Esteban López Morago
Encyclopedia
Estêvão Lopes Morago (Vallecas
, c. 1575 Viseu
(?), after 1630) was a Spanish born composer who studied, lived, worked and died in Portugal. He is one of the most important polyphonists
in the music history of Portugal
. Another representative of the high level of cultural interchanges between the two countries, as some of the highest figures of the peninsular cultural history have moved around between the two countries freely and mostly in a way unrelated with the political events of the time (Diego Velázquez
for example was of Portuguese origin and Alonso Sánchez Coello
are some of many examples.)
, near Madrid
, but he passed the vast majority of his life in Portugal. He was a student of Filipe de Magalhães
at the Cathedral of Évora
, where he obtained his licentiate
degree. After that, on August 1599, he went to the Cathedral of Viseu
where he was appointed canon
and mestre de capela.
In 1626, the chapter
of the Cathedral allowed him to go to Lisbon
to publish his works. These included the Livro Comum and the Vesperal, which have survived.
The local and year of his death are uncertain. There are indications that Morago moved to Spain and died there circa 1628. However, a later document (1630) states that Morago had retired to a franciscan
monastery
in Viseu
(Convento de Orgens) and died there.
s, responsories
, psalms, Magnificat
s, and a Requiem
. His work is considered to be highly innovative in the Iberian Peninsula
:
The musicologist Manuel Joaquim considered his motet Oculi mei "genial and worthy of the renown of Palestrina
's O vos omnes, or Hoc die".
The British composer Ivan Moody
wrote:
...what causes special impact in the music of Morago is the usage of the dissonance, and (...) an interest in antiphonary effects. Motets such as Oculi mei, of ambiguous key and intercalated with numberless diminished fourths, demonstrate perfectly the expressiveness of this harmonic audacity. The alternances of this kind of intense immitative composition painstakingly elaborated with sudden twitches of rhythmical homophony are also typical of the works Versa est in luctum and Commissa mea; in fact, the work of Morago for penitential and funerary texts is extremely sensitive.
The works of Morago are kept in the archives of Viseu
. The Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian published most of them in the book Obras de Música Religiosa (Portugaliae Musica IV, 1961).
Vallecas
Vallecas is a neighborhood of Madrid composed of two districts: Puente de Vallecas and Villa de Vallecas...
, c. 1575 Viseu
Viseu
Viseu is both a city and a municipality in the Dão-Lafões Subregion of Centro Region, Portugal. The municipality, with an area of 507.1 km², has a population of 99,593 , and the city proper has 47,250...
(?), after 1630) was a Spanish born composer who studied, lived, worked and died in Portugal. He is one of the most important polyphonists
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 ....
in the music history of Portugal
Music history of Portugal
-Liturgical repertoire:In the early days of the Catholic Church, several local liturgies developed, such as the Gallican in France, the Sarum in England, the antique Roman in Rome, the Ambrosian rite in Milan...
. Another representative of the high level of cultural interchanges between the two countries, as some of the highest figures of the peninsular cultural history have moved around between the two countries freely and mostly in a way unrelated with the political events of the time (Diego Velázquez
Diego Velázquez
Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez was a Spanish painter who was the leading artist in the court of King Philip IV. He was an individualistic artist of the contemporary Baroque period, important as a portrait artist...
for example was of Portuguese origin and Alonso Sánchez Coello
Alonso Sánchez Coello
Alonso Sánchez Coello was a portrait painter of the Spanish Renaissance and one of the pioneers of the great tradition of Spanish portrait painting.- Life :...
are some of many examples.)
Life
López Morago was born in VallecasVallecas
Vallecas is a neighborhood of Madrid composed of two districts: Puente de Vallecas and Villa de Vallecas...
, near Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, but he passed the vast majority of his life in Portugal. He was a student of Filipe de Magalhães
Filipe de Magalhães
Filipe de Magalhães was a Portuguese composer of sacred polyphony.-Life:Filipe de Magalhães was born in Azeitão, Portugal, in 1571. He studied music at the Cathedral of Évora with Manuel Mendes where he was a colleague of the equally renowned polyphonists Duarte Lobo and Manuel Cardoso...
at the Cathedral of Évora
Évora
Évora is a municipality in Portugal. It has total area of with a population of 55,619 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Évora District and capital of the Alentejo region. The municipality is composed of 19 civil parishes, and is located in Évora District....
, where he obtained his licentiate
Licentiate
Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
degree. After that, on August 1599, he went to the Cathedral of Viseu
Viseu
Viseu is both a city and a municipality in the Dão-Lafões Subregion of Centro Region, Portugal. The municipality, with an area of 507.1 km², has a population of 99,593 , and the city proper has 47,250...
where he was appointed canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
and mestre de capela.
In 1626, the chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
of the Cathedral allowed him to go to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
to publish his works. These included the Livro Comum and the Vesperal, which have survived.
The local and year of his death are uncertain. There are indications that Morago moved to Spain and died there circa 1628. However, a later document (1630) states that Morago had retired to a franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in Viseu
Viseu
Viseu is both a city and a municipality in the Dão-Lafões Subregion of Centro Region, Portugal. The municipality, with an area of 507.1 km², has a population of 99,593 , and the city proper has 47,250...
(Convento de Orgens) and died there.
Works
Morago composed motetMotet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s, responsories
Responsory
-Definition:The most general of a responsory is any psalm, canticle, or other sacred musical work sung responsorially, that is, with a cantor or small group singing verses while the whole choir or congregation respond with a refrain. However, this article focuses on those chants of the western...
, psalms, Magnificat
Magnificat
The Magnificat — also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung liturgically in Christian church services. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn...
s, and a 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...
. His work is considered to be highly innovative 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...
:
The musicologist Manuel Joaquim considered his motet Oculi mei "genial and worthy of the renown of Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition...
's O vos omnes, or Hoc die".
The British composer Ivan Moody
Ivan Moody
Ivan Moody, British composer, was born in London in 1964, and studied composition with Brian Dennis at London University, William Brooks at York University and privately with John Tavener. He also studied Orthodox theology at the University of Joensuu, Finland...
wrote:
...what causes special impact in the music of Morago is the usage of the dissonance, and (...) an interest in antiphonary effects. Motets such as Oculi mei, of ambiguous key and intercalated with numberless diminished fourths, demonstrate perfectly the expressiveness of this harmonic audacity. The alternances of this kind of intense immitative composition painstakingly elaborated with sudden twitches of rhythmical homophony are also typical of the works Versa est in luctum and Commissa mea; in fact, the work of Morago for penitential and funerary texts is extremely sensitive.
The works of Morago are kept in the archives of Viseu
Viseu
Viseu is both a city and a municipality in the Dão-Lafões Subregion of Centro Region, Portugal. The municipality, with an area of 507.1 km², has a population of 99,593 , and the city proper has 47,250...
. The Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian published most of them in the book Obras de Música Religiosa (Portugaliae Musica IV, 1961).
Recordings
- 1993, Portuguese Renaissance Music, Voces Angelicae, Teldec Classics International 4509-93690-2
- includes 5 works by Morago.
- 1994, Music of the Portuguese Renaissance, Pro Cantione Antiqua, Hyperion CDA66715
- includes 10 works by Morago