Tomás de Torrejón y Velasco
Encyclopedia
Tomás de Torrejón y Velasco Sánchez (Villarrobledo
, December 23, 1644 – April 23, 1728) was a Spanish
composer, musician and organist based in Peru
, associated with the American Baroque
.
and spent his childhood in the town Fuencarral (now a district of Madrid
), the birthplace of his father, Miguel de Torrejón, a huntsman in Philip IV of Spain
's employ. In 1658, while still in Spain, he entered into the service of Pedro Fernández de Castro y Andrade, Count of Lemos, who later became the viceroy
of Peru
. In 1667, he traveled to Lima along with the new viceroy, as one of the viceroy's 113 personal attendants. From 21 November 1667 until 1672 he was superintendent of the armoury at Lima
. In 1673 he was appointed magistrate and chief justice of Chachapoyas province, a position he held for four years. In 1676 he was appointed maestro di capella at the Cathedral of Lima, replacing Juan de Araujo
. He remained in that position until his death more than fifty years later in 1728. Torrejón was deeply religious, and adhered unconditionally to the ethical and legal framework of his time, as well as the precepts of the Catholic church. Married twice (his first wife died) he had a total of six children, five of whom entered religious orders. The composer died in Lima.
Torrejón's works are some of the most important to the Spanish baroque movement in the American colonies. Throughout his career as a composer he received wide acclaim; his villancico
s were known as far away as Guatemala
, and at both Trujillo
and Cuzco his opinions were solicited before crucial musical decisions were taken.
Fifteen of his original manuscripts are preserved in the historical archives of the Cathedral of Guatemala. He is the author of the first known opera written in America, La púrpura de la rosa
(1701). His rorro (lullaby
) was still sung in Cuzco many years after his death. Of particular interest are his polychoral compositions for two organs. A second organ was installed in the Lima Cathedral in 1680 and Torrejón y Velasco's composed a polychoral villancico specially for the two organs.
Villarrobledo
Villarrobledo is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha.Villarrobledo has the world's largest area covered by vineyards as well as the world's greatest production of La Mancha wine, called in Spanish Denominación de Origen)...
, December 23, 1644 – April 23, 1728) was a Spanish
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...
composer, musician and organist based in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, associated with the American Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
.
Life
Torrejón y Velasco was born in VillarrobledoVillarrobledo
Villarrobledo is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha.Villarrobledo has the world's largest area covered by vineyards as well as the world's greatest production of La Mancha wine, called in Spanish Denominación de Origen)...
and spent his childhood in the town Fuencarral (now a district of 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...
), the birthplace of his father, Miguel de Torrejón, a huntsman in Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
's employ. In 1658, while still in Spain, he entered into the service of Pedro Fernández de Castro y Andrade, Count of Lemos, who later became the viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
of Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. In 1667, he traveled to Lima along with the new viceroy, as one of the viceroy's 113 personal attendants. From 21 November 1667 until 1672 he was superintendent of the armoury at Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
. In 1673 he was appointed magistrate and chief justice of Chachapoyas province, a position he held for four years. In 1676 he was appointed maestro di capella at the Cathedral of Lima, replacing Juan de Araujo
Juan de Araujo
Juan de Araujo was a musician and composer of the Early to Mid Baroque.Araujo was born in Villafranca, Spain. By 1670 he was nominated maestro di capella of Lima Cathedral. In the following years he travelled to Panama and most probably to Guatemala...
. He remained in that position until his death more than fifty years later in 1728. Torrejón was deeply religious, and adhered unconditionally to the ethical and legal framework of his time, as well as the precepts of the Catholic church. Married twice (his first wife died) he had a total of six children, five of whom entered religious orders. The composer died in Lima.
Torrejón's works are some of the most important to the Spanish baroque movement in the American colonies. Throughout his career as a composer he received wide acclaim; his 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"...
s were known as far away as Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, and at both Trujillo
Trujillo, Peru
Trujillo, in northwestern Peru, is the capital of the La Libertad Region, and the third largest city in Peru. The urban area has 811,979 inhabitants and is an economic hub in northern Peru...
and Cuzco his opinions were solicited before crucial musical decisions were taken.
Fifteen of his original manuscripts are preserved in the historical archives of the Cathedral of Guatemala. He is the author of the first known opera written in America, La púrpura de la rosa
La púrpura de la rosa
La púrpura de la rosa is an opera in one act, composed by Tomás de Torrejón y Velasco to a Spanish libretto by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, the last great writer of the Spanish Golden Age. It is the first known opera to be composed and performed in the Americas and is Torrejón y Velasco's only...
(1701). His rorro (lullaby
Lullaby
A lullaby is a soothing song, usually sung to young children before they go to sleep, with the intention of speeding that process. As a result they are often simple and repetitive. Lullabies can be found in every culture and since the ancient period....
) was still sung in Cuzco many years after his death. Of particular interest are his polychoral compositions for two organs. A second organ was installed in the Lima Cathedral in 1680 and Torrejón y Velasco's composed a polychoral villancico specially for the two organs.
Other works
(with basso continuo unless stated otherwise)- A este sol peregrino, 4vv
- Aladas gerarquias a quien toca, 7vv
- Angelicas milicias, 12vv
- A Señor que se acerca, 4vv
- Atencion que para hacer en todo cabal la fiesta, 4vv
- Aves flores, 11vv (1683)
- Ave verum corpus, 4vv
- Cantarico que bas a la fuente, 4vv (1678?)
- Desta rosa tan bella, 2vv
- Desvelado dueño mio, 8vv
- Dixit Dominus, 10vv
- Enigma soy viviente, 2vv
- Es mi Rosa bella, vv (1679?)
- Gilguerillo que contas gimiendo, 2vv
- Ha de el ver, 3vv
- Incognito barquero que surcas, 1v
- Lamentation for Wednesday of Holy Week, 8vv
- Luzeros volad, 1–2vv, instruments
- Magnificat sexti toni, 12vv
- Nisi Dominus, 3vv
- Quando el bien que adoro, 2vv
- Quatro plumages ayrosos, 4vv
- Regem cui omnia vivunt, 8vv
- Si el alba sonora se cifra en mi voz, 2vv (1719?)
- Tenganmele señores, 4vv
- Triste caudal de lagrimas, 2vv
- Varquero que surcas, 1v
External links
- A Video of Torrejón's "A este sol peregrino" on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMUqvi5MwX0