Juan del Vado facts for kids

Juan del Vado y Gomez (born 1625, died 1691) was a talented Spanish musician. He played the organ and violin, and he also wrote music. He was especially known for creating clever musical puzzles called 'enigmatic canons.' He even dedicated some of these puzzles to the king of Spain, Charles II of Spain.

A Family of Musicians

Juan del Vado y Gomez came from a family that loved music. His father was also a musician, playing several instruments. He played the violin, a string instrument, and the lute, which is like a guitar. He also played the shawm, an old wind instrument similar to an oboe.

Juan's father worked at the Capilla Real [es] in Madrid. This was a very important musical group that performed for the Spanish royal family. Growing up in such a musical family likely helped Juan develop his own amazing talents.

Juan's Musical Puzzles

Juan del Vado y Gomez was famous for his "enigmatic canons." These were not just regular songs. They were like secret musical codes or puzzles! A canon is a type of music where different parts play the same melody but start at different times. Juan's canons were "enigmatic" because they had hidden rules or clues that musicians had to figure out to play them correctly.

Imagine a musical riddle! These clever pieces showed how smart and creative Juan was. He even dedicated some of these special musical puzzles to Charles II of Spain, who was the king at the time.

What Music Did He Write?

Juan del Vado y Gomez wrote different kinds of music during his life.

• Keyboard Music: He wrote pieces for keyboard instruments, like the organ he played. Four of these pieces are still kept in a special collection in Madrid.
• Enigmatic Canons: As you know, these were his famous musical puzzles.
• Tonos Humanos: He also wrote "tonos humanos," which were popular Spanish songs of his time. These songs can be found in old collections, like the Guerra Manuscript.

You can find more information about his choral music on the ChoralWiki website: Free scores by Juan del Vado in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki).

See also

• In Spanish: Juan Bautista del Vado para niños