Torres | Sacred cantatas Vol. 1

These volumes are a compilation of sacred cantatas by José de Torres, organist at the Spanish Royal Chapel since 1687, and later on chapelmaster, from 1720 until his death in 1738. Due to the positions he held at the Royal Chapel, Torres was the main composer of sacred music in the Madrid court during the first decades of the 18th-century, although this shouldn't make us forget that he also brilliantly cultivated the secular genre of cantadas humanas and even of theater music. Despite being almost unknown today, Torres had great prestige among his contemporaries, which meant that his works circulated widely throughout the various Hispanic territories. Most of sacred cantatas composed by Torres are preserved in Guatemala. This volume include some early cantatas by Torres, composed between 1711 and 1715. These cantatas include recitatives and arias of Italian inspiration combined with other movements described as «copla», «minué», «fuga» or «grave».

Contents:

Afectos amantes. Cantada al Santísimo con violines y oboe. Tiple, oboe, 2 violines y bc.

Estribillo. Despacio – Recitado – Aria. Alegre – Recitado – Aria – Recitado – Coplas. Alegre 

Divino hijo de Adán. Cantada con violines y oboe. Navidad [1712]. Tiple, oboe, 2 violines y bc.

Área. Grave – Recitado – Área – Recitado – Área. Alegre – Grave

Dulces pajarillos, &cª. Dúo a nuestra Señora (2º tiple por S. Castellanos). 2 tiples y bc.

Estribillo a dúo – Recitado –  Área – Recitado – [Solo] – Área

Dulces pajarillos. (Versión a solo) 1711. Tiple y bc.

Estribillo – Recitado –  Área – Recitado – [Solo] – Área alegre

Flavescite, serenate. Cantada al Santísimo al estilo italiano. 1712. Tiple y bc. 

Área. Despacio – Recitado – Área. Grave – Recitado – Área – Alegre

Mortales hijos de Adán. Cantada al Santísimo con violines. Tiple, oboe, 2 violines y bc.

Estribillo-Coplas – Recitado – Aria. Andante – Recitado – Aria. Despacio – Grave

Mortales, venid a ver un misterio. Cantada al Santísimo con violines y oboe. Tiple, oboe, 2 violines y bc.

Aria andante – Recitado – Aria – Recitado – Minué – Grave

Pastores, venid a ver. Cantada de Reyes con violines y oboe. 1712. Tiple, oboe, 2 violines y bc.

Aria andante – Recitado – Aria – Minué – Grave

Oh, quién pudiera alcanzar. Cantada a solo con violines y oboe. Tiple, oboe, 2 violines y bc.

Aria. Grave – Recitado – Aria – Despacio – Fuga – Recitado – Aria – Grave