Voices of Mexico/April • June, 1992 31 Music in the Cathedral (Part II) Fernando Alvarez de Castillo Organ: detall. Francisco López Capillas: February 7, 1673. His musical legacy build a second organ, known as the organist and choirmaster is of the utmost importance; it Gospel or the Mexican organ, and to Uncertainty surrounds Francisco López includes eight masses, a group of modify the Epistle organ, which was Capillas's birthplace: some say it was excellent magnificats kept in built in 1696, so that it would be Andalucia and others Mexico between manuscript form in the Cathedral identical to the new one. José de Nasarre 1612 and 1615. He was probably a archives, and an excellent choirbook completed his masterpiece in October student of Juan de Riscos, choirmaster which he sent to Spain and is now in 1776, and it was inaugurated on of Jaen. Once he had been ordained as the National Library of Madrid. He December 3, 1776. a priest, he began work as an organist often composed for four voices but In 1817, the Gospel organ was and fagotist in the city of Puebla on never for a double choir. His music, modified once more. Both organs were December 17, 1641, often replacing so beautifully fresh and elegant, kept restored between 1975 and 1977 by the resident organist Pedro Simón. to conservative structures. Flentrop, a Dutch company, because In May 1648 he went to Mexico they had been badly damaged by a City. He may have been encouraged José de Nasarre: tire on January 18, 1967, caused by a in this venture by Fabién Ximeno, the the cathedral organ maker short circuit. resident organist at the Metropolitan In 1730, the organ maker José de Cathedral who had just paid an Nasarre, who had apparently built the Antonio de Salazar: official visit to Puebla. López Capillas Guadalajara Cathedral organ, was choirmaster and teacher presented the Cathedral authorities with commissioned to extend the ránge of Antonio de Salazar is the last a choirbook containing his own the Epistle organ, which was at the composer we shall mention here. He compositions and when Ximeno died east end of the choir. Once he had was born around 1650 in Seville. The he was appointed to the two posts of completed this task in 1734, the little that is known about his life may Cathedral organist and choirmaster. Chapter then commissioned him to be found in archives in Guatemala Though he was exceptional in both posts and even had the opportunity to VVVV VVVVVVVVVY VVVIITYVVVYYVVY VVYVVVVVVVYVVVVYV compose the music for the consecration of the new Cathedral, he Many of the musical scores composed by constantly requested to be relieved of the talented choirmasters at the one. It was not until 1668, 34 years after his appointment, that his request metropolitan cathedral lie buried in the was granted. Joseph Ydiaquez was employed as organist. archives. Only when they have been dug up The date of López Capillas's and performed in their original setting -if death is also uncertain, but it is known that he died between January 18 and not their original context- can the true * Sub-director of the Library of Mexico. quality of composition be appreciated. Voices of Mexico/April • June, 1992 where he was choirmaster before his blind, for which reason he handed over appointment to the same post in Puebla some of his responsibilities to Manuel on July 11, 1679. He held that post for de Zumaya. No record remains of the nine years. date of his death, but it is known that In 1688, Salazar was one of five he died before May 27, 1715. candidates for the post of choirmaster Salazar's contrapuntal texture is of the Metropolitan Cathedral, but his free-flowing, but bis style is rivals offered little opposition and he conservative in its long phrases, open began his new job on September 3. spaces and subtle contrasts. Some of As a musical expert, his work his choral works were written to be was not restricted to composition and accompanied by instruments. Even the direction of the choir. He also took though he composed a great number on the tasks of ordering the Cathedral of works very few were preserved for music archives and of supervising the posterity. installation of the first Great Organ In the eighteenth century Juan -built in Madrid- at the east end of Tellez Girón, Juan Pérez Zamora and the choir in the Cathedral. José Suárez were the resident organists He was recognised by one and all in the cathedral which housed José de as an excellent teacher. Atnong his most Nasarre's magnificent organ. Organ and choir. outstanding students were Pérez de Guzmán in contrapuntal composition, The maintenance of the organs he was advised that he should leave a who became the choirmaster of Oaxaca The Chapter was quite aware of the surety to guarantee the quality of his Cathedral, Francisco de Atienza y importance of these new instruments work and that all minor repairs would Pineda and the famous Manuel de and sought a specialist who would have to be done at his own risk and Zumaya, who not only held the post of keep them in tune and in a perfect state. cost, since the Cathedral would only choirmaster at the Metropolitan José de Nasarre recommended José pay for major repairs. Cathedral and laten at Oaxaca Cacela, who had worked on the Now that the Metropolitan Cathedral but was also the composer construction of the Valladolid organ, Cathedral had such magnificent of the first opera written in America. but the Chapter chose Francisco organs, the musical repertoire grew Around January 1710, Salazar Pelaez since he had previously been considerably. Manuel de Zumaya, placed his state of health on record, the cathedral tuner. He was given a Ignacio Jerusalén y Stela, Mateo pointing out that he was ill and almost salary of 400 pesos a year. However, Tollis Della Rocca and Antonio de Juanas, the last choirmaster before Independence, left a fine musical legacy of organ scores, which are still in the archives. It is for this reason that the organists play Spanish music in the concerts given on these Great Organs. Many of the choral works of the Mexican colonial period remain buried in the archives. The analysis and preparation of these scores would make sense only if the performance bringing them back to life does justice to them. Cathedral music of the colonial period should be seen within the context of centuries of colonial life, but we have z to look beyond the celebrations of the o discovery of the Americas to appreciate Organ: detall. their true worth. .