Tono humano
Encyclopedia
The tono humano was one of the main genres of 17th Century Spanish and Portuguese music.
In the early 17th Century the main vernacular forms for Spanish and Portuguese composers were the villancico
, usually a Christmas song, and the solo tono; tono humano if secular, tono divino if sacred. The cantata
form had not yet been introduced from Italy. At this point tonos were generally strophic songs (coplas) with a refrain (estribillo). However by the end of 17th century some tonos had begun to include recitative and aria sections, as the cantada, Spanish form of the cantata became known around 1700. The tono humano and tono divino could also have 2, 3 or 4 voices.
Nearly all tonos humanos and semi-sacred villancicos were preserved only in manuscript. The best copies were in the Royal Palace in Madrid and in the nearby Buen Retiro, both of which were lost in fires. This, and the fall from fashion of the tono and villancico in the Iberian Peninsula
, means that sources in Latin America are relatively important to recovery of this part of Iberian musical heritage.
The Libro de tonos humanos Madrid 1656 (Biblioteca Nacional, M-1262) is the most substantial Iberian cancionero of the 17th Century with over 200 songs, almost all romances with estribillo in 4 voices. Additional surviving sources include the Mackworth manuscript.
The tono was used both in theatre music, domestic music and church music. Composers active in the composition of tonos humanos include:
In the New World the tono was taken up by:
- The term tonadas is also used for tonos humanos in 17th Century musical literature but the 17th Century tonada is to be distinguished from the modern folk tonada for guitar band in ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, etc.
In the early 17th Century the main vernacular forms for Spanish and Portuguese composers were the villancico
Villancico
The villancico was a common poetic and musical form of the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America popular from the late 15th to 18th centuries. With the decline in popularity of the villancicos in the 20th century, the term became reduced to mean merely "Christmas carol"...
, usually a Christmas song, and the solo tono; tono humano if secular, tono divino if sacred. The cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
form had not yet been introduced from Italy. At this point tonos were generally strophic songs (coplas) with a refrain (estribillo). However by the end of 17th century some tonos had begun to include recitative and aria sections, as the cantada, Spanish form of the cantata became known around 1700. The tono humano and tono divino could also have 2, 3 or 4 voices.
Nearly all tonos humanos and semi-sacred villancicos were preserved only in manuscript. The best copies were in the Royal Palace in Madrid and in the nearby Buen Retiro, both of which were lost in fires. This, and the fall from fashion of the tono and villancico in the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, means that sources in Latin America are relatively important to recovery of this part of Iberian musical heritage.
The Libro de tonos humanos Madrid 1656 (Biblioteca Nacional, M-1262) is the most substantial Iberian cancionero of the 17th Century with over 200 songs, almost all romances with estribillo in 4 voices. Additional surviving sources include the Mackworth manuscript.
The tono was used both in theatre music, domestic music and church music. Composers active in the composition of tonos humanos include:
- Francisco GuerreroFrancisco GuerreroFrancisco Guerrero was a Spanish composer of the Renaissance. He was born and died in Seville.Guerrero's early musical education was with his older brother Pedro. He must have been an astonishing prodigy, for at the age of 17 he was already appointed maestro de capilla at Jaén Cathedral...
(1528–1599) - Juan Blas de CastroJuan Blas de CastroJuan Blas de Castro was a Spanish singer, musician, and composer.Born in Barrachina, in the province of Teruel, Spain, he was the second of four brothers. In 1592, he became part of the court of the Duke of Alba in Alba de Tormes, Salamanca, together with his friend, the poet and playwright Lope...
(1561–1631) - Pedro RuimontePedro RuimontePedro Ruimonte was a Spanish composer and musician who spent much of his career in the Low Countries.-Early years:...
(1565–1627) - Gaspar FernandesGaspar FernandesGaspar Fernandes was a Portuguese composer and organist active in the cathedrals of Santiago de Guatemala and Puebla de los Ángeles, New Spain .-Life:Most scholars agree that the Gaspar Fernandes listed as a singer in the cathedral of Évora,...
(1566–1629) - Mateo Romero El maestro capitán (1575–1647)
- Juan ArañésJuan ArañésJuan Arañés was a Spanish baroque composer.Arañés was born in Catalonia, at an unknown date. After studies in Alcalá de Henares, he was maestro di cappella at the Spanish embassy in Rome, where in 1624 he published his Libro Segundo de tonos y villancicos. The first book is lost...
- Libro segundo de tonos y villancicos, Rome 1624 - Manuel MachadoManuel Machado (composer)Manuel Machado was a Portuguese composer and harpist. He was mostly active in Spain, as he was born when Portugal was under Spanish rule.-Life:...
(1590–1646) - Carlos PatiñoCarlos PatiñoCarlos 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...
