Manuel de Tavares

He finally went to Spain, obtaining around 1609, at the age of 24, the position of chapel master of the Cathedral of Baeza. In 1612 he left Baeza to occupy the corresponding position in the Cathedral of Murcia, staying there until 1631, the year in which he became a chapel master of the Cathedral of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. His son Nicolás collaborated with him in his cathedral functions until he managed to emancipate himself as a chapel master of the Cathedral of Cadiz.

In 1638 Manuel Tavares left the Cathedral of the Canary Islands to look for employment in one of the peninsular cathedrals, effectively getting it in the Cathedral of Cuenca, emigrating with his wife and children. However, he became ill and could not work or support his family, and the ecclesiastical authorities called for his son Nicolás Tavares, who left his position in Cadiz, to replace him. On October 14, 1638, Manuel Tavares died, followed a few days later by his wife Ana Manuel, so Nicolás had to take care of the musical activity of the cathedral, his brothers and his own wife and children, apparently living in economic instability. According to Diogo Barbosa Machado, he died young in the same city, at only 25 years old.

Manuel Tavares was one of the most illustrious composers of his time and as proof it is known that the Royal Music Library housed a large number of his works, until its destruction after the Lisbon earthquake of 1755.1 3 At least 28 works survive in several archives of Spain and Latin America.