Juan de Esquivel Barahona
Encyclopedia
Juan [de] Esquivel Barahona (c. 1560 – after 1625) was the most prominent of the last generation of Spanish
church composers of the Renaissance
era. Although he never served in one of the major Spanish cathedrals, his music was known throughout Spain during the early seventeenth century.
, an ancient cathedral city southwest of Salamanca
. He began service as a choirboy in the cathedral in 1568 and, according to choir chaplain Antonio Sanchez Cabañas, he was a student of Juan Navarro
, the cathedral's choirmaster during Esquivel's youth. Esquivel's first position as maestro de capilla came in 1581, when he was named to the post in Oviedo
, the capital of the province of Asturias
in Northern Spain. He left that position in 1585 and took a similar position in the Riojan
city of Calahorra. In 1591 he returned to Ciudad Rodrigo as choirmaster, where he remained until his death.
, his music reveals an attempt to reconcile Spanish polyphonic traditions of the sixteenth century with Tridentine preferences for clarity of text and brevity of statement. This is especially true in his motets, which are among the shortest in the repertoire.
His principal influences were Cristóbal de Morales
and Francisco Guerrero, although some influence of his teacher, Navarro is sometimes evident. Esquivel's appreciation of Guerrero is apparent in his use the older master's motets as sources for parody mass
es. Esquivel, however, was never reluctant to set a text for which a previous composer had gained some fame.
Esquivel's polyphonic
style is characterized by a succinctness in his melodic subjects, an occasional use of noncadential chromaticism and the parallel motion between voices. His music has some similarity to Portuguese
polyphony of his time.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
church composers of the Renaissance
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given that its defining characteristics were adopted only gradually; musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.Literally meaning...
era. Although he never served in one of the major Spanish cathedrals, his music was known throughout Spain during the early seventeenth century.
Life
Juan de Esquivel was born in or near Ciudad RodrigoCiudad Rodrigo
Ciudad Rodrigo is a small cathedral city in the province of Salamanca, in western Spain, with a population of about 14,000. It is the seat of a judicial district as well....
, an ancient cathedral city southwest of Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
. He began service as a choirboy in the cathedral in 1568 and, according to choir chaplain Antonio Sanchez Cabañas, he was a student of Juan Navarro
Juan Navarro
Juan Navarro is the name of:* Juan Navarro Hispalensis , composer* Juan Navarro Gaditanus , Franciscan monk and composer* Juan Navarro Reverter , Spanish politician* Juan Gil Navarro , Argentinian TV actor...
, the cathedral's choirmaster during Esquivel's youth. Esquivel's first position as maestro de capilla came in 1581, when he was named to the post in Oviedo
Oviedo
Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city....
, the capital of the province of Asturias
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
in Northern Spain. He left that position in 1585 and took a similar position in the Riojan
Rioja, Spain
-External links: - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía - Diputación Provincial de Almería...
city of Calahorra. In 1591 he returned to Ciudad Rodrigo as choirmaster, where he remained until his death.
Music
Esquivel composed only sacred music. His output survives in three publications, printed in Salamanca during the early seventeenth century. Since he began his career during a time when Spanish churches were adopting the Roman liturgy as prescribed by the Council of TrentCouncil of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
, his music reveals an attempt to reconcile Spanish polyphonic traditions of the sixteenth century with Tridentine preferences for clarity of text and brevity of statement. This is especially true in his motets, which are among the shortest in the repertoire.
His principal influences were Cristóbal de Morales
Cristóbal de Morales
Cristóbal de Morales was a Spanish composer of the Renaissance. He is generally considered to be the most influential Spanish composer before Victoria.- Life :...
and Francisco Guerrero, although some influence of his teacher, Navarro is sometimes evident. Esquivel's appreciation of Guerrero is apparent in his use the older master's motets as sources for parody mass
Parody mass
A parody mass is a musical setting of the mass, typically from the 16th century, that uses multiple voices of another pre-existing piece of music, such as a fragment of a motet or a secular chanson, as part of its melodic material. It is distinguished from the two other most prominent types of...
es. Esquivel, however, was never reluctant to set a text for which a previous composer had gained some fame.
Esquivel's polyphonic
Polyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
style is characterized by a succinctness in his melodic subjects, an occasional use of noncadential chromaticism and the parallel motion between voices. His music has some similarity to Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
polyphony of his time.
Publications
- Motecta festorum et dominicarum cum communi sanctorum, IV, V, VI, et VIII vocibus concinnanda (Salamanca, Artus Tabernielis, 1608)
- Missarum Ioannis Esquivelis in alma ecclesia Civitatensi portionarii, et cantorum praefecti, liber primus superiorum permissu, Salmanticæ, ex officina typographica Arti Taberniel Antverpiani, anno a Christo nato M.DC.VIII (Salamanca: Artus Tabernielis, 1608)
- Ioannis, Esquivel, Civitatensis, et eiusdem sanctæ ecclesiæ portionarii, psalmorum, hymnorum, magnificarum et B. Mariæ quatuor antiphonarum de tempore, necnon et missarum tomus secundus (Salamanca: Francisco de Cea Tesa, 1613)
- Lost book of hymns, motets, falsobordone items, and pieces for instruments (Salamanca, 1623)