Bartholomeus [Bartolomé] Escobedo {Paul III-Pius IV}
Zamora; formerly a singer at the cathedral of Salamanca; admitted 23 August 1536; mandati : August 1536 -July 1542 , April 1545 -August 1555; on October 25, 1554, Escobedo received permission to take a leave of absence; on January 5, 1555 , he is decribed as being "in patria"; died before 11 August 1563 in Spain.
Escobedo's entrance into the chapel caused some controversy. The French singers, apparently annoyed at having another Spaniard in the choir refused to attend the ceremony on 23 August 1536 in which he was officially admitted and given the surplice (this implies further that he was admitted by special papal order without the usual audition). The next day, when he showed up for work in the choir, the French singers walked out in a body. At a meeting at the house of Costanzo Festa on 3 September, the other singers decided to fine each of the French singers (Jean Beausseron, Charles Argentil, Yves Barry, Genesius Bultheti, and Antoine Loyal) a month's salary, yet this punishment was remitted on 22 October. On 10 October 1536, Paul III made Escobedo a Count Palatine and Apostolic Notary. Various entries in the DS show Escobedo to have been a feisty individual; more than once he exchanged insults with various of his French colleagues (who, of course, hadn't wanted him in the choir in the first place). He returned to Spain in late 1554 or early 1555 , but continued to have contact with the choir, sending soprano singers to Rome, one of whom (Johannes Figueroa) was admitted to the chapel in 1563 (see Figueroa).
Escobedo was a respected composer, Antonio Cappello sent some of his motets to the Duke of Ferrara in 1536 and 1537 (see Cappello), and he was one of the judges in the dispute between Lusitano and Vicentino that took place in Rome in 1551 . A few works have been preserved in Vatican sources and elsewhere (see TNG for work list).
WORKS IN VATS MSS.
Masses: Ad te levavi (VatS 13); Philippus Rex Hispanie (VatS 39).
Motets: Domine non secundum (VatS 24); Hodie completi sunt (VatS 13); Immutemur habitu (VatS 13).
DOCUMENTS
DS 1
36v: entry dated 23 August 1536 [CASIMIRI (1924), p. 268]
Eodem die fuit admissus in cantorem a S.o Paulo tertio pontifice maxime dominus Bartholmeus Esco[bedo] clericus Zamorensis et a venerabili viro domino Bartholomeo Croto capelle Summi Pontificie magistro in parva capella presentibus cantoribus (Gallis exceptis qui se absentarunt per indignationem) superpellitio indutus.
36v: entry dated 24 August 1536 [CASIMIRI (1924), p. 268]
Eodem die propterea quod dominus Bartholomeus venit ad officium capelle, ipsi Galli per inobediantiam Magistri capelle et totius collegii durantibus matutinis exuerunt superpelliciis suis et abierunt. Carolus abiens dixit multa verba iniuriosa et scandalosa ad decanum capelle. Nihilominus predictus dominus Bartholomeus Escobedo clericus Zamorensis etc. soluit X ducatos largos pro omnibus regalibus participandis: Item duos alios ducatos pro cotta.
37r: entry dated 3 September 1536 [CASIMIRI (1924), p. 269]
Eodem die fuit conclusum capitulariter in domo domini Constantii Festa quod ipsi Galli per inobedientiam Magristri Capelle et tocius collegii essent condempnati in salarium unius mensis scilicet quilibet octo ducatos.
39r: entry dated 22 October 1536 [CASIMIRI (1924), p. 270]
Fuerunt congregati omnes cantores in parva capella et domini Io. Beausseron, Carolus, Yvo Barri, Genesius et Antonius Loyal qui alias condempnati fuerunt in provisionem unius mensis propter inobedientiam in libro prescriptam obtinuerunt gratiam ut supra scripta provisis illis restitueretur.
DS 7
61v: entry dated 11 August 1563 [LLORENS, p. 87]
Fuit congregatio inter R.dos cantores super beneficia vacantia per obitum Bartholomei Scobedo et fuerunt data in custodium domino Francisco Guzman.
VatS 679
23r-23v: notarial document, dated 7 November 1563 in Trent, concerning the transfer of benefices on the death of Bartholomeo Escobedo to Franciscus de Guzman.
1563, 7 Nov.
IN NOMINE DOMINI AMEN. Per hoc presens publicum instrumentum cunctis pateat evidenter et sit notum quod anno a nativitate domini millesimo quingentesimo sexagesimo tertio indictione sexta die vere septima mensis novembris pontificatus s.mi in Christo patris et domini nostri Pii divina providentia pape quarti anno quarto in mei publici notarii testmoniumque infrascriptorum ad hac specialiter vocatorum et rogatorum presentia personaliter constitutus R.mus D. Hieronymus Macchabeus episcopus Castrensis et capellae prelibati S.mi D. N. pape magister adquem (ut asseruit) ratione dicti officii magistri capellae, ac vigore privilegiorum et indultorum apostolicorum magistros capelle pro tempore existentibus concessorum jus presentandi personas idoneas ad quecumque beneficia ecclesiastica per obitum quorumcunque cantorum et capellanorum ac aliorum officialium ipsius capelle pro tempore vacantia spectare et pertinere dignoscitur sponte et ex eius certa scientia ac spontanea voluntate ominibus melioribus modo via jure causa et forma quibus magis et melius de jure potuit et debuit ad omnia et singula beneficia ecclesiastica cuiuscunque generis vel qualitatis sint quomodolibet nuncupata et in quacunque civitate diocesi et ecclesia situ posita et fundata per obitum quondom N. Scobedo dum vixit capelle eiusdem S.mi D. N. pape cantoris et capellani nuper extra Romanam curiam defuncti vacantia R. D. Franciscum Guzman capelle antedictae subdiaconum et capellanum prelibato S.mo D.N. pape omni meliori modo quo de jure potuit et debuit presentavit petens humiliter ad eodem S.mo D. N. pape quatenus beneficia prefata prefato D. Francisco Guzman sanctitati suae ut supra presentato conferre de illis providere dignetur super quibus omnibus et singulis premissis prefatus Castrensis episcopus sibi a me noto publico infranto unum vel plura prout seu publica fieri atque confici petiit insrumentum et instrumentum acta fuerunt premissa Tridenti in domo solitae habitationis R.mi D. episcopi Castrensis presentibus ibidem D. Christophoro Mazangha Barga Dominii Florentini Lucane dioc. et Joanne Guetto laico Tridentina dioc. testibus ad premissa vocatus atque rogatus.
Authenticated by Marcus Antonius Peregrinus apostolic auditor.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: CASIMIRI ; LLORENS , Josef. "Cinco cantores españoles en la capilla pontificia," Anuario Musical 36 (1981): 69-90; STEVENSON , Robert. Spanish Cathedral Music in the Golden Age (Berkeley, 1961), pp. 31ff; STEVENSON , Robert in TNG ; STEVENSON , "Spanish Polyphonists in the Age of the Armada," Inter-American Music Review 12 (1992): 32-34.