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Tier 3 · vertical & regionalfull biography
José de Nebra
Person · male · Spain · Calatayud · born 1702 · died 1768 · recording since 1996
Spanish composer
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Also known as José Melchor Baltasar Gaspar Nebra Blasco · José Melchor de Nebra Blasco
Timeline
7 events▣ Album 4◦ Birth 1† Death 1★ Debut release 1
1700s
1760s
1990s
· Debut release
Debut release: Viento es la dicha de amor
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
2000s
2010s
2020s
Biography
English biography1,243 words · 14 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1374592741
Biography
José Melchor Baltasar Gaspar Nebra Blasco (January 6, 1702 – July 11, 1768) was a Spanish composer and organist from the Baroque period. His work combines Spanish traditions with the Italian style of his day.
Family
José de Nebra was born in Calatayud and was taught by his father, José Antonio Nebra Mezquita (1672–1748), organist and master of choirboys at the Cathedral of Cuenca from 1711 until 1729 before becoming chapel master. His two brothers were also musicians: Francisco Javier Nebra Blasco (1705–1741), organist of La Seo in Zaragoza until he moved to Cuenca in 1729, then succeeded by his brother Joaquín Ignacio Nebra Blasco (1709–1782) till his death.
Career
José de Nebra relocated to Madrid early in his career, where he served as the organist at the Descalzas Reales convent in 1719. In 1722, he joined the chapel of the Osuna noble household. There, he started composing music for commercial theatres in Madrid alongside Antonio Literes and Antonio Duni. Nebra then became an organist at the Descalzas Reales convent and at the royal chapel on May 22, 1724. That August, Nebra was appointed supernumerary organist with the promise of a promotion to first organist if an opening occurred at the royal chapel. Alongside Literes, Nebra rebuilt the collection of church music after a fire at the royal chapel in 1734. He advocated for a collection of works by Neapolitan composers such as Alessando Scarlatti and shifted his focus to sacred music composition. Nebra contributed 7 Salve Regina settings, 19 Masses, and 14 orchestral lamentations. Nebra declined offers for posts as chapel master and organist at both Santiago Cathedral in 1738, and Cuenca Cathedral in 1741. On June 5, 1751, he was named vicemaestro and assistant director of the royal choir school at the royal chapel in Madrid.
Nebra was a talented organist and respected teacher. He oversaw organ restorations at both the Jeronimos convent (1749) and the chapel of the new royal palace (1756). Nebra taught the organ to both Antonio Soler and José Lidón, who each became prominent musicians. In 1761, he became the harpsichord teacher to Prince Gabriel and later taught his nephew, Manuel Blasco de Nebra. José was locked up for many years in house arrest because he appeared in the letters seized from the Marquis Jaime José Ignacio Velaz de Medrano y Barros who conspired to place Ferdinand VI on the throne instead of his father Philip V. He died in Madrid.
Music and influence
More than 170 works by Nebra survive: masses, psalms, litanies, a Stabat Mater, a Salve Regina, cantatas, villancicos, and around thirty keyboard works. However, his significance is as the leading late-Baroque composer of Spanish opera and zarzuela.
Theatre
In 1728, Nebra composed music for Amor aumenta el valor alongside Facco and Falconi for the royal wedding of the Prince of Asturias to Princess Maria Barbara. However, most of Nebra's influence as a theatre composer comes from his work in Madrid's public theatres. There, he worked with top playwrights and opened new indoor theatres. He launched the first Spanish season at the Coliseo de la Cruz in 1737, and instituted the Coliseo de Príncipe in 1745. He composed almost 60 stage works, including secular and sacred librettos, each including spoken dialogue. Nebra composed across various genres, including theatrical zarzuelas, comedias, and autos sacramentales. He also composed shorter stage pieces, such as loas, sainetes, and entremeses. Nebra's music blended Spanish forms like seguidillas and coplas with Italian-style da capo arias. His orchestrations typically featured strings, woodwinds, and brass.
