Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611) is the only composer of his time who only composed church music. He first was a Kapellmeister and then a chaplain. He wanted to compose polyphonic music for every liturgical circumstance of the calendar. He published a collection of sheet music for every service of the Holy week, entitled “Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae.” Psalms, Lessons and Responsory are gathered in groups of three named the Nocturnes. “Caligaverunt oculi mei” is the Responsory of the third Nocturne of the Holy Thursday. The composer scrupulously followed the continuity defined by the Church. The outline is on the last page of the sheet music. Those songs are based on the writing of a mystic contemporary composer of Teresa of Ávila or John of the Cross. They are austere and concise.
