Juan Navarro Hispalensis

Who was Juan Navarro Hispalensis?

Juan Navarro of Seville, hence the epiphet Hispalensis was a Spanish composer. He is not related to the Mexican composer Juan Navarro Gaditanus,.

Navarro's place of birth, Marchena, is geographically near enough to Seville to justify the epiphet Hispalensis. He sang in the cathedral choirs of Jaén, and then Málaga. In 1553 he competed for the position of maestro de capilla in Málaga left vacant by the death of Cristóbal de Morales. In 1563 he was appointed maestro de capilla of the Cathedral of Avila, then in 1566 Salamanca, in 1574 Ciudad Rodrigo and 1578 Palencia.

Navarro's compositions include two settings of hymns, two settings of antiphons and a "Te Deum" that are based on uniquely Spanish chant melodies rather than the Roman melodies more commonly used by Renaissance composers. 4