Although successful in public theatres, Nebra had limited involvement in court plays after 1728. Italian composers began dominating opera, leaving Nebra's only known contributions to be playing harpsichord in operas such as Farnace (1739) and Achille in Sciro (1744). His only known instrumental contributions include arranging music for two revived plays performed at a royal wedding in 1764.
Sacred
Nebra contributed 7 Salve Regina settings, 19 Masses, and 14 orchestral lamentations after the 1734 royal chapel fire. Nebra's sacred music increased after becoming assistant maestro of the royal chapel in 1751. His works included an eight-part choir and diverse instrumentation, suited for the chapels resources. He also wrote for other churches such as Cuenca Cathedral, Santiago de Compostela, and the Seo church in Zaragoza. His sacred compositions continued, creating a requiem for Queen Barbara and sending works to chapels for performances. His sacred compositions declined after 1761.
Harpsichord and organ
Nebra's harpsichord and organ works only survive in copies that were made after his death. These works resemble those of Scarlatti and José Elías, developing bipartite sonata form.
Sacred works
Aromática rosa Americana
Miserere
Para un triunfo que el orbe
Requiem for Queen Barbara of Braganza
Rompan los vagos espacios
Salve regina
Cantata: Entre candidos bellos
Spanish vocal
Al que en solio de rayos
Aliento fervorosa
Bello pastor
Con júbilo en el orbe
Dulzura espiritual
El celeste combate
Keyboard
Batalla de clarines
Paso en versos para la salmodia
Operas
Amor aumenta el valor (collective work, 1st act only), Lisbon 1728
Venus y Adonis, 1729
Más gloria es triunfar de sí. Adriano in Syria, 1737
No todo indicio es verdad. Alexander in Asia, 1744
Antes que zelos y amor, la piedad llama al valor. Achilles in Troy 1747
Zarzuelas
Las proezas de Esplandián y el valor deshace encantos, 1729
Amor, ventura y valor logran el triunfo mayor, 1739
Viento es la dicha de amor, 1743
Donde hay violencia, no hay culpa, 1744
Vendado es Amor, no es ciego, 1744
Cautelas contra cautelas y el rapto de Ganimedes, 1745
La colonia de Diana, 1745
Para obsequio a la deydad, nunca es culto la crueldad. Iphigenia en Tracia (Thrace), 1747
No hay perjurio sin castigo, 1747
Notable performances
The composer's 250th anniversary in 2018 saw the programming of some of his works, for example at Musica Antigua Aranjuez, the early music festival at Aranjuez. A performance of the opera Venus y Adonis has been scheduled for 2019 by the Centro Nacional de Difusión Musical.
