Joan Cabanilles

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Joan Cabanilles (1644-1712) was an organist and composer. He was the greatest of the Valencian composers of organ music, and together with Correa de Araujo the most important organist of the 17th Spanish Musical Century. At the age of 21, he was named first organist of the Cathedral of Valencia, receiving the "prima clerical tonsura" enabling him to take the position and being ordained a priest in 1688. When Andreu Peris died, he became first organist. His works for organ are the culmination of previous trends in Spanish organ composition, and at the same time they open new pathways for composers who followed him. Cabanilles was the last of the Spanish mystic organists, and we find within his works the germ of the new musical form: the Sonata. The Library of Catalunya, conservator of almost all the manuscripts of the works of Cabanilles, has published diverse volumes of his organ compositions. Although he knew the compositions of the Italian and French schools perfectly, his compositions are highly Spanish and Valencian with melodic-harmonic turns that are peculiar and that, later, other Valencian masters continued to use as models. The titles of his compositions are highly Spanish and Valencian: Tientos of all kinds, Battles, Tocatas, Paseos, Pasacalles, Gaitilla, Xácara, etc. His known vocal work until today consists of ten compositions for voices and continuo, reaching thirteen voices in "Ah, de la Region celeste". In these works, Cabanilles creates a moving lyricism

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