Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov • Vol. 3 (52) - 2010 Series VIII: Art • Sport

NOTES FOR A HISTORY OF PORTUGUESE PIANO MUSIC

Constantin SANDU 1

Abstract: In the last years, I have deeply studied the Portuguese piano music, the subject chosen for my doctorate thesis which I defended at the National University of Music of Bucharest in March 2006. In the last twenty years I have spent in , due to my work as pianist and pedagogue, I have discovered step by step a fascinating universe, and my wish was to share it with the Romanian musicians, hoping to facilitate the spreading of the Portuguese piano literature and to draw them closer to the Portuguese musical world.

Keywords: music, piano, Portugal.

This paper is about piano music, but I have speaking, the most important king of the to write a little about what happened before first dynasty was D. Diniz (he reined this instrument entered into the Portuguese between 1279 and 1325). He was the most musical life. Besides the general reasons, famous Portuguese troubadour; he founded which I will not discuss here, there are some the Portuguese University in in specific Portuguese ones: the golden era of 1290 and transferred it to Coimbra in 1307, the Portuguese music happened in the 16 th , one of the most ancient European 17 th and the first half of the 18 th centuries; universities, which started a music the Iberian organ school has an important cathedra in 1309; also during his reign, in place in the history of this instrument; 1299, the Royal Chapel has been created. equally, we cannot omit Carlos Seixas, the The first mention of a keyboard most outstanding Portuguese baroque instrument in Portugal dates from 1428, composer and one of the most important (if when the princess Leonor of Aragon not the most important one) of the married prince D. Duarte, son of the first Portuguese music history. Even though he king of the second dynasty, D. João I composed for harpsichord, clavichord and (1385-1433). At the wedding, the bride organ, his music adapts easily to the piano, sang and accompanied herself at the which is a very important fact for a present clavichord [4]. time pianist, being his place in the Also from historical documents, we Portuguese piano music the same as know that at the end of the 15 th century, Scarlatti’s in the Italian one. there were three keyboard instruments at Portugal is one of the most ancient the Lisbon Court: a clavichord, a virginal European states, founded in 1143 and and a “ craviorgão ”, instrument which having kept more or less the same borders combined the principles of the organ and for more than 800 years. Culturally the harpsichord.

1 Higher School of Music and Performing Arts of Porto . 30 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov • Vol. 3 (52) - 2010 • Series VIII

The 16 th and 17 th centuries represent the education to his son, the future king D. most glorious period of the Portuguese João IV (1640-1656), who became not kingdom, due to the worldwide maritime only a deep connoisseur and music lower, discoveries. The culture and the arts but also a composer and a musical theory profited from the flourishing economic specialist. He created a vast music library, development. The Portuguese vocal if not the biggest, one of the biggest in polyphony of this period is one of the most , as some music histories have valuable in Europe. Court life was filled considered it. Unfortunately, the with music, the vocal and the harpsichord earthquake of 1755 destroyed the royal one being the most preferred. At the library. We have only the first part of the beginning of the 16 th century, there were catalogue, which mentions about two 20 keyboard players and several keyboard thousand printed scores and four thousand instruments constructors in Lisbon. manuscripts. During the geographical discoveries, Besides the court, music was taught and music and the instruments played a very made in monasteries and churches, real important role. The missionaries, the cultural centers. The most important ones ambassadors and the merchants offered the were in Évora, Coimbra, Braga, Viseu, sovereigns organs and harpsichords which Porto and Lisbon. The archives of Évora made a big impression with their sounds, and Coimbra monasteries have been decoration and complex mechanic; often, investigated in the last years and the results these gifts included players as well. The were spectacular. Concerning the keyboard Portuguese missionaries taught the music, there were very organized and European music and instrumental playing rigorous teaching systems. All the young everywhere – , Africa, Persia, China students learned elementary organ and the and Japan. Famous was the musical most gifted continued a specialized embassy of the four Japanese princes, who training of organ, harpsichord and learned the European music with clavichord playing. The change of Portuguese Jesuits and then they visited monastery by a student was conditioned by Portugal and Rome, playing organ and the existence of an available teacher for harpsichord. That’s why we can consider him in the new place. Also, they were that the Portuguese have some obliged to serve God for life, but some of responsibility in the oriental musical them deserted, temporarily or forever. invasion of the last decades. These monasteries had factories in which Between 1580 and 1640, Portugal lost its organs, harpsichords and clavichords were independence and the Spanish kings, who constructed; the clavichord was the most were related to the royal Portuguese cherished in Iberia and also preferred for family, ruled the country. However, teaching, because it was capable of musically speaking, it was a remarkable producing sounds in forte and piano, thus period. The sacred polyphony was at its helping the player getting accustomed to height; also, the St. Cecily society, which create expressivity. The Iberian organ has supervised the musical activity and some particularities – it has no pedals, but protected the rights of the musicians, was the keyboard can be divided in two halves, born in 1603. in which it is possible to action different In the meantime, the cultural importance registers. of the Vila Viçosa palace, residence of the In the 16 th century, the most important Dukes of Bragança family, increased a lot. composers known were António Carreira Duke Teodosio II provided an exquisite and Don Heliodoro de Paiva, and in the SANDU, C. : Notes for a History of Portuguese Piano Music 31

