Journeys to the New World: Hispanic Sacred Music from the 16th & 17th Centuries The Queen's Six

• Cristóbal de Morales (1500 - 1553):
• 1Regina caeli laetare à 604:30
• Hernando Franco (1532 - 1585):
• 2Salve regina à 509:36
• Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548 - 1611):
• 3Vidi speciosam05:58
• Francisco Guerrero (1528 - 1599):
• 4Trahe me post te04:50
• Alonso Lobo (1555 - 1617):
• 5Versa est in luctum04:47
• Juan Gutierrez de Padilla (1590 - 1664):
• 6Circumdederunt me04:16
• Francisco López Capillas (1615 - 1673):
• 7In horrore visionis04:27
• Juan Gutierrez de Padilla:
• 8Versa est in luctum03:02
• Francisco López Capillas:
• 9Tantum ergo01:40
• Alonso Lobo:
• 10O quam suavis est04:32
• attrib. Hernando Franco:
• 11Christus factus est02:00
• Cristóbal de Morales:
• 12O sacrum convivium04:48
• Tomás Luis de Victoria:
• 13O quam gloriosum02:20
• Francisco Guerrero:
• 14Beatus Achacius07:31
• Miguel Mateo de Dallo y Lana (1650 - 1705):
• 15Laudate Dominum02:06
• Total Runtime01:06:23

Info for Journeys to the New World: Hispanic Sacred Music from the 16th & 17th Centuries

This is a musical trip from the mid-sixteenth century to around 1700, involving music in Late Renaissance style, carrying Spanish Catholicism across the Atlantic to supplant an indigenous culture. Once the invasion had taken root with the conquest of Tenochtitlán and its transformation to Mexico City, the country became the target of fervent friars and preachers. Franciscans were first in 1523, then Dominicans, all fired with Christian zeal to convert the native population. From the outset they used music to great effect. The accounts that survive show how successful they were in teaching singing and playing, training choirs to perform liturgical music. By the mid-century it was claimed that standards had reached that of Charles V’s chapel. Churches and cathedrals were established throughout the rapidly expanding New Spain. Conquest and Christianity imposed an almost exact replica of Old Spain. Liturgical books, prints of plainchant and polyphony were shipped in throughout the century.

In this recording the singers present music by eight composers. Four of them never went to the New World; their music did. Three of them were born in Spain and were trained in music there; they held appointments in Spain and later emigrated to the new colonial cities. One more became the first composer-choirmaster to be born there of Spanish parents, thus criollo.

The Queen’s Six:
Daniel Brittain, countertenor
Tim Carleston, countertenor
Nicholas Madden, tenor
Dominic Bland, tenor
Andrew Thompson, baritone
Simon Whiteley, bass

The Queen's Six
were established in 2008, the 450th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth I, from whom they take their name.

Based at Windsor Castle, all the members of The Queen's Six are also Lay Clerks of St George's Chapel, whose homes lie within the Castle walls. The Chapel Choir, which consists of boy trebles and twelve professional adult male singers, performs some eight services a week, as well as at private and state occasions, often before the Royal Family.

Now Dan, Tim, Nick, Dom, Andrew and Simon have come together to bring their unique style of entertainment to a much wider audience. Their repertoire extends far beyond the reach of the choir stalls: from austere early chant, florid Renaissance polyphony, lewd madrigals and haunting folk songs, to upbeat Jazz and Pop arrangements.

Booklet for Journeys to the New World: Hispanic Sacred Music from the 16th & 17th Centuries