Selected recordings
1996 - Viento es la dicha de amor (zarzuela). Ensemble Baroque de Limoges, dir. Christophe Coin. Naïve
2001 – Miserere. Al Ayre Español. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi
2001 - Principio de Maitines de Navidad. Madrid Barroco, dir. Grover Wilkins
2001 - Responsorium I. Madrid Barroco, dir. Grover Wilkins
2001 - Hymnus Sanctissimae Trinitari. Madrid Borroco, dir. Grover Wiklins
Sonata, op. 1 no. 4 for harpsichord, performed by Janine Johnson
2005 – La Cantada Española en América. Al Ayre Español. Harmonia Mundi
2006 - Vispera de Confesores. La Grande Chapelle, dir. Àngel Recasens. Lauda Musica
2006 - Arias de Zarzuelas. María Bayo, Al Ayre Español, dir. Eduardo López Banzo. Harmonia Mundi
2010 – Amor aumenta el valor (opera). Los Músicos de Su Alteza. Alpha
2011 - Cantatas. Esta Dulzura Amable. Al Ayre Español, dir. Eduardo López Banzo. Challenge Classics
2011 - Principio des Maitines de Navidad; Responsorium I, Nocturno 1, Nativitatis Domini. "Madrid 1752, Madrid Barroco, dir. Grover Wilkins. Dorian
2011 - Iphigenia en Tracia (zarzuela). El concierto español, dir. Emilio Moreno. Glossa
2019 - Requiem. La Madrileña - Coro Victoria - Schola Antiqua, dir. José Antonio Montaño. Pan Classics
2020 - Vendado es Amor, no es ciego (zarzuela). Los Elementos, dir.Alberto Miguélez Rouco. Glossa
2021 - Cantadas Francisco Corselli & José de Nebra. Los Elementos, dir.Alberto Miguélez Rouco. PanClassics
2022 - Donde hay violencia, no hay culpa (zarzuela). Los Elementos, dir.Alberto Miguélez Rouco. Glossa
2025 - Venus y Adonis (opera). Los Elementos, dir.Alberto Miguélez Rouco. Aparté
2025 - Sinfonia en sol menor y Versos de vísperas. Los Elementos, dir. Alberto Miguélez Rouco. Château de Versailles Spectacles
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 9 | 54.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 4 | 78.1th |
| Studio albums | 4 | 82.8th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 7 | 82.6th |
| Recording span (years) | -228 | 2.8th |
| Genres | 2 | 74th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (4 release groups · 4 studio albums)
Albums · 4
1996 · studio album
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Tracklist · 35 tracks · 1:29:06
Disc 11Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Coro - Fuego, Fuego0:412Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Recitativo Amor - Que es esto, vengativa ardiente saña1:553Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Aria Amor - Teme aleve fementido6:284Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Recitativo Liriope - Esto es que al ver0:535Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Aria Liriope - No siento, no, el estrago6:296Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Coro - Zagales de la selva0:387Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Recitativo Zefiro - Donde me lleva, amor, mi dulce acento0:598Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Aria Zefiro - Tórtola que carece7:049Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Arieta Marsias - Confuso, turbado2:1610Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Coro - Para proseguir los cultos0:4811Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Duo Liriope, Amor - Zagales de la Arcadia2:5712Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Intermedio instrumental - Danza de las ninfas2:2413Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Coro - Solo el amor es deidad0:5214Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Seguidillas a tres - No, que quiere mi pena2:4015Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Recitativo a tres - En que mi amor0:4916Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto I: Aria a tres - Oyeme4:48Disc 21Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Coplas Delfa - Amor - "Ay Dios aleve"2:072Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Recitativo Zefiro - "Oh tú, selva, si ufana y floreciente"1:433Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Aria Zefiro - "Selva florida"4:504Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Recitativo Zefiro, Liriope - "Dónde precipitada ninfa bella"0:515Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Aria Liriope - "Seré precipitada"6:476Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Recitativo Zefiro, Liriope - "Aunque contrario se muestre el cielo"0:507Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Aria Zefiro - "Si yo te obedezco"2:478Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Recitativo Liriope, Zefiro - "Qué resuelves"0:449Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Aria