Composer

:

Tomás Luis de Victoria

Genre

:

Choral

Style

:

Responsory

Publication Date

:

1585

Average_duration

:

82:30

Movement_count

:

18

Movement ....

Tomás Luis de Victoria's 'Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae' is a collection of music composed for the Holy Week liturgy. It was composed in 1585 and premiered in Rome during Holy Week of the same year. The work consists of 27 movements, including settings of the Lamentations of Jeremiah, the Tenebrae Responsories, and the Passion according to St. John. The 'Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae' is characterized by its intense emotional expression and its use of chromaticism and dissonance to convey the text's meaning. Victoria's use of polyphony is also notable, with multiple voices weaving in and out of each other to create a rich and complex texture. The work is divided into three sections, each corresponding to a different day of Holy Week. The first section, for Maundy Thursday, includes settings of the Lamentations of Jeremiah and the Tenebrae Responsories. The second section, for Good Friday, includes settings of the Passion according to St. John and the Tenebrae Responsories. The final section, for Holy Saturday, includes settings of the Tenebrae Responsories and the Easter Vigil. Overall, the 'Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae' is a masterful work of sacred music that captures the intense emotions and spiritual significance of Holy Week. Its use of polyphony, chromaticism, and dissonance make it a landmark work of the Renaissance period, and it continues to be performed and admired by musicians and audiences today.

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