Relatively little is known about Lusitano, but at least two things we do know are fascinating. For a chap born in the early 16th century in Olivenza in the heart of the Catholic bastion that was the Iberian Peninsular, his decision to embrace Protestantism and move to Württemberg in later life was certainly eye catching.
And he is also believed to have been of mixed European and African descent. Something that would have marked him out. He’s probably the earliest example of a black or at least mixed race composer of western classical music.
Sadly no images of him have survived.
His music though, has. It is a beautiful example of polyphony as this example shows. Written for eight voices and from a book of motets published in Rome it positively soars…..
Nothing like a good motet to carry you heavenward ...
Love it. Lusitano would be a reference to that part of West Spain/Portugal known as Lusitania I guess. Not sure being mixed race was so uncommon in those times and that area?