Hernando Franco

Informed opinion seems to have settled on Galizuela, nr. Alcantara as the birthplace in 1532 of Hernando Franco, the noted maestro de capella of Mexico City Cathedral. He was a chorister in Segovia Cathedral by 1542 til 1549. Some sources suggest that he was in Guatemala as early as 1554 . . . that’s nearly 20 years before he is listed as Maestro at Guatemala Cathedral. Soon after that (1575) he became maestro de capella at Mexico City with a salary of 600 pesos. The authorities there were very pleased with his work, as is made apparent by the Archbishop’s comments recommending him for a prebend . . . “a priest . . good, exemplary life . . his musicianship assured a musical tradition equal to anything in Spain . . . “.  Perhaps the Archbishop was uninformed about Francisco Guerrero at Seville and Victoria at Madrid.  Franco died in office in 1585. In 1611 his successor, Juan Hernandez, presented to the Chapter a choirbook copy of Franco’s 16 settings of the Magnificat, most of which has survived . . . 20 of his motets have also been preserved.