Don Hernando Franco
Prof. Robert Stevenson in his ‘Music in Aztec and Inca Territory’ suggests that the composer of the two Nauhatl pieces in the Valdes Codex was a cacique noble, possibly trained in the Tlatelolco college for noble Indigenous youth and who adopted the name of the Chapelmaster of Mexico City Cathedral out of admiration; insisting that a mere chapelmaster would not be allowed to use the honorific “Don”. Hernando Franco was Chapelmaster 1575-1585.
Dios itlaconantzine
The villancico verse//refrain form invited a treatment similar to that found in the spiritual villancicos of Guerrero and Fernandes.
Don Hernando Franco "Dios itlaconantzine"
Dios itlaconantzine cemicac ichpochtle
cenca imitztotlatlauhtiliya ma topan
ximotlatol yn ilhuicac ixpantzinco in
motlasoconetzin Jesu Christo.Ca onpa t
imoyeztica yn inahuactzinco yn motlaso
conetzin Jesu Christo.
Oh precious Mother of God, oh eternal Virgin,
we earnestly implore of thee: intercede for us.
In heaven thou art in the presence of thy
dearest Son, Jesus Christ. For thou art there
beside Him. In heaven thou art in the presence
of thy dearest Son, Jesus Christ.