Victoria Requiem

 Day 184

Victoria Requiem

Tenebrae

Nigel Short

Victoria (Thomás Luis de Victoria) got a mention in the history of music section of my degree. I think that it is possible that I heard some of his music as part of that but I don't have any memories of it. But I do recall him being considered one of the great figures in late Renaissance polyphony - perhaps the only person to rival Palestrina.

This Requiem dates from 1603 and was written to commemorate the death of the Empress Maria, sister of Phillip II of Spain. It has quite a complex structure, including a motet which doesn't form part of the liturgy of the Requiem Mass. It is an impressive piece in 6 parts lasting in total something like 40 minutes in total. I assume that when originally performed it would not have been sung as a single piece but the movements would have been broken up with readings and prayers, but I am no expert in the music of this area.

It is a very meditative work with a sense of calm resignation. The music is certainly polyphonic but the individual lines are quite often brought together into more harmonic passages. The harmonic is generally very consonant, which makes the occasional dissonant moments stand out quite markedly. Overall it was a calming piece and is the sort of music that can easily wash over you if you let it. I can see why Victoria is such a highly-regarded composer Looking back it would have been good to have taken up opportunities as a student to sing this sort of music in a small choir but I never did and it it is rather too late now. But certainly I am glad to have heard this piece.