The Early Reception of the Motets of Tomás Luis de Victoria (ca. 1548-1611) in Germanic Territory

Abstract

Numerous testimonies document a significant presence of Tomás Luis de Victoria’s motets in Germanic territory at the end of the sixteenth century. Together with an extensive number of sources preserved in German archives, of particular note is the publication of his Cantiones sacrae (Dillingen, 1589) in this region, the only work by Victoria published outside Spain or Italy during the composer’s lifetime. In stark contrast, studies about the reception of the composer’s works north of the Alps are very scarce. The result is a picture full of gaps. By examining sources of a diverse nature, this article aims to shed light on certain aspects of this case. In particular, it will focus on identifying and discussing the earliest testimonies of the reception of these motets.