José de Nebra

Lamentations for the Holy Wednesday (1752)

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 works edited in this volume are dated 1752 and they are the earliest Holy Week amentations composed by Nebra. They are preserved in the Archive of the Royal Palace in Madrid. Nebra composed them after being appointed Vicemaestro of the Royal Chapel in 1751. In 1752 Nebra compes the lamentations for the Holy Thursday and in 1754 the lamentations for the Holy Friday. These three series comprehends the complete set of lamentations for the Holy Week.

Contents:

- Lamentación primera del Miércoles Santo. SSAT-SATB; 2 ob, 2 vl, vla, bc.

- Lamentación segunda del Miércoles Santo. ST; 2fl, 2 vl, vla, bc.

- Lamentación tercera del Miércoles Santo. S-SATB; 2 ob, 2 fl, 2 vl, vla, bc.