(1600–1675) - Manuel CorreiaManuel CorreiaFrei Manuel Correia was a Portuguese Baroque composer.He was born in Lisbon, the son of an instrumentalist in the ducal capela at Vila Viçosa, Portugal. He followed his father into this establishment as a singer in 1616. He studied with Filipe de Magalhães, then emigrated to Madrid, Spain...
(1600–1653) - Bernardo Murillo (fl.FloruitFloruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1642-1656) - song "La pastora" - Juan Hidalgo de Polanco (1612–1685) - 21 tonos humanos, 28 tonos divinos
- José MarínJosé Marín (composer)José Marín was a Spanish baroque harpist, guitarist and composer noted for his secular songs, tonos humanos. In 1644 he entered the Royal Convent of La Encarnación in Madrid as a tenor. He was a priest and cantor of the capilla real under Felipe IV and Carlos II. His career was marked by scandals...
(1618–1699) - Juan del VadoJuan del VadoJuan del Vado y Gomez was a Spanish composer, organist and violinist. He is noted for the enigmatic canons, symbolic musical puzzles, dedicated to his king Charles II of Spain.He came from a family of violinists...
(1625–1691) - Clemente Imaña
- Cristóbal GalánCristóbal GalánCristóbal Galán was a Spanish baroque composer.The first record of Galán is that in 1651 he was rejected as maestro de capilla in Sigüenza because he was married. From 1653 singer and organist, then later maestro de capilla in Cagliari, Sardinia. Then from 1656 to 1559 in Morella, Castellon...
(1630–1684) - Miguel de IrízarMiguel de IrízarMiguel de Irízar y Domenzain was a Spanish baroque composer.Irízar trained as a choirboy in León and Toledo. In August 1657 he became maestro de capilla in Vitoria, then in August 1671 appointed to Segovia Cathedral where he remained for his remaining thirteen years.The correspondence of Irízar...
(1635–1684) - Juan Romeo (fl. 1675)
- Diego Fernandez de Huete (1635–1713)
- Gaspar SanzGaspar SanzGaspar Sanz was an Aragonese composer, guitarist, organist and priest born to a wealthy family in Calanda in the Spanish comarca of Bajo Aragón. He studied music, theology and philosophy at the University of Salamanca, where he was later appointed Professor of Music...
(1640–1710) - Tomás de Torrejón y VelascoTomás de Torrejón y VelascoTomás de Torrejón y Velasco Sánchez was a Spanish composer, musician and organist based in Peru, associated with the American Baroque.-Life:...
(1644–1728) - Juan de NavasJuan de NavasJuan de Navas was a Spanish baroque composer and harpist. As court harpist to Charles II of Spain he was sought as approver of Torres y Martínez Bravo's treatise on thoroughbass.-Works, editions and recordings:...
(1647–1709) - Francisco GuerauFrancisco GuerauFrancisco Guerau was a Spanish Baroque composer. Born on Majorca, he entered the singing school at the Royal College in Madrid in 1659, becoming a member of the Royal Chapel as an alto singer and composer ten years later. Named a member of the Royal Chamber of king Charles II of Spain in 1693, he...
(1649–c 1720) - instrumental tonos for guitar. - Sebastián DurónSebastián Durón-Life and career:Sebastian Duron was, with Antonio de Literes, the greatest Spanish composer of stage music of his time. He was born in Brihuega, Guadalajara, Spain, and was taught by his brother Diego Duron, also a composer...
(1660–1716) - José de TorresJosé de TorresJosé de Torres y Martínez Bravo was a Spanish composer, organist, music theorist and music publisher.Torres was born in Madrid, where he served as organist of the capilla real from 1697. With the arrival of the Bourbons, Torres was expelled from the capilla, but avoided exile and was rehabilitated...
(1665–1738) - Francisco VallsFrancisco VallsFrancisco Valls was a Spanish composer, theorist and maestro de capilla. Among his most known works are the mass Missa Scala Aretina and tract Mapa Armónico Práctico.-Life:...
(1665–1747) - Juan Francés de IribarrenJuan Francés de IribarrenJuan Francés de Iribarren was a Spanish late baroque composer.Iribarren was christened on March 24, 1699 at the Church of St. James the Great in Sangüesa. He was a choirboy in the capilla real under José de Torres, who in 1717 recommended him for the post of organist at the Old Cathedral of...
(1699–1767) - José de NebraJosé de NebraJosé Melchor Baltasar Gaspar Nebra Blasco was a Spanish composer.José de Nebra was born in Calatayud and was taught by his father, José Antonio Nebra Mezquita , organist and master of choirboys at the Cathedral of Cuenca 1711-1729...
(1702–1768)
In the New World the tono was taken up by:
- Juan Serqueira of Lima (c.1655–1726)