José de Nebra

Mass

José de Nebra was born in Calatayud in 1702. At the age of 17 he was already working in Madrid as organist at the Monastery of the Descalzas Reales. In the 1720s he began to compose for Madrid's public theaters, quickly becoming one of the most famous composers in the Court. In 1724 he was appointed organist of the Royal Chapel and Vicemaster in 1751. From 1761 he was harpsichord teacher of the infant Don Gabriel de Borbón. José de Nebra died in Madrid in 1768.

The sacred production of José de Nebra includes a set of masses for double choir and orchestra composed between 1747 and 1751 with the following titles: on the hymn Pange Lingua (1747), Laudate nomen Domini (1748), Laudate eum in sono tubae (1748), In viam pacis (1748), Canticum novum (1748), on the hymn Sacris Solemniis (1749), Iubilate in conspectu Regis Domini (1751) and the mass Laudate Dominum de terra (1748) published in the present volume. They are ambitious works in various movements, combining sections for one, two and four voices and other sections for two choirs, along with a large string and wind orchestra.

Choir: 1st SATB solo choir, 2nd SATB choir.
Orchestra: 2 oboes, 2 flutes (in the Gloria), 2 horns, 2 violins, viola, bc.