Sebastián Romeo
Sebastián Romeo
Genres: spanish, 17th century
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About Sebastián Romeo
Sebastián Romero, also known as Romeo, (fl. 1636-1649) was a Spanish musician, master of chapel of the Cathedral of Zaragoza. There is hardly any information about this master before his arrival in Zaragoza, except for the fact that he came from Tafalla when he was appointed chapel master in the Cathedral of Tarazona. His activity in Tarazona is demonstrated between 1621 and 1623, and 1631 and 1635, although he probably exercised the master's degree from 1621 to 1635. The council took a year to occupy the position of chapel master after the death of Gaspar Cueto for unknown reasons. It is not known how the responsibilities were carried out during this time. The former teacher Francisco de Silos could not have done the work, a sack and an old man. But, the chapel seems to have worked well enough for the council to congratulate her on her work during the feast and the octave of Corpus Christi in June 1636. The council published the edicts to oppose the chapel magisterium on September 22, 1636, in which they gave time until November for the musicians to perform. Three examiners were defined, Francisco Salazar, Jusepe Ximénez and the chapel master of El Pilar. In 1638 Romero had a curious problem with the Inquisition. It began because "the singers of La Seo did not come to sing the completes of the Holy Saturday of that April 1638 to the monastery of Santa Engracia, to which the Inquisitor and the officers of the Holy Court of the Holy Office were entitled." The Inquisitors claimed that they were entitled to such an act and the singers, for their part, affirmed that until that moment they had only done it voluntarily, out of friendship with the Inquisitor. The inquisitors called the singers Juan Berges and Mosén Mateo to give them a "seer reprimand", which ended with the arrest of the two singers. After six days of discussions in which neither of the two parties gave its arm to twist, the Inquisción decided to change the two singers for the chapel master, Sebastián Romero, and Francisco Salazar, the oldest singer of La Seo. They remained locked up for two months. Meanwhile, the council mobilized in defense of its musicians. They wrote to the Supreme Court of the Inquisition in Madrid and to the Council of Aragon, without success. Archbishop Pedro Apaolaza was also informed, who was very cautious in his actions "particularly dealing with the Inquisition that proceeds without regard or consideration of jurisdictions or other jurisdictions, but executing particular instructions that he has." In addition, the council made money available to the prisoners for their defense and so that nothing was missing. The chapel, for its part, decided "that in the Corpus Christi procession they do not stand in any position to sing motets and Christmas carols," that is, that they do not stop to sing before the windows of the inquisitors and their officers, as it was customary to do. The Inquisition responded by calling all singers for not having stopped to sing in front of their windows. For fear of being arrested, the council recommended that the singers submit to the Demonstration, so that they were no longer under the jurisdiction of the Inquisition. The only one who came was Juan Berges, who was already falling under the jurisdiction of the Inquisition for his previous arrest. The matter became even more complicated when the Governor of Aragon intervened, who proposed a solution rejected by the council. He also went to the Justice of Aragon, he said that "he was very willing to administer justice and that there should be no doubt about this." Two months after the conflict began, there were at least five jurisdictions in conflict and without a view of a solution. The solution came only when the Governor firmly demanded that both parties leave their judicial proceedings, the master and the singer be released, and the singers presented themselves for the summons, but that they were well treated and considered. Finally, the chapel carried out a thanksgiving to the Cabildo and the Justice of Aragon. Among Romero's activities was the selection and examination of voices for the chapel. One of Romero's interests was the renewal of the singing books. It seems that around 1639 the books of polyphonic singing were no longer used. It is an indication that musical practice was gradually moving away from ancient musical forms. There is no direct news of Romero's death. In 1649, examiners were appointed for a new opposition to the position of chapel master, so it is understandable that the position was vacant. Four years later, we talk about Romero's death, in 1653, on the occasion of the death of Master Correa. It is known that Romero composed and that his works were written, since in 1658 the council gave a hundred royals to an infant "for the psalms and music he copied from the master Romeo." Only two works have been preserved in the archives of La Seo: Pos is born to the life of the Galicians, Christmas carols, seven voices and continuous bass; Oh, let's go to Bethlehem, Galicians, Christmas carols, alone and seven voices.
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