Antonio de Cabezón

• 1. Blindness And Birth

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  Antonio de Cabezón was born on the 30th of March 1510 in Castrillo Mota de Judíos. This municipality sits near Burgos in northern Spain. He lost his sight during early childhood. No records exist about his formative years before he entered public life. The Palencia Cathedral likely provided his musical education under organist García de Baeza. His blindness did not stop him from rising to prominence as a performer. He became one of the most important composers of his time.

• 2. Royal Service And Travel

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  Isabella of Portugal employed Cabezón into her service in 1526. She was queen consort of Charles V and had married him in 1525. Cabezón played clavichord and organ for the royal family. He also served as organist at the chapel Isabella organized after her wedding. Charles V appointed him chamber musician in 1538. After Isabella died in 1539, Cabezón taught music to her children. Prince Felipe later made him court organist in 1543. Antonio accompanied Felipe on journeys through Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, and England between 1548 and 1556. These travels exposed English composers like Thomas Tallis and William Byrd to his work.

• 3. Sons And Preservation

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  Cabezón married Luisa Nuñez de Mocos from Ávila. They had five children together. Hernando de Cabezón lived from 1541 to 1602 and became a composer himself. It was through Hernando that most of Antonio's works survived. Agustín de Cabezón died before 1564 and worked as a chorister in the royal chapel. The bulk of compositions appeared posthumously in 1578. This volume carried the title Obras de música para tecla, arpa y vihuela. Hernando described many transcribed works as mere crumbs from his father's table. Only one vocal piece survives: Invocación a la letanía.

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• 4. Daily Offices And Verses

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  Most liturgical music by Cabezón served Daily Offices rather than Mass settings. Spain limited organ masses to versos on the Kyrie during this period. Nine sets of Kyrie verses for organ remain today. One group includes Kyrie de Nuestra Señara with three parts. Another set called Tema Rex virginum contains four voices. Seven four-voice settings exist under Kyries de primer, segundo, and other tones. Thirty-two hymns fill out his music for Daily Offices. Three collections cover psalms and Magnificats. Salmodia para principiantes offers four versillos per tone for beginners. Fabordon y glosas provides divisions in upper, bass, and inner voices.

• 5. Tientos And Structure

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  Twenty-nine tientos survive from Cabezón's hand. Fourteen appeared in Libro de cifra nueva published in Alcalá de Henares in 1557. These pieces use long note values throughout. They alternate between imitative counterpoint and non-imitative sections. Usually three or four themes appear within each work. The first theme presented is often the most developed. Non-imitative parts employ extended duets and motifs transforming into ostinato patterns. Twelve additional tientos appear in Obras de música. Six come from an earlier career period while six are late works. Late tientos use smaller note values and longer subjects. Their features anticipate Baroque period music styles.

• 6. Variations And Dance Forms

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  Nine sets of variations form part of Obras de musica. Spanish tradition calls these discantes, diferencias, or glosas. Diferencias sobre las Vacas contains three variations. Pavana italiana includes six variations. Diferencias sobre la Gallarda milanese holds two variations. Five variations exist on Diferencias sobre el canto del Caballero. Six variations cover Diferencias sobre el canto de La Dama le demanda. Seven variations treat De quién teme enojo Isabel. All variation sets begin with the first variation assuming known themes. Free transitions connect individual variations together. Cabezón uses migrating cantus firmus techniques heavily ornamented. Models derive from popular Spanish songs and dance forms.