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.
Magnificat
Hernando Franco "Magnificat"
Magnificat anima mea Dominum; et
exsultavitspiritus meus in Deo salutari
meo, quia respexit humilitatem
ancillae suae; Ecce enim ex hoc
beatam me dicent omnes
generationes.quia fecit mihi magna,
qui potens est, et sanctum nomen eius.
Et misericordiaeius a progenie in
progenies timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo;
dispersit superbos mente cordis sui;
deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit
humiles; esurientes implevit bonis
et divites dimisit inanes.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum,
recordatus misericordiae suae,
sicut locutus est ad patres nostros,
Abraham et semini eius in saecula.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto,
sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et
semper: et in Saecula saeculorum.
Amen.
My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my
Saviour. For he hath regarded: the
lowliness of his handmaiden: For
behold, from henceforth:
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified
me: and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him:
throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm:
he hath scattered the proud in
the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from
their seat: and hath exalted the humble
and meek. He hath filled the hungry
with good things: and the rich he hath
sent empty away. He remembering his
mercy hath holpen his servant Israel:
As he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son:
and to the Holy Ghost; As it was
in the beginning, is now, and ever shall
be: world without end. Amen.