Sebastián Raval
Who was Sebastián Raval?
Spanish composer
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Sebastián Raval (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Sebastián Raval (c. 1550–1604) was a Spanish composer of vocal and instrumental music, born in Cartagena. His life brought together two seemingly different careers: soldier and musician. An injury on the battlefield eventually guided him towards a life centered around music and religious service. Before becoming a recognized composer, Raval served in the Army of Flanders, experiencing warfare in Flanders and Sicily. He was wounded during the siege of Maastricht, which changed his life's path, prompting him to join the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, offering him a sense of structure and community during his recovery and new direction.
After his military service, Raval moved to Italy, where he found support from prominent figures of the late 16th century. He worked as a musician at the court of Francesco Maria II della Rovere in Urbino, a court famous for the arts, and later worked under Bernardino de Cárdenas, the viceroy of Sicily. He also served cardinals Peretti and Colonna in Rome, placing him at the heart of Italian musical life and connecting him with leading composers of the time.
While in Rome, Raval boldly claimed to be the best musician in the world, which led to two formal musical contests. The first was against Giovanni Maria Nanino and the second against Francesco Soriano, both renowned Roman composers. Raval lost both contests, but this did not halt his career or curb his enthusiasm for musical rivalry.
On April 28, 1595, Raval took over from Luis Ruiz as maestro di cappella of the viceroyal chapel for the Spanish viceroys in Palermo, becoming the last Spanish musician to hold this position. In Sicily, he got involved in another musical contest with local composer Achille Falcone. The initial ruling favored Falcone, but after several appeals, the decision was overturned in Raval's favor. After Falcone's death in 1600, the dispute was documented when Antonio Falcone, Achille's father, published an account of the affair in his Relazione del successo, which included the musical works that were part of the contest, featuring canons, madrigals, motets, and ricercari by both composers. This collection is now available in a modern edition.
Sebastián Raval died in Palermo in 1604. On the 400th anniversary of his death in 2004, his hometown of Cartagena celebrated his legacy with a concert performed by musician Pere Ros on the viola da gamba.
Before Fame
Sebastián Raval was born around 1550 in Cartagena, a port city on the southeastern coast of Spain, well-connected to Mediterranean trade and military activities. Not much is specifically known about his early education or musical training, but during that time, Spanish musicians were becoming more active across Europe, especially in Italy. This was partly due to Spanish political control over Naples and Sicily, which opened doors for Spanish artists and administrators. Raval's journey to musical fame was unusual, as he initially served in the military rather than starting in a cathedral school or an aristocratic home.
He joined the Army of Flanders and got involved in one of the toughest military campaigns of the sixteenth century, where Spain tried to put down a revolt in the Low Countries. After being wounded at the siege of Maastricht, he joined the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and seemed to focus more on music. His later achievements in securing court roles in Urbino, Palermo, and Rome suggest he was very talented in music, likely honing his skills over many years that are not well-documented.
Key Achievements
- Appointed maestro di cappella of the viceroyal chapel of the Spanish viceroys in Palermo in 1595, a prestigious post he held until his death
- Secured successive court positions at the courts of Francesco Maria II della Rovere in Urbino and the viceroy of Sicily, Bernardino de Cárdenas
- Composed canons, madrigals, motets, and ricercari that were published alongside those of Achille Falcone and have survived in a modern critical edition
- Prevailed, after appeals, in the formal musical contest against Achille Falcone in Sicily, one of the most documented musical disputes of late Renaissance Italy
- Served as a musician under two Roman cardinals, Peretti and Colonna, demonstrating his reach within the highest levels of ecclesiastical patronage
Did You Know?
- 01.Raval publicly declared himself the best musician in the world while in Rome, a claim that resulted in him being challenged to formal musical contests by two prominent composers, Giovanni Maria Nanino and Francesco Soriano, both of whom defeated him.
- 02.He was wounded during the siege of Maastricht in the Spanish Netherlands, an event that led directly to his joining the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
- 03.The musical contest between Raval and Achille Falcone in Sicily was so contentious that its full proceedings, along with the competing compositions in canons, madrigals, motets, and ricercari, were published by Falcone's father after Achille's death in 1600.
- 04.Raval was the last Spanish maestro di cappella to lead the viceroyal chapel in Palermo, succeeding Luis Ruiz on 28 April 1595.
- 05.Four hundred years after his death, Raval's birthplace of Cartagena, Spain, commemorated him in 2004 with a viola da gamba concert performed by Pere Ros.