17 th century Pedro de Araujo and Pe. Contemporary with Seixas was Frei Manuel Rodrigues Coelho, who printed in Jacinto de Sacramento (born in 1712), Lisbon in 1620, Flores de Música para o from whom three keyboard sonatas Instrumento de Tecla e Harpa (Musical remained which show a remarkable flowers for keyboard and harp), the first technical development. Portuguese keyboard printed score known. In the second half of the century , a lot The first half of the 18 th century was of Portuguese musicians who had been in the splendorous era of king D. João V Italy to study, returned and made career, (1706-1750). He created the Music especially in opera music, the most Seminar in 1713 and other choral schools. appreciated genre in Portugal. At that time, The royal family loved and practiced the Royal Chapel was one of the biggest music, that’s why the king employed orchestras in Europe (51 instrument Domenico Scarlatti as Kapellmeister and players in the 80s), and it had, according to music teacher, especially of D. Maria the testimonies, a very high quality. The Bárbara, king’s daughter, and D. António, most important composer was João de king’s brother. Sousa Carvalho (1745-1799), named the In the same period, Carlos Seixas (1704- “Portuguese Mozart”, because of his 1742), the most important baroque beautiful music with roots in the Italian Portuguese composer, lived in Lisbon. belcanto . He composed also for keyboard, Scarlatti’s influence is clear, but it seems and represented, with Francisco Xavier that also Scarlatti was influenced by his Baptista (died in 1797) the Portuguese Portuguese colleague, as Macário Santiago transition from the harpsichord to the Kastner affirmed, based on the analysis of pianoforte. The other important composers the Italian composer’s creation [5]. For created exclusively vocal music. those who don’t know, Kastner was an The pianoforte penetrated rapidly in English musician (born in 1908) who lived Portugal. It is interesting that the first in Portugal since 1934, after studying in pieces written specifically for the new Germany and Holland. He investigated the instrument, Sonate da Cimbalo di piano e Iberian ancient music and keyboard forte by Lodovico Giustini da Pistoia, instruments, discovering and publishing printed in 1732, were dedicated to the musical works. He could be considered as prince António de Bragança, king D. João the father of the Portuguese modern V’s brother. It means that at the time there musicology. His affirmation is based on was at least one instrument of the kind in the fact that the great Scarlatti’s Sonatas the Portuguese court. In the middle of the were written after the death of Seixas. century, the pianoforte was constructed in Bibliotheca Lusitana , an Encyclopedia of Lisbon, and several factories were known the 18 th century, mentions 700 Seixas’s which started to built “clavicembalo a Sonatas for keyboard. A great part was martelletti col piano e forte” (harpsichord destroyed in the earthquake, at the present with hammers with piano and forte). At only about 135 are known. Furthermore, present, five Portuguese pianofortes from we have his harpsichord Concerto, one of that time still exist. the first of the genre in Europe. The political instability which happened Unfortunately, Seixas died at 38. Even so, in Portugal during a great part of the 19 th his music is originally and profoundly century determined the decline of music, Portuguese, showing a great potential as a which no longer kept pace with all the creator. European development.

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The Portuguese music continued to be Opera themes, Suites of nice and brilliant dominated by the opera, so the symphonic pieces and so on. and chamber genres have had a very slow It was just close to the end of the century development, due especially to some that a group of musicians of real value, isolated personalities. who accomplished a consistent and The most outstanding figure was João professional musical creation, appeared Domingos Bomtempo (1775-1842), and who imposed themselves as a real pianist and composer who can be included romantic tardy generation. The most in the classical style. Contrary to the outstanding were Vianna da Motta (1868- Portuguese habit of studying in Italy, he 1948, student of Liszt and Bulow), chose to go to , where he built up a Francisco Lacerda (1869-1934, who pianist, composer and teacher career. His studied with Vincent d’Indy) and Óscar da music recalls young Beethoven, fact that Silva (1870-1958, pupil of Ruthardt, we can explain by the influence of Reinecke and Clara Schumann). Clementi over both musicians. In 1810, he Vianna da Motta (1868-1948) is one of continued his career in London, with the the most important names of Portuguese same success. Returned to Lisbon in 1820, music. He was a very complex he created the Philharmonic Society in individualllity: pianist, teacher, composer, 1822, the first Portuguese concert conductor, critic and writer. He studied in association, which had a relevant action in Lisbon Conservatory and afterwards in the cultural life, by introducing the music Germany, first at the Scharwenka of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven and Conservatory in Berlin, than with Karl trying this way to modify the musical taste Schaffer, Franz Liszt (in Weimar, 1885) of the public. Besides, he was the first and Hans von Bülow (in Frankfurt am director of the National Conservatory from Main, 1887)[6]. Lisbon, founded in 1835, in the place of His debut with the Berlin Philharmonic the former Seminary. His piano works – in 1883 represented the beginning of a Sonatas, Fantasies, Variations, Concertos - brilliant career developed in Europe and were published in Paris (Leduc, Pleyel) both Americas, which includes more than and London (Clementi). He also composed 1600 concerts. He was with no doubt one Symphonies and chamber music, not being of the most valuable pianists of his time. attracted by the opera at all. Bomtempo is His fabulous memory allowed him to have very important for the Portuguese music about 400 pieces in his repertory. And if history: he