Zefiro, Liriope - "Idolo amado mío"5:3610Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Recitativo Marsias, Delfa - "Buenos días, señora mi zagala"0:4611Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Aria Marsias, Delfa - "Quiéreme picarita"3:1712Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Coro - "En los jardines de Amor"1:0313Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Arieta Delfa - "Rosa, tronco"3:5214Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Coro, Coplas y Eco: Zefiro, Liriope: "Viento es la dicha del amor"2:3015Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Recitativo Amor - "Qué es esto, vengativa ardiente saña"0:4316Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Aria Amor - "Guerra publique, guerra"4:5717Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Duo Liriope, Zefiro - "Albricias, Arcadia"0:5918Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Coro - "Que en vano intenta el rigor"0:3919Viento es la dicha de amor: Acto II: Contradanzas primera y segunda1:242006 · studio album
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Tracklist · 19 tracks · 1:13:37
1Vendado es amor, no es ciego: Recitado "Hados crueles"1:262Vendado es amor, no es ciego: Aria "El bajel que no recela"5:133Vendado es amor, no es ciego: Obertura (Allegro)3:394Minué I y II2:055Vendado es amor, no es ciego, zarzuela: Seguidillas "En amor pastorcillos"1:196Iphigenia en Tracia: Recitado "Este, riscos incultos"0:517Iphigenia en Tracia: Aria "Gozaba el pecho mío"6:518Iphigenia en Tracia: Aria de graciosa "De un ojo era falta"6:369Sinfonía, Op. 12 n. 4, "La casa del Diabolo", G 506. Andante sostenuto1:3710Sinfonía, Op. 12 n. 4, "La casa del Diabolo", G 506. Allegro assai4:1811Sinfonía, Op. 12 n. 4, "La casa del Diabolo", G 506. Andantino con moto6:0212Sinfonía, Op. 12 n. 4, "La casa del Diabolo", G 506. Andante sostenuto1:3913Sinfonía, Op. 12 n. 4, "La casa del Diabolo", G 506. Allegro assai con moto5:1614Vendado es amor, no es ciego: Recitado "Ciegue, clame y suspire"1:1915Vendado es amor, no es ciego: Aria "¿Quién fía de un mar sereno?"6:3516Vendado es amor, no es ciego: Aria "¿Quién cielos?"5:2117Donde hay violencia no hay culpa: Seguidillas "Los halagos se mezclan"1:4018Amor aumenta el valor: Aria "Como el zéfiro"5:1219Iphigenia en Tracia: Aria "Vacilante pensamiento"6:382010 · studio album
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Tracklist · 21 tracks · 1:19:27
1Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 1: Recitado (Soldados, Horacio, Livio, Clelia, Calfurnia y Mimo): Date a prisión3:142Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 1: Aria (Horacio): Adiós, prenda de mi amor6:553Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 2: Recitado (Porcia, Clelia, Mimo y Calfurnia): Feliz mil veces yo, pues mi destino2:084Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 2: Aria (Clelia): Que el cetro, la vida5:505Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 3: Recitado (Porcia, Mimo y Calfurnia): Pues a pesar del ansia que te irrita1:506Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 3: Aria (Porcia): Como el céfiro corre agitado4:547Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 4: Recitado (Mimo y Calfurnia): Mira, Calfurnia1:108Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 4: Aria (Calfurnia): Galanura, qué locura4:029Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 5: Recitado (Mimo): Todas sois unas pícaras traidoras0:3510Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 5: Aria (Mimo): Sopla hacia allí4:2111Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 6: Recitado accompagnato (Porsena): Gima el bronce torcido0:5312Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 7: Recitado (Livio y Porsena): Guárdete el cielo, máximo Porsena1:3013Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 7: Aria (Porsena): Más fácil será al viento4:3014Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 8: Recitado (Livio): Que esto oiga mi furor y mi ardimiento0:5815Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 8: Aria (Livio): Al arma, oculto generoso ardor5:3716Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 9: Recitado accompagnato (Horacio): Triste cárcel oscura1:0217Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 9: Recitado (Horacio): Ay, amor, ay, Clelia mía9:3118Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 10: Recitado (Clelia y Horacio): Horacio / ¿Quién me nombra? / Qien te estima2:2819Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 10: Aria (Clelia): Sopla el bóreas irritado7:0720Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 10: (Horacio y Clelia): En mármoles se escriba1:4121Amor aumenta el valor, Acto I escena 10: Aria a dúo (Horacio y Clelia): Prestad aliento / Dad confianza9:112025 · studio album
