Biography
Juan de Anchieta served as both composer and vocalist at the court of Queen Isabella, where his performances placed him alongside La Rue, Agricola, and de Orto. Francisco de Salinas singled out several of his pieces for admiration, a regard later echoed by Cervantes. Among the surviving scores are “En Memoria d’Alixandre” and the widely favored “Dos anades.” Anchieta’s writing combined fluidity with immediate appeal; its chordal motion remained straightforward, relying chiefly on root-position sonorities and only infrequent thirds. His sacred output features the “Missa Rex virginum” and a three-voice “Magnificat.” Iganatius Loyola was Anchieta’s cousin.