Biography (read more)
Tomás Luis de Victoria was a Spanish composer, organist, and Catholic priest born around 1548 in Ávila and died in 1611 in Madrid, ranked alongside Palestrina and Lassus among the greatest composers of the late Renaissance. A grant from King Philip II sent him to Rome in 1565, where he studied and worked at the German College and the Roman Seminary, possibly under Palestrina’s guidance, and was ordained a priest in 1574–75. In 1587 he returned to Spain as chaplain to the Dowager Empress María at the convent of the Descalzas Reales in Madrid, where he served for the rest of his life, eventually as organist. His output, devoted exclusively to Latin sacred music, culminated in the Officium Defunctorum, a requiem written for the empress’s funeral.
Victoria is considered the supreme voice of the Counter-Reformation in Spain, fusing Palestrina’s contrapuntal mastery with an intensely personal, mystical expressiveness rooted in Spanish spirituality. His freer use of dissonance and dramatic word-painting brought an emotional directness rare in sacred polyphony, influencing generations of Iberian church composers. Long treasured for works like the Officium Defunctorum and O magnum mysterium, his music underwent a major twentieth-century revival and remains a cornerstone of the choral repertoire.
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Repertoire
O magnum mysterium1572
Performed by Andrea Scalia – Early Music, The King's Singers
O vos omnes1572
Performed by Tenebrae Choir
Vere languores nostros1572
Performed by Sistine Chapel Choir
Ave Maria à 8c. 1600
Performed by pannonia77
Officium Defunctorum1605
Performed by Polyhymnia, The Rose Ensemble / Rose Publications
Motet “Quem vidistis, pastores – Dicite, quidnam vidistis”
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio secunda “Lamed. Matribus…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio secunda “Mem. Cui…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio secunda “Jerusalem,…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio tertia “Aleph. Ego vir…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio tertia “Aleph. Meminavit”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio tertia “Jerusalem,…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria quinta in coena domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio prima “Incipit Lamentatio…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria quinta in coena domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio prima “Jerusalem,…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria quinta in coena domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio secunda “Antiphona….— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria quinta in coena domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio secunda— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio prima “Heth”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio prima “Jerusalem,…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Cantica Beatae Virginis: IV. Motet: Salve Regina, for 8 Voices (1572)— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Cantica Beatae Virginis: VIII. Motet: Senex puerum portabat, a 4 (1572)— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Vadam et circuibo civitatem: Vadam, et circumibo civitatem— John Eliot Gardiner
Performed by John Eliot Gardiner
Dominica in ramis palmarum: In elevatione Domini. O Domine Jesu Christe— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria quinta in coena domini: Ad matutinum. Introductio “Eram quasi agnus”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria quinta in coena domini: In primo nocturno. Antiphon. Zelus domus tuæ. Versiculum…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria quinta in coena domini: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio tertia “Introductio”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria quinta in coena domini: In secundo notturno. Versiculum “Deus meus eripe me”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria quinta in coena domini: In tertio notturno. Versiculum “Exsurge Domine”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria quinta in coena domini: Ad laudes. Introductio “Amicus meus”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria quinta in coena domini: Ad laudes. Psalmus 50 “Miserere mei”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Ad matutinum. Introductio “Ecce quomodo”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: In primo nocturno. Antiphona “Astiterunt reges terrae”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: In secundo notturno. Introductio “Eram quasi agnus”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: In secundo notturno. Antiphona “Vim faciebant”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: In secundo notturno. Versiculum “Insurrexerunt in me”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Sex tenebrae responsoria. Quartum Responsorium “Tanquam ad…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Sex tenebrae responsoria. Quintum Responsorium “Tenebrae factae…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Sex tenebrae responsoria. Sextum Responsorium “Animam meam…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: In tertio notturno. Versiculum “Locuti sunt adversum me lingua”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: In tertio notturno. Septimum Responsorium “Tradiderunt me”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: In tertio notturno. Octavum Responsorium “Jesum tradidit impius”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: In tertio notturno. Nonum Responsorium “Caligaverunt oculi mei”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Ad laudes. Introductio “Tenebrae factae sunt”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: Ad laudes. Passio secundum “Joannem”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: In adoratione crucis. Introductio “Aleph”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: In adoratione crucis. Vere languores— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Feria sexta in passione Domini: In adoratione crucis. Antiphona “Ecce lignum Crucis”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Ad matutinum. Antiphona & Versiculum “In pace et idipsum”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio prima “Heth. Misericordiæ Domini”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio prima “Teth. Bonum est viro”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio prima “Jerusalem, convertere ad Dominum”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio secunda “Beth”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio secunda: “Aleph. Quomodo obscuratum est”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio secunda “Beth. Filii Sion inclyti”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio secunda “Jerusalem, convertere ad Dominum”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio secunda “Versiculum. Tu exsurgens, Domine”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio tertia “Incipit oratio Jeremiæ”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio tertia “Recordare”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio tertia “Pupili facti sumus”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae. Lectio tertia “Jerusalem, convertere ad Dominum”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: In secundo notturno. Introductio “Astiterunt”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: In secundo notturno. Antiphona “Elevamini portæ eternales”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: In secundo notturno. Versiculum “Tu autem, Domine”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Sex tenebrae responsoria. Quartum Responsorium “Recessit pastor noster”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Sex tenebrae responsoria. Quintum Responsorium “O vos omnes”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Sex tenebrae responsoria. Sextum Responsorium “Ecce quomodo moritur”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: In tertio notturno. Antiphona “Deus adjuvat me”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: In tertio notturno. Versiculum “In pace factus est locus ejus”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: In tertio notturno. Septimum Responsorium “Astiterunt reges”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: In tertio notturno. Octavum Responsorium “Æstimatus sum”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: In tertio notturno. Nonum Responsorium “Sepulto Domino”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Sabbato sancto: Ad laudes. Canticum Zachariæ “Benedictus Dominus”— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Cantica Beatae Virginis – Hymn Ave Maria, For 4 Voices (Attributed; 1575-1600)— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Cantica Beatae Virginis – Motet Gaude, Maria Virgo, For 5 Voices (1572)— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Cantica Beatae Virginis – Motet Trahe Me, Post Te, For 6 Voices (1583)— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Cantica Beatae Virginis – Motet Salve Regina, For 8 Voices (1572)— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Cantica Beatae Virginis – Antiphon Ave Regina Caelorum, For 5 Voices (1572)— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Cantica Beatae Virginis – Motet Sancta Maria Succurre Miseris, For 4 Voices (1572)— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Cantica Beatae Virginis – Motet O Magnum Mysterium, For 4 Voices (1572)— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall