OUR CHOIR CAN SING the following composition at any time during the liturgical year. I first sang it as a freshman in college, under Dr. James F. Daugherty. At the last minute, Daugherty shifted us into “mixed position”—he loved keeping us on our toes! Singing this piece a cappella that night made a great impression upon me, and I realized I wanted to be a choirmaster the rest of my life (not a pianist):
* * PDF Download • “Jesu Dulcis Memoria” (attr. VICTORIA)
* * PDF Download • Additional Verses to make this piece longer
Scroll to the bottom and you’ll discover wonderful REHEARSAL VIDEOS to help your choir learn.
THIS PIECE HAS BEEN attributed to a Spanish priest, Tomás Luis de Victoria (d. 1611)—perhaps the greatest composer of all time—but anyone familiar with Victoria’s style realizes that he could not have written this piece. 1 I had thought the earliest copy was from 1843, in a French collection called Recueil des morceaux de musique ancienne—literally “A collection of scraps of ancient music.” Here’s how it looked in 1843:
* * PDF Download • “Jesu Dulcis Memoria” from 1843
However, my friend Nancho Alvarez sent me another copy, also created toward the middle of the 19th century:
I suspect the person who created that manuscript is the true composer.
REHEARSAL VIDEOS :
NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:
1 If Victoria did compose this piece, it must have been written toward the very end of his life, based on the style.
