Esteban Daza (c.1537-c.1591)

Esteban Daza El Parnasso
Esteban Daza El Parnasso

Before there was Esteban, there was Esteban Daza, one of the last Spanish Vihuelists. Born in Valladolid around 1537, Daza grew up in a middle class family, studied law, and, like many of us do today, went to work in a completely unrelated field.

Daza’s book, Libro de Musica en cifras para Vihuela, intitulado el Parnasso, was published in 1576 and is the latest of the vihuela books extant today. El Parnasso is divided into three books. The first contains original fanatasias, and the second and third are an anthology of intabulated vocal works with added ornamentation by Daza.

Esteban Daza Sheet Music

Honestly, I wasn’t able to find anything. Daza is not a popular composer now-a-days, and his music seems to have been left by the wayside. There are a few pieces in Frank Koonce’s Renaissance Vihuela & Guitar Music.

Concert Works by Esteban Daza

Not many works by Daza have made it into the concert repertoire, but here’s a vihuela+voice piece.

Renaissance Vihuela Composers