Gabriel Díaz Bessón
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Díaz Bessón was a Spanish composer.
Díaz Bessón was maestro de capilla of the Royal Convent of La Encarnación
, Madrid, capellán for Francisco Gómez de Sandoval y Rojas, Duke of Lerma
favourite of Philip III of Spain
at the Church of Saint Peter at the Colegiata de Lerma, Burgos
(1616). On the accession of Philip IV of Spain
in 1621 Díaz Bessón was capellán at Granada Cathedral
, then at Córdoba (1624–31), and finally at the Convent of Las Descalzas Reales, Madrid. Dates overlap since he was concurrently maestro de la Real Capilla in Madrid and titular maestro de capilla of various cathedrals. In 1628 he was succeeded as maestro de capilla of the Royal Convent of La Encarnación
in Madrid by Carlos Patiño
who was then, five years later in 1634, chosen ahead of Díaz Bessón to succeed the Flemish-born Mateo Romero as first Spanish-born maestro of the Flemish chapel (capilla flamenca)
. Díaz Bessón died four years later.
Díaz Bessón "wrote music that was apostrophised as 'celestial'". Díaz Bessón composed in all the major genres: masses, requiem
, motets, psalms
, antiphons, hymns, tonos humanos, villancicos. In all more than 700 compositions were recorded, almost all of which were lost in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake
, as well as writing theoretical works.
Díaz Bessón was maestro de capilla of the Royal Convent of La Encarnación
Royal Convent of La Encarnación
The Royal Monastery of the Incarnation or Real Monasterio de la Encarnación is a convent of the order of Recolet Augustines located in Madrid, Spain. The institution mainly interned women from noble families, and was founded by the Queen Margaret of Austria, wife of Philip III, and thus was well...
, Madrid, capellán for Francisco Gómez de Sandoval y Rojas, Duke of Lerma
Francisco Goméz de Sandoval y Rojas, Duke of Lerma
Don Francisco Gómez de Sandoval, 1st Duke of Lerma , a favourite of Philip III of Spain, was the first of the validos through whom the later Habsburg monarchs ruled. He was succeeded by Don Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares.-Biography:The family of Sandoval was ancient and powerful...
favourite of Philip III of Spain
Philip III of Spain
Philip III , also known as Philip the Pious, was the King of Spain and King of Portugal and the Algarves, where he ruled as Philip II , from 1598 until his death...
at the Church of Saint Peter at the Colegiata de Lerma, Burgos
Burgos
Burgos is a city of northern Spain, historic capital of Castile. It is situated at the edge of the central plateau, with about 178,966 inhabitants in the city proper and another 20,000 in its suburbs. It is the capital of the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León...
(1616). On the accession of Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
in 1621 Díaz Bessón was capellán at Granada Cathedral
Granada Cathedral
Granada Cathedral is the cathedral in the city of Granada, capital of the province of the same name in the Autonomous Region of Andalusia, Spain.-History:...
, then at Córdoba (1624–31), and finally at the Convent of Las Descalzas Reales, Madrid. Dates overlap since he was concurrently maestro de la Real Capilla in Madrid and titular maestro de capilla of various cathedrals. In 1628 he was succeeded as maestro de capilla of the Royal Convent of La Encarnación
Royal Convent of La Encarnación
The Royal Monastery of the Incarnation or Real Monasterio de la Encarnación is a convent of the order of Recolet Augustines located in Madrid, Spain. The institution mainly interned women from noble families, and was founded by the Queen Margaret of Austria, wife of Philip III, and thus was well...
in Madrid by Carlos Patiño
Carlos Patiño
Carlos Patiño was a Spanish baroque composer.Patiño was a choirboy at Seville Cathedral where he studied with Alonso Lobo. He married in 1622 but his wife's death in 1625 led to his entry into the priesthood...
who was then, five years later in 1634, chosen ahead of Díaz Bessón to succeed the Flemish-born Mateo Romero as first Spanish-born maestro of the Flemish chapel (capilla flamenca)
Flemish chapel (capilla flamenca)
The Flemish chapel was one of two choirs employed by Philip II of Spain, the other being the Spanish chapel .- La Grande Chapelle :...
. Díaz Bessón died four years later.
Díaz Bessón "wrote music that was apostrophised as 'celestial'". Díaz Bessón composed in all the major genres: masses, requiem
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
, motets, psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
, antiphons, hymns, tonos humanos, villancicos. In all more than 700 compositions were recorded, almost all of which were lost in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake
1755 Lisbon earthquake
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that took place on Saturday 1 November 1755, at around 9:40 in the morning. The earthquake was followed by fires and a tsunami, which almost totally destroyed Lisbon in the Kingdom of Portugal, and...
, as well as writing theoretical works.
Recordings
- Sanctus and Benedictus, for Palm Sunday. on "Music for Holy Week at the Chapel of the Dukes of Braganza" A Capella Portuguesa. Owen Rees. Hyperion.
- Lauda Jerusalem (for brass ensemble) on "Music Of Gabrieli" Empire Brass dir. Carl St. Clair. Telarc