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Tracklist · 42 tracks · 1:48:08
Disc 11Venus y Adonis, Sinfonia in F major: I. Sinfonia2:382Venus y Adonis, Sinfonia in F major: II. Andante2:113Venus y Adonis, Sinfonia in F major: III. Grave2:444Venus y Adonis, Sinfonia in F major: IV. Vivo1:215Venus y Adonis, Sinfonia in F major: V. Allegro0:526Venus y Adonis, Sinfonia in F major: VI. La Generala0:287Venus y Adonis: Chorus. Ni Marte con iras0:498Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. ¿Qué escucho, airados cielos? (Venus)1:079Venus y Adonis: Aria. Mi airada venganza (Venus)4:2310Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. Cese, el que, miedo de la Tierra (Marte)0:4511Venus y Adonis: Aria. Tú, suspensa, beldad soberana (Marte)5:5112Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. ¿Por qué lloras, mi bien? (Marte, Venus, Celfa, Clarín)1:2213Venus y Adonis: Chorus. Ni Marte con iras0:3714Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. ¿Estás ya noticioso? (Venus, Marte)1:0815Venus y Adonis: Duet. Pues al estrago (Marte, Venus)4:0416Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. Dígame usted, ninfilla mondonguera (Clarín, Celfa, Adonis)1:4417Venus y Adonis: Aria. Por ver a un conejo (Clarín)2:5818Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. ¡Oh, cuanto engaña! (Adonis)1:0619Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. Desde un coto a otro coto (Venus)2:0820Venus y Adonis: Aria. Ay, Venus bella (Adonis)2:4821Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. Espera, detente (Adonis, Venus)1:5922Venus y Adonis: Aria. Trompas venatorias (Venus)5:3623Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. ¿Así te vas, lisonja del sentido? (Adonis)1:1224Venus y Adonis: Aria. Bate a la navecilla (Adonis)5:27Disc 21Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. Con efecto Clarín me galantea (Celfa)1:372Venus y Adonis: Aria. Cualquiera mozuela (Celfa)4:583Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. ¡Ah de esa triste boca! (Marte, Chorus, Cibeles)2:104Venus y Adonis: Aria. Ya de la nube (Cibeles)3:485Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. ¡Guarda la fiera! (Chorus, Marte, Adonis, Venus, Clarín)1:386Venus y Adonis: Aria. Silbo del aire (Adonis)6:397Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. ¡Ay de mí! (Venus, Chorus, Clarín, Celfa)1:428Venus y Adonis: Duet. ¡Ay, mi bien, qué espanto! (Celfa, Clarín)4:179Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. Ea, airada inclemencia (Marte, Venus)1:2010Venus y Adonis: Aria. Tan vano es pretender (Marte)4:1111Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. Espera, Marte (Tutti & Chorus)2:2112Venus y Adonis: Aria. Adios, Venus bella (Adonis)2:4613Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. No triunfe el hado (Venus)0:5114Venus y Adonis: Aria. En flor tu vida crezca (Venus)5:4615Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. ¡Ah, de esos horizontes! (Venus, Chorus, Marte, Cibeles Celfa, Clarín, Adonis)1:3916Venus y Adonis: Duet. Amor sólo, sólo Amor (Venus, Adonis)4:0617Venus y Adonis: Recitativo. Viva eterna de Venus la fineza (Tutti)0:4318Venus y Adonis: Chorus. Victoria por el Amor2:18
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put José de Nebra head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 9 | 54.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 4 | 78.1th |
| Studio albums | 4 | 82.8th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 7 | 82.6th |
| Recording span (years) | -228 | 2.8th |
| Genres | 2 | 74th |
Awards & honours
Where this record comes from
aliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/0d7881bf-7c49-43b0-963a-cc7b08b91b48discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/0d7881bf-7c49-43b0-963a-cc7b08b91b48core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1246203genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1246203seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_de_Nebrabiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_de_Nebra
Why this artist is in the database
- List of composers by name
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: no portrait (not displayed: the licence credit is missing)
Wikidata: Q1246203 · MusicBrainz: 0d7881bf-7c49-43b0-963a-cc7b08b91b48
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