Due to the lack of primary sources regarding Bartolomé de Escobedo, relatively little research has been published about him or his works. A close inspection of the Missa Philippus Rex Hispanie, however, leads one to believe that the composition was modeled after Josquin's Missa Hercules Dux Ferrarie. Escobedo may have come across the work in a Spanish manuscript or while serving as a member of the Papal Chapel. The most obvious connection between the Masses is the use of a soggetto cavato, which is a theme based on the vowels of the name of the addressee of the Mass. Escobedo also follows Josquin in that the soggetto is usually presented in the second tenor, points of imitation generally occur in ascending order, and Escobedo transposes the soggetto by the same intervals as Josquin. The formal divisions of each movement also mirror those of the Josquin Mass. Escobedo also employs an unusual mensurational trick in the Agnus Dei that is also found in Josquin's Missa L'homme armé super voces musicales.

Works: Bartolomé de Escobedo: Missa Philippus Rex Hispanie (50-62).

Sources: Josquin des Prez: Missa Hercules Dux Ferrarie (54-62), Missa L'homme armé super voces musicales (61).

Index Classifications: 1500s

Contributed by: Randy Goldberg