Francisco Fernández Palero - Glosado de un Versillo de quinto tono de Cristóbal Morales

Francisco Fernández Palero (born in Guadalajara; died in Granada, September 26th, 1597) was a Spanish composer and organist, erroneously referred to in some sources as Francisco Pérez Palero. He served for 40 years as organist of the royal chapel at Granada. His advice was frequently sought as an organ expert and as a judge of candidates for musical posts at Granada and elsewhere; but his intrigues against the choirmaster Ambrosio Cotes, resulting in a bitter legal wrangle in 1591, show his character in an unfavourable light. He was almost certainly the composer of the 14 pieces ascribed to ‘Palero’ in the first Spanish keyboard tablature, "Libro de cifra nueva", compiled by Luis Venegas de Henestrosa; one of the pieces bears his full name. All except one tiento are elaborations (glosas) on borrowed material, including Gregorian hymns, Spanish romance melodies, mass movements by Josquin, motets by ‘Jachet’, Verdelot and Mouton and a chanson by Crecquillon. The monophonic material is treated in cantus firmus technique, the polyphonic material either in tiento style (with free imitation on initial motifs) or as embellished transcriptions. Fernández Palero’s textures are filled with lively quaver movement, at times skilfully handled but often harsh and seemingly aimless.
Biography by Almonte Howell

The image before (and after) the music is Cristo presenta los redimidos del Limbo a la Virgen (Christ presents the redeemed of Limbo to the Virgin) by Juan Sánchez Alejo Fernández, chosen by D. T. for this video.