Tomás Luis de Victoria

This great musical genius started his training as a boy in the choir of the Cathedral of Ávila. In view of his talent, as a teenager he was sent to Rome, where he stayed for almost 30 years, alternating his learning with his work as a teacher and priest.

He returned to Spain around 1594 to live in Madrid as the royal chaplain. After many years in different places on the peninsula and in Europe, he withdrew to the Convent of the Royal Barefoot Sisters in the capital, where he worked as the organist until his death.

His almost 200 musical works mark the transition between the Renaissance and Baroque periods and earned him a large number of followers, who were heavily influenced by his compositions, especially in Germany. For many, he was the most important specialist in polyphony in the period from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution.

His love for his hometown can be seen in his polyphonic works, which were signed under the name of clericus or presbiter abulensis. Indeed, he always wanted to return to Ávila, but his many commitments always prevented him from doing so. Loyal to the place where he started his musical studies, he sent many of his publications to the Cathedral of our town, together with missals and his own works to be used in the religious ceremonies that were held there. As a result, he was usually rewarded, but not always…

In recent years, various events have taken place in Ávila in connection with this musician and, after many centuries, a period of certain obscurantism that affected his figure has been rewritten.