Martín de Villanueva (* c. 1550; † 1605) was a monk whose musical work was mainly related to Holy Week. All that is known of his life is that he was taken from the Hieronymite monastery of San Jeronimo in Granada to the Escorial (full name: 'Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial ("Royal Seat of St. Lawrence of El Escorial" - a monastic complex in the Madrid region) in 1586 because of his musical abilities. He served the Escorial community as organist, corrector mayor del canto, archivist, and reliquary administrator, and soon became a confidant of King Philip II. Only one of the manuscripts can be dated precisely (EscSL1 bears the date 1604), yet it seems likely that Villanueva's music was composed and performed during the reign of Philip II (1556-98).
Two passions, two lessons, two motets, a psalm, a Kyrie, and a mass survive from Villanueva.
