(b Salamanca, 12 July 1468; d León, late 1529 or early 1530). Spanish poet, dramatist and composer. In 1484 he joined Salamanca Cathedral choir and in 1498 left for Rome, where he served at the Spanish pope's court. He also held posts at Málaga (1508-19) and León cathedrals (1519 until his death). He wrote most of his music and plays before he was 30. Many of his compositions are villancicos, featuring varied, flexible rhythms, a transparent polyphonic texture, expressive harmonies, syllabic word-setting and smooth melodies. His originality lies in his ability to combine rhythm and expression in an organic whole.

The Concise Grove Dictionary of Music. Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.. All rights reserved.