Although he is almost exclusively remembered as the creator – in collaboration with Calderón de la Barca – of zarzuela and Spanish opera, the vocal chamber music of Juan Hidalgo (1614-1685) – principally secular and sacred tonos [airs] – enjoyed undeniable success, as the numerous copies that circulated in Spain and the Americas bear witness. His work as harpist at the Royal Chapel and chapel master of the Royal Chamber in the service of Philip IV and Charles II gave him a privileged position in the artistic world of his day.

Less well-known is his religious repertoire, mainly composed for specific devotional practices in the palace, such as the 'Forty Hours', which likely perished in the blaze that destroyed the Real Alcázar in 1734. Nevertheless it has been possible to restore a part of this sacred work using copies that have been found, widely dispersed, in different archives and libraries.

In this monographic recording – the first in the genre – La Grande Chapelle has selected a varied group of tonos and villancicos that will delight us all while also filling important gaps in our knowledge of the Spanish baroque.

Track Listing:
1. ¡Venid, querubines alados…!, villancico a Nuestra Señora a 4 (World Premiere Recording)
2. Al dichoso nacer de mi Niño, tono para Navidad a 4 (World Premiere Recording)
3. Mas, ¡ay, piedad!, villancico de Miserere a 3 (World Premiere Recording)
4. Mariposa incauta, dúo al Santísimo Sacramento (instrumental)
5. Ay amor, ay ausencia, [tono a] solo
6. Quedito, pasito, cuatro teatral
7. Anarda divina, dúo [humano] (World Premiere Recording)
8. Escuchad mi voz, dúo al Santísimo Sacramento (World Premiere Recording) (instrumental)
9. Cuando el alba aplaude, villancico al Santísimo y a 'Nuestra Señora' a 3 (World Premiere Recording)
10. Suprema deidad que miro, villancico de Pasión a 4 (1677) (World Premiere Recording)
11. Antorcha brillante, villancico al Santísimo Sacramento a solo y a 4 (World Premiere Recording)
12. Pues adoro una oblea, dúo al Santísimo (instrumental)
13. Rompa el aire en suspiros, recitativo a lo humano [solo] (World Premiere Recording)
14. ¡Ay, corazón amante!, tonada humana a solo
15. Luceros y flores, arded y lucid, solo a 'Nuestra Señora' (World Premiere Recording) [versión a lo humano]
16. Aunque en el pan del cielo, [tono] al Santísimo Sacramento a 3 (World Premiere Recording)
17. Ay, cómo gime, tono teatral a 4