Christopher de Morales

Cristóbal de Morales (Seville, 1500 - Málaga or, according to others, Marchena, 1553) Spanish Catholic priest and chapel teacher, being the main representative of the Andalusian polyphonic school and one of the three great, together with Tomás Luis de Victoria and Francisco Guerrero, of the Spanish polyphonic composition of the Renaissance. His music is vocal and sacred, with only a couple of exceptions. He is probably the best Spanish composer of the entire first half of the XVI century and his fame, which spread immediately throughout Europe, it survived for the following centuries.

Biography

Cristóbal de Morales was trained as a boy singer in the choir of the Cathedral of Seville, together with the poet and chapel teacher Pedro Fernández de Castilleja and the famous Francisco de Peñalosa, importer of flamenco technique. His second professional position, in 1526, was that of chapel master of the cathedral of Ávila. In 1529 he moved to Plasencia, where he held office until 1532, earning the recognition of the Cabildo for the effort devoted to teaching tasks. There is no doubt^{[citation needed]} that Morales was a remarkable singer and when he traveled to Rome, Paul III himself he took care of making him enter the papal choir, in which he remained until 1545; this is at least his own version of it. In the papal chapel, Morales enjoyed contact with some of the most notable composers of the time, also members of the choir, such as Costanzo Festa, Jacques Arcadelt or Nicolas Gombert, together with whom he published many of his works in joint editions.

In 1545, after unsuccessfully trying to get another position in Italy, he returned to Spain, when the job of choirmaster of the cathedral of Toledo fell vacant. There he replaced the resigning Andrés de Torrentes. Morales's professional life in Spain became difficult, despite the universal recognition that his work already deserved then. Recent discoveries have confirmed that in the two years that he remained in Toledo, Morales continued composing magnificent, although forgotten works, while he became a teacher (1545-46) of another of the greats of the time, Francisco Guerrero, then still Teen. The last years Morales spent first in Marchena, at the service of Luis Ponce de León y Téllez-Girón, Duke of Arcos, where he trained Juan Navarro Hispalensis who would later train Tomás Luis de Victoria. Finally, in 1551, in Malaga, he had a conflictive relationship with the cathedral chapter, of which he was chapel master.

There is evidence that he had a difficult character, aware of his exceptional talent but unable to get along with those of lesser musical ability. He made harsh demands on singers under him, alienated employers, and was probably seen as arrogant. Despite this, he was considered one of the best composers in Europe in the mid-16th century .

On September 4, 1553, he asked to be considered for the post of Kapellmeister of Toledo Cathedral, where he had previously worked, but died shortly after in Marchena; the actual date is not known, but it was before October 7.

Work and influence

Morales's work has been judged by some authors as foreignizing and alien to the Spanish tradition. In 1549 Juan Bermudo characterized his music as foreign, and since then there has never been a lack of people who highlighted the influence of musicians such as Josquin Des Prés and Johannes Ockeghem, introduced to Spain by Francisco de Peñalosa, chapel master of Fernando el Católico. Felipe Pedrell and his friend Francisco Asenjo Barbieri, at the end of the XIX century (time of musical nationalism), claimed Spanishness of Morales. Certainly there is no lack of evidence of continuity with the tradition and spirit of Iberian music, such as the fact that some of his masses were based on traditional Spanish melodies or his use of harmony. Others^[who?] have used less tangible arguments, such as an alleged typically Hispanic mysticism, parallel to that of a Teresa of Jesus, which would characterize a work charged with “spirituality”. Morales consecrated himself as a priest in his years in Toledo, and that all his work is of a sacred theme.

Of course, Morales is not only the heir to a tradition or the forerunner of others, but a musician endowed with his own style with well-defined traits, for example, his inventiveness in terms of rhythm.

Cristóbal de Morales dealt before anyone else, since his years in Rome, with the publication of his work, which achieved enormous dissemination and popularity. His scores became the basis for innumerable instrumental adaptations, especially for vihuela, keyboard or harp, which were among the most popular to entertain private meetings. Some appear in repertoires such as that of 1547 by Enríquez de Valderrábano, or that of 1557 by Luis Venegas de Henestrosa.

