Victoria's responsories were designed to provide musical richness and contrast against the plainchant that made up most of the longer Tenebrae liturgy.
Historical Context
A distinctive feature of the Tenebrae service was the gradual extinguishing of fifteen candles until the church was left in darkness, giving the service its name.
Interpretation
This recording intersperses excerpts from the Lamentations readings, sung to plainchant, to recreate the liturgical context of Victoria's polyphonic settings.
Composition History
The Tenebrae Responsories are from Victoria's Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae, a collection of polyphonic music for Holy Week published in 1585.
Historical Context
The Tenebrae service, from which these responsories are taken, combined Matins and Lauds for the last three days of Holy Week and was traditionally celebrated the previous evening.
Composer Biography
Victoria spent the first half of his adult life in Rome, where he worked as a singer, teacher, organist, and maestro di cappella for various institutions.
Composer Biography
Tomás Luis de Victoria, born in 1548, began his musical training as a chorister at Avila Cathedral in Spain.
You might also enjoy...
Ockeghem: Missa Prolationum, 5 Motets
In umbra mortis
Senfl: Choral Works
Missa Caput and Isorhythmic Motets by Dufay
di Lasso: Geistliche Vokalmusik
Victoria: Et Jesum, Motets for solo voice
Jean Richafort: Requiem - Tributes to Josquin Desprez
Da Vinci - Music from his Time
Lasso: Magnum opus musicum
Wert, G.: Motectorum Liber Primus / Il Secondo Libro De Motetti / Modulationum Liber Primus
