José de Torres facts for kids

José de Torres y Martínez Bravo (1670–1738) was a talented Spanish musician. He was a composer, an organ player, a music expert, and even printed music. He lived in Spain during a time of great change.

A Musician's Life

José de Torres was born in Madrid, the capital of Spain. He became an organist at the royal chapel (capilla real) in 1697. This was a very important job!

When a new royal family, the Bourbons, came to power, Torres lost his job. But he was lucky and did not have to leave the country. He was later allowed to work again.

In 1702, Torres started his own music printing company. It was called Imprenta de Música. This was the first music printing press in Spain!

Later, in 1707, he became the main music director (maestro de capilla) for Philip V of Spain. He also led the boys' choir (Colegio de Niños Cantorcicos). He kept this important job until he died in Madrid.

His Music and Writings

Torres wrote many musical works and books about music. One of his important books was "Reglas generales para acompañar órgano, clavicordio o arpa." It was published in Madrid in 1702. This book taught people how to play accompaniment on instruments like the organ, harpsichord, and harp. It was the first book in Spain to fully explain how to play "thorough bass" on a keyboard.

He also wrote a book of masses, which are special musical pieces for church services. He dedicated this book to King Philip V.

Arte de canto llano

Another famous work by Torres was "Arte de canto llano." This book was published in 1705. It was an improved version of an older book by Francisco de Montanos.

Torres included some of his own music in "Arte de canto llano." This included his four-part Salve Regina and a solo cantata called "Flavescite, serenate." A cantata is a piece of music for one or more singers, usually with instruments.

The book also featured music by other composers like Alonso Lobo and Philippe Rogier.

Music from Guatemala

Many of Torres's musical pieces are kept in the archive of Guatemala Cathedral. These include both handwritten and printed works. Some of the printed works might have come from Torres's own printing press!

These pieces include many villancicos, which are a type of Spanish song. They are written for three, four, seven, or eight voices. There are also solo cantatas for different voice types like treble, soprano, and “contralto”.

One of his large works is an eight-part mass called "Missa annuntiate nobis." It includes violin, oboe, and basso continuo accompaniment. He also wrote a four-part mass called "ad omnem tonum" that is sung without instruments (a cappella).

Style of His Cantatas

Torres's cantatas were written in the Italian style. The words in these songs can sometimes be a bit hard to understand. The cantatas for “contralto” singers are very fancy. They have long sections where the singer holds a single syllable over many notes (this is called melismatic singing).

One solo soprano cantata, "Afectos amantes," has a special song called "La solfa mia." This song might show Torres's own ideas about how he composed music.

Recordings of His Music

Some of José de Torres's works have been recorded on CDs. The Spanish music group Al Ayre Español has recorded several of his pieces. You can also find some of his music online at the Choral Public Domain Library.

See also

In Spanish: José de Torres para niños