Baroque Music, Part I
Baroque Music, Part II
Tomás Luis de Victoria
de Victoria was a Spanish composer of the late Renaissance. He was born in Ávila, but is known to have gone to Rome around 1564, where he joined the monastery founded by St. Ignatius Loyola as part of the fight against Lutheranism. In 1575 he was ordained as a priest, after a period of service at the monastery as maestro di cappella. In 1586 he returned to Spain, this time in the service of Empress Maria, who was entering a convent in Madrid. Victoria remained at the convent until the end of his life, performing several roles--priest, composer, director of the choir, and organist.
His early motets, such as this four-part O magnum mysterium, first published in 1572, employ a mystical intensity and direct emotional appeal. Victoria sometimes uses dramatic word-painting, of a kind usually found only in madrigals.
Antonio Vivaldi
Vivaldi was the eldest of nine children and was very sickly when he was young. He suffered from chest pains and it is now believed that he had asthma. Being from a poor family, Vivaldi decided to become a priest because he could receive a free education. He began this pursuit when he was 14 or 15 years old and 10 years later he became a priest. He was often referred to as the red priest because of the color of his hair.
When he was young, his father taught him how to play the violin. He excelled and became a prolific player. In 1703, he was hired by the Cons. della Pietá to teach homeless girls music. These girls were taught to sing or play an instrument. Their concerts were renowned for their beautiful music Vivaldi was an excellent teacher and would have strong ties to the Pietá for his entire life.
Magnificat: Canticle of Mary [Luke 1:46-55]
Magnificat anima mea Dominum:
Et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo, salutari meo.
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae:
Ecce enim ex hoc beatam
Me dicent omnes generationes.
Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est: et sanctum nomen ejus.
Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo: dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles
Esurientes implevit bonis: et divites dimisit inanes.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misereicordiae suae.
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini ejus in saecula.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
For He has regarded the humility of His
Handmaiden; for behold, henceforth all
Generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things,
And holy is His name;
And His mercy is from generation to
Generation, for those who fear Him.
He has shown might with His arm, He has
Scattered the proud in the conceit of their
Hearts. He has put down the mighty from
Their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty. He
Has helped His servant, Israel in
Remembrance of His mercy. Even as He
Spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His
posterity for ever.
Glory to the Father, Son and Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, and in all the ages of ages. Amen.