Biography (read more)
Luis de Narváez was a Spanish composer and vihuelist born in Granada around 1500, whose exact birth and death dates remain unknown. By 1526 he served in the household of Francisco de los Cobos y Molina, secretary of state to Emperor Charles V, and lived with him in Valladolid until the patron’s death in 1547. There he published Los seys libros del delphín (1538), a six-volume collection of vihuela music. By 1548 he was a musician of the royal chapel, teaching choristers alongside keyboard composer Antonio de Cabezón and accompanying the Spanish court on its travels. Narváez was celebrated in his lifetime for his ability to improvise four contrapuntal parts over another four at sight.
Luys de Narváez’s Los seys libros del delphín contains the earliest known instrumental variation sets, including his famous diferencias on Guárdame las vacas, establishing the theme-and-variations form that would become central to later Spanish and European instrumental music. His polyphonic fantasias, modeled on Francesco da Milano, and his intabulation of Josquin’s Mille Regretz as the “Canción del Emperador” remain cornerstones of the vihuela repertoire.
Sources:
Repertoire
Diferencias sobre “Guárdame las vacas”1538
Performed by Janne Malinen, classical guitarist, Facundo Fernandez Luna
Canción del Emperador (Mille Regretz)1538
Performed by Juan Carlos Rivera Pecellin, Edoardo Lambertenghi
Baxa de Contrapunto1538 (Los seys libros del delphín)
Performed by Dmitry Cherevko, Emre Gokalp – Classical Guitarist
Veynte y dos diferencias sobre Conde Claros1538 (Los seys libros del delphín)
Performed by Classical Songs, Dmitry Cherevko
VI. 1557 Retiro en San Jerónimo de Yuste: “Mille Regretz” “Canción Del Emperador” (Arpa…— Jordi Savall
Performed by Jordi Savall
Canción del Emperador, Mille regres del cuarto tono canción de Josquin, Book III— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Tres diferencias de Guárdame las vacas por otra parte, Book VI— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Sanctus & Osanna de la misa d’Ercules Dux Ferrarie de Josquin, Book III— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Fantasía 5 del quinto tono de consonancia, Book I— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Veinte y dos diferencias de Conde Claros, Book VI— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Seis diferencias del igno de Nuestra Señora O gloriosa domina, Book IV— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Una canción del quinto tono Gombert, Book III— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Je veulx layser melancolie del primer tono (Jean Richafort) , Book III— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Cum sancto espiritu de la missa de la fuga Josquin, Book III— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Cuatro diferencias de Guárdame las vacas, Book VI— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Sanctus & Osanna de la missa de faysan regres Josquin, Book III— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Canción del primer tono (Nicolas Gombert) , Book III— Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Performed by Xavier Díaz-Latorre
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Tercero Libro. Sanctus de la Missa de Faysan – Regres…— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Tercero Libro. Sanctus de la Missa d’Ercules dux…— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Segundo Libro. Fantasia del Primer Tono I— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Segundo Libro. Fantasia del Primer Tono II— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los seys libros del Delphín de Música (Excerpts): Book I: Fantasía V— Julian Bream
Performed by Julian Bream
Los seys libros del Delphín de Música (Excerpts): Book II: Fantasía V— Julian Bream
Performed by Julian Bream
Los seys libros del Delphín de Música (Excerpts): Book III: La canción del Emperador— Julian Bream
Performed by Julian Bream
Los seys libros del Delphín de Música (Excerpts): Book II: Fantasía VI— Julian Bream
Performed by Julian Bream
Los seys libros del Delphín de Música (Excerpts): Book V: Arde coracon arde— Julian Bream
Performed by Julian Bream
Los seys libros del Delphín de Música (Excerpts): Book V: Ya se asiente el Rey Ramiro— Julian Bream
Performed by Julian Bream
Los seys libros del Delphín de Música (Excerpts): Book IV: O gloriosa Domina (seys diferencias)— Julian Bream
Performed by Julian Bream
Los seys libros del Delphín de Música (Excerpts): Book VI: Conde claros— Julian Bream
Performed by Julian Bream
Los seys libros del Delphín de Música (Excerpts): Book VI: Guárdame las vacas— Julian Bream
Performed by Julian Bream
Los seys libros del Delphín de Música (Excerpts): Book VI: Tres diferencias por otra parte— Julian Bream
Performed by Julian Bream
Los seys libros del Delphín de Música (Excerpts): Book VI: Baxa de contrapunto— Julian Bream
Performed by Julian Bream
La cancion del Emperador: Mille regretz (arr. for vihuela)— Ronn McFarlane
Performed by Ronn McFarlane
