Tomás Luis de Victoria – Sheet Music & Scores

Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548*-1611) was one of the most important Spanish composers of the late Renaissance Period, and was instrumental in bridging the gap between the Renaissance and The Baroque Period. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore all Victoria’s great works with Stretta Music today!

Early Years & Rome

Tomás Luis de Victoria was born in Ávila, Spain, around 1548. At the local cathedral school, where he sung in the choir, he studied music theory, and above all, he started developing his organ skills.

In 1544, after his voice broke, he was sent to study at the Jesuit College in Rome. This "Collegium Germanicum" was founded in 1540 by the Jesuit Ignatius von Loyola, designed to teach modern music and literature. Here Victoria met many of the great personalities of his time, most importantly Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.

From 1572, Victoria worked as a singer, organist and choral director, and began to compose regularly. He held positions at several Roman churches, and at the Collegium Germanicum. He was ordained a priest in 1575.

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Around 1587, Victoria, exhausted by the constant struggle for money and work, decided to return to his homeland, and got a position as organist, choirmaster and personal chaplain to Queen Maria in Madrid. Here he had more time to compose, and he also revised many of his earlier compositions. Victoria died in 1611, and is buried in the Descalzas Reales monastery, where he spent more than 20 happy years.

His Work

Victoria wrote exclusively sacred music. His vocal polyphony, which follows on from Palestrina, often uses Spanish melodies. From 1580, Victoria started using more and more instruments along with the voices, mainly in the popular modern “colla parte” style. Towards the end of his life, he started using an early form of “basso continuo”, or figured bass, usually played by the organ or bassoon.

Various Victoria Links

• Motets by Victoria
• Masses by Victoria
• Psalms by Victoria
• Magnificats by Victoria
• Woodwind Transcriptions by Victoria
• Sheet Music Downloads by Victoria