Hernando Franco facts for kids

Hernando Franco (born in 1532, died November 28, 1585) was a Spanish composer from the Renaissance period. He was known for his music, especially in places like Guatemala and Mexico.

His Early Life and Training

Franco was born in a town called Galizuela, which is now part of Esparragosa de Lares in Badajoz Province, Spain. Many people from this region traveled to the New World in the 1500s.

He learned music as a young choir boy at Segovia Cathedral. Later, he became an apprentice and then a journeyman musician. His teacher was Gerónimo de Espinar, who might have also taught another famous composer, Tomás Luis de Victoria. When he was young, Franco met and became friends with Lázaro del Álamo. Lázaro later became the music director in Mexico City before Franco did.

Moving to the New World

Franco likely moved to Nueva España (which is now Mexico) in the 1550s. However, we don't have many records of what he did until 1571. That year, he became the maestro de capilla (which means "chapel master" or chief music director) for the cathedral in Santiago de Guatemala. This grand building, sadly destroyed by an earthquake later, was new. It had been built in the valley of Panchoy, now known as Antigua Guatemala. The city had to move there after an earlier site was damaged.

Working in Mexico City

In 1574, Franco left his job in Guatemala. This happened after his salary was cut due to budget problems. He then traveled to Mexico. He was lucky to find the position of maestro de capilla open at the new cathedral there.

In 1575, he was appointed the new chapel master. His old friend, Lázaro del Álamo, had held this same job from 1556 to 1570.

People clearly respected and liked Franco very much. In 1581, he was given a special honor and income called a prebend. Old documents often mention his excellent character and musical skills. He resigned from his position in 1582 because Mexico City was facing financial difficulties. Franco died in 1585 and was buried in the cathedral's main chapel.

His Music and Influence

Franco wrote 20 motets, which are pieces of religious music, that we still have today. He also created 16 different settings of the Magnificat, a Christian hymn. He wrote a four-voice setting for the Lamentations of Jeremiah as well.

It's interesting that he doesn't seem to have written any masses. This is unusual for a composer who led a Spanish church choir. It's possible that many of his musical works have been lost over time.

Some hymns in the Nahuatl language (an Indigenous language of Mexico) are by a composer named Hernando don Franco. It is now thought that these were written by a Native American composer. This person likely took Franco's name after converting to Christianity and being baptized. If this is true, these hymns might be the earliest known music written in the European style by a Native American composer.

Franco's musical style is similar to other Spanish composers of his time. However, it was more traditional. He was careful with how he used musical tension (dissonance). He also avoided chromaticism (using notes outside the main scale) and flashy, difficult parts. His music often sounded simple and serious. His versions of the Magnificat were inspired by those written by Cristóbal de Morales. The singing range in his music was limited. This might show that his choirs in the New World were not as skilled as those in Europe.

Franco is the earliest known composer from Guatemala. Two of his pieces, a Lumen ad revelationem and a Benedicamus Domino, are the oldest surviving music manuscripts from that area. Other composers worked in Mexico before him. But his friends and colleagues considered him the best composer of the 1500s in Mexico.

See also

In Spanish: Hernando Franco para niños