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Segundo Libro. Fantasia del Quarto Tono— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Sesto Libro. Una Baxa de Contra Punto— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Primer Libro. Fantasia del Segundo Tono— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Primer Libro. Fantasia del Quarto Tono— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Tercero tono. La Cancion del Emperador, Mille regres…— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Tercero Libro. Je veulx laysser melancolie de Ricafort— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Primer Libro. Fantasia del Septimo Tono Sobre ut re mi mi— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Sesto Libro. Siete Diferencias de Guarda Me las Vacas— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Primer Libro. Fantasia del Primer Tono— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Primer Libro. Fantasia del Octavo Tono— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Primer Libro. Fantasia del Sesto Tono Sobre fa ut mi re— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Secundo Libro. Fantasia del Quinto Tono— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Quarto Libro. Seys Diferencias del Hymno de Nuestra…— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Tercero Libro. Una Cancion de Gombert del Primo Tono— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Tercero Libro. Cum Sancto Spiritu de la Missa de la…— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Primer tono. Fantasia de Tercero Tono.— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys Líbros del Delphín de Música: Sesto Libro. Veynte y Dos Diferencias de Conde Claros— Hopkinson Smith
Performed by Hopkinson Smith
Los Seys libros del Delphin, Vol. 3: Cancion del Emperador— Massimo Lonardi
Performed by Massimo Lonardi
Narváez: Lute music – Spain: (Diferencias sobre) Guárdame las vacas— Konrad Ragossnig
Performed by Konrad Ragossnig
Narváez: Lute music – Spain: Mille regres. La canción del Emperador del quarto tono de Jusquin— Konrad Ragossnig
Performed by Konrad Ragossnig
La cancion del emperador. Mille Regres (after a Canzon by Josquin Desprez)— Lutz Kirchhof
Performed by Lutz Kirchhof
Cancion del primer tono (after a Canzon by Nicolaus Gombert)— Lutz Kirchhof
Performed by Lutz Kirchhof
Los seys libros del Delphín – Libro 6: No. 42. Veintidós diferencias de “Conde Claros”. Sesto…— Toyohiko Satoh
Performed by Toyohiko Satoh
Los seys libros del Delphín – Libro 6: No. 43. Cuatro diferencias sobre “Guárdame las vacas”….— Toyohiko Satoh
Performed by Toyohiko Satoh
Los seys libros del Delphín – Libro 3: No. 20. Canción I, del Emperador (Mille regretz de…— Toyohiko Satoh
Performed by Toyohiko Satoh
**This is wrong. See 1.28** Diferencias sobre “Guárdame las vacas”— José Miguel Moreno
Performed by José Miguel Moreno
Los seys libros del Delphin de musica de cifras para tañer vihuela Valladolid, Libro 1: Veyente…— Paolo Cherici
Performed by Paolo Cherici
Los seys libros del Delphin de musica de cifras para tañer vihuela Valladolid, Libro 1:…— Paolo Cherici
Performed by Paolo Cherici
Los seys libros del Delphin de musica de cifras para tañer vihuela Valladolid, Libro 1: Je…— Paolo Cherici
Performed by Paolo Cherici
Los seys libros del Delphin de musica de cifras para tañer vihuela Valladolid, Libro 2:…— Paolo Cherici
Performed by Paolo Cherici
Los seys libros del Delphin de musica de cifras para tañer vihuela Valladolid, Libro 2: Quatro…— Paolo Cherici
Performed by Paolo Cherici
Los seys libros del Delphin de musica de cifras para tañer vihuela Valladolid 1538: Otras tres…— Paolo Cherici
Performed by Paolo Cherici
Los seys libros del Delphin de musica de cifras para tañer vihuela Valladolid 1538: La cancion…— Paolo Cherici
Performed by Paolo Cherici
Los seys libros del Delphin de musica de cifras para tañer vihuela Valladolid, Libro 1: Baxa de…— Paolo Cherici
Performed by Paolo Cherici
Los Seys Libros del Delphin, Libro 6 (Excerpts) : 7 Variations on “Guárdame las Vacas”. Vars. 1-4— Shigeo Mito
Performed by Shigeo Mito
Los Seys Libros del Delphin, Libro 6 (Excerpts) : 7 Variations on “Guárdame las Vacas”. Vars. 5-7— Shigeo Mito
Performed by Shigeo Mito
Los Seys Libros del Delphín, Libro VI: Siete Diferencias de “Guárdame las Vacas”— Renata Tarragó
Performed by Renata Tarragó
Los Seys Libros del Delphin, Libro 3 (Excerpts) : Mille Regres— Shigeo Mito
Performed by Shigeo Mito
Los Seys Libros del Delphin, Libro 1 (Excerpts) : Fantasia No. 14— Shigeo Mito
Performed by Shigeo Mito
Los Seys Libros del Delphin, Libro 1 (Excerpts) : Fantasia No. 3— Shigeo Mito
Performed by Shigeo Mito
Los Seys Libros del Delphin, Libro 1 (Excerpts) : 22 Variations on “Conde Claros”— Shigeo Mito
Performed by Shigeo Mito
Los Seys Libros del Delphin, Libro 1 (Excerpts) : 6 Variations on “O Gloriosa Domina”— Shigeo Mito
Performed by Shigeo Mito
Narváez: Canción I, del Emperador (Mille Regretz de Josquin)— Narciso Yepes
Performed by Narciso Yepes