The influence of Morales on the polyphonic work of chronologically following composers is not discussed. The one he had on Palestrina has been highlighted, which acts as a bridge with the much later Tomás Luis de Victoria. Palestrina, for example, based one of his masses on the motet O sacrum convivium . Guerrero himself proudly highlighted his debt to Morales, from whom he declares that he had learned enough "... to be able to undertake any teaching profession."

It must be taken into account that, unfairly, both the Italian and French schools, mostly related to the European cultural era, tried to detract from the various polyphonic and religious works of Cristóbal de Morales. This situation has been overcome over time given the high compositional value and liturgical knowledge of the Andalusian.^{[citation required]}

Morales was the first Spanish composer of international fame. His works were widely distributed throughout Europe, and many copies made the journey to the New World. Many writers and music theorists, centuries after his death, consider his music to be among the most perfect of the age.

Cristóbal de Morales, by James Caldwall.

The recognized and published musical work of Morales, still lacking much compilation effort, is classified as:

• 22 Masses to 4, 5 and 6 voices:
  • Missarum Liber primus (Rome, 1544)
    • Missa Aspice Domine 4v
    • Missa Ave Maris Stella 4v
    • Missa De Beata Virgine 4v
    • Missa L'homme armé 5v
    • Missa Mille regretz 6v
    • Missa Quaeramus cum pastoribus 5v
    • Missa Si bona suscepimus 6v
    • Missa Vulnerasti cor meum 4v
  • Missarum Liber secundus (Rome, 1544)
    • Missa Benedicta est Regina caelorum [= Missa Valenciana] 4v
    • Missa De Beata Virgine 5v
    • Missa Gaude Barbara 4v
    • Missa L'homme armé 4v
    • Missa Pro defunctis 5v
    • Missa Quem dicunt homines 5v
    • Missa you is vas electionis 4v
  • Other:
    • Missa Caça
    • Missa Cortilla
    • Miss Disilde the knight 4v
    • Missa Super Ut re mi fa sol la 4v
    • Miss Sadness kills me 5v
    • Officium defunctorum 4v (ca. 1526–28)

• 16 magnificent, like:
  • Magnificat Anima mea Primi toni
  • Magnificat Anima mea Secundi toni
  • Magnificat Anima mea Terti toni
  • Magnificat Anima mea Quarti toni
  • Magnificat Anima mea Quinti toni
  • Magnificat et exultauit Primi Toni
  • Magnificat et exultauit Secundi toni
  • Magnificat et exultauit Terti toni
  • Magnificat et exultauit Quarti toni
  • Magnificat et exultauit Quinti toni
• 11 hymns, like:
  • Ave Maria gratia plena
  • Ave Regina Caelorum
  • Salve Regina
• Five games of "lamentations."
• Some songs and other profanous pieces.

	Parce mihi Domine from the Officium Defunctorum Realization with Virtual Singer and Harmony Assistant
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Recordings

• Cristóbal de Morales, Messe Mille Regretz. Victor Alonso, Concert de les Arts. CD Accord 204662.
• Cristóbal de Morales, Missa de Beata Virgine (a5). Collegium Vocale Gent, Philippe Herreweghe. The V. Sessions, 2009.
• Cristóbal de Morales, Missa de Beata Virgine. Ensemble Jachet de Mantoue. CD Calliope 9363.
• Cristóbal de Morales, Missa Mille regretz. Paul McCreah, Gabrieli Consort & Players. CD Archiv 474 228-2.
• Cristóbal de Morales, Missa si bona suscepimus. The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips. Gimell CDGIM 033.
• Cristóbal de Morales, Missa Vulnerasti cor meum. - Canticum Canticorum. Orchestra of the Renaissance, Richard Cheetham, Michael Noone. Glossa cabinet GCD C81403.
• Cristóbal de Morales, Morales: Requiem. Paul McCreah, Gabrieli Consort. CD Archiv 457 597-2
• Cristóbal de Morales, Morales in Toledo. Michael Noone, Ensemble Plus Ultra. GCD 922001
• Cristóbal de Morales, Office des Ténèbres. Denis Raisin-Dadre, Doulce Mémoire. Naïve E 8878
• Cristóbal de Morales, Officium defunctorum, Missa pro Defunctis. La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Hespèrion XX, Jordi Savall. Naive ES 9926.
• Cristóbal de Morales, Officium (Parce mihi Domine). Jan Garbarek and the Hilliard Ensemble. ECM 1525