MISSA BENEDICTA

Coro Melos Gloriae (Mexico City) performing from a different editionFrancisco López Capillas (1608-1674) is widely believed to be the first native-born New World composer, and this mass for four voices is one of his most beautiful works. In this new performance edition edited by Steven Paxton, the lengthy Credo has been omitted.

Capillas served as chapelmaster at the Cathedral of Mexico City for many years, accounting for the addition of Capillas to his name. This mass, along with other masses, motets and Magnificats, still survive in the archives of the cathedral, as well as in various libraries in Spain. Though composed at a time when many European composers were developing the new styles which we now identify as Baroque, Capillas composed in a more conservative style, patterned after the late works of Palestrina. This particular mass, a so-called parody mass, is actually based on themes from Palestrina’s motet Benedicta sit Sancta Trinitas, composed a century earlier than the work of this Mexican master.

The Sanctus-Benedictus from Missa Benedicta is also published separately by Creative Spirit.

TOTAL DURATION: about 20 minutes