Alonso Lobo was regarded as one of the finest composers in Spain during his lifetime, especially by his mentor, Guerrero, and friend Victoria. His published output was small, amounting to just six Masses (five based on motets by Guerrero) and seven motets which were printed together in 1602. Nevertheless, it was an extremely popular collection and copies were widely circulated, reaching as far as Mexico. Born in Osuna in 1555 Lobo spent all his working life in Spain, mainly in Toledo, where he directed music at the cathedral (1593-1604), before returning to a similar position at Seville, where he died in 1617. Two of the most appealing features of Lobo’s music are its harmonic adventurousness and expressive use of dissonances, heard to moving effect in his funeral motet for Philipp II of Spain, “Versa Est In Luctum” (1598), and the six-voice Lamentations for Holy Saturday.