José Ximénez facts for kids

José Ximénez (also known as José Jiménez or Jusepe Ximénez) was an important Spanish musician who lived a long time ago, from 1601 to 1672. He was a very skilled organist and a composer, meaning he wrote music. We still have 23 of his musical pieces today!

Who Was José Ximénez?

José Ximénez was born in a city called Zaragoza in Spain. He was baptized on Christmas Day in 1601. When he was about 19 years old, in 1620, he started working as an assistant to another famous organist named Sebastian Aguilera de Heredia.

Becoming a Main Organist

After Sebastian Aguilera de Heredia passed away in 1627, José Ximénez took over his important job. He became the main organist at a big church called La Seo in Zaragoza. This was a very respected position.

Staying in Zaragoza

In 1654, José Ximénez was offered a job at the royal chapel in Madrid, which was a very prestigious place. However, he decided not to take it. It seems he preferred to stay in Zaragoza for the rest of his life, continuing his work at La Seo until he passed away on August 9, 1672.

His Music

José Ximénez wrote many pieces of music, mostly for the organ. His music is considered part of the Baroque period, which was a style of music popular in the 1600s.

Where to Find His Works

Over the years, many people have collected and published José Ximénez's music so that others can enjoy it.

• Some of his works can be found in collections by F. Pedrell, like Antología de organistas clásicos españoles.
• H. Anglés also included his music in Antología de organistas españoles del siglo XVII.
• A complete collection of his music was put together by Willi Apel. It is part of a larger series called Corpus of Early Keyboard Music.