muem Nordic Voices Magnificat septimi toni The Choir of Westminster Cathedral Martin Baker, director Lamentations for Maundy Thursday The Tallis Scholars Peter Philips, director Conditor alme siderum a 4 Aurea luce a 4 Donald Macleod follows Victoria as he seeks to improve his circumstances.
2022	04	Moving To A Convent	20220623	Donald Macleod sees Victoria return to Spain where he makes the most of his new Royal connections. Tomကs Luis de Victoria has become the most famed Spanish composer of the Renaissance and ranks alongside Palestrina and Lassus as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. He was a singer, organist, scholar, teacher, and a priest but it was in composition that he made his most significant impact. His motets, Offices for the Dead and music for Holy Week are admired for their great beauty and intensity and his musical talent thrust him into the orbit of Spain's royal family and the most senior clerics in Rome. His devotion to God sat at the heart of his creative life; and he wrote, `there is not a single thing as useful as music, which, reaching our hearts soft but deeply, provides a clear benefit not only for our soul but also for our body.` Victoria had been hoping for some time to return home to Spain and seized his opportunity when a position arose in the household of the Spanish Dowager Empress Maria. Donald Macleod explores this fruitful period in Victoria's career, in the employ of one of the senior members of Europe's most powerful family, the Habsburgs. As part of the Empress's staff in Madrid, Victoria came regularly into contact with influential members of the Spanish Court and was also involved in music making at the convent where Maria lived. His job gave him plenty of time to compose and also to travel; he often returned to Rome to oversee his publications and he was able to attend the funeral of the famed composer, Palestrina. O Ildephonse Pro Cantione Antiqua Bruno Turner, director Pange Lingua more hispano' a 4 Ensemble Plus Ultra Michael Noone, director Victimae paschali Laudes a 8 Veni, Sancte Spiritus a 8 Missa pro Victoria a 9 The Cardinall's Musick Andrew Carwood, director Missa Surge Propera a 5 (Credo) John Potter, voice Ariel Abramovich, guitar Jacob Heringman, guitar Donald Macleod follows Victoria as he leaves Rome and returns to Spain.
2022	05 LAST	Death Of The Empress	20220624	Donald Macleod explores Victoria's last published music, his Requiem, written for the death of the Dowager Empress Maria Tomကs Luis de Victoria has become the most famed Spanish composer of the Renaissance, and ranks alongside Palestrina and Lassus as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. He was a singer, organist, scholar, teacher, and a priest, but it was in composition that he made his most significant impact. His motets, Offices for the Dead and music for Holy Week are admired for their great beauty and intensity and his musical talent thrust him into the orbit of Spain's royal family and the most senior clerics in Rome. His devotion to God sat at the heart of his creative life; and he wrote, `there is not a single thing as useful as music, which, reaching our hearts soft but deeply, provides a clear benefit not only for our soul but also for our body.` When the Dowager Empress Maria died in 1603, arrangements for the funeral were far from straightforward. As Donald Macleod relates in today's episode, the Empress wanted only a simple service, and to be buried at the Convent where she'd been living. The King of Spain and his royal court felt very differently! Victoria was charged with writing music for the Empress's Requiem Mass, and produced one of his most intense and heartfelt works. Little is known of Victoria's life after the death of the Empress. He published his Requiem in 1605 and also stepped back from his unofficial role of Director of Music at the convent. The Empress's will stipulated that Victoria should say Mass for his late employer every week - which he did until his own death in 1611. O quam gloriosum Monteverdi Choir Sir John Eliot Gardiner, director O vos omnes Stile Antico Missa pro defunctis (excerpt) Collegium Vocale Gent Philippe Herreweghe, director Versa est in luctum Libera me (Absolution) Missa Salve regina a 8 The Sixteen Harry Christopher, director Alma Redemptoris Mater I Fagiolini Robert Hollingworth, director Donald Macleod explores Victoria's final years in Spain employed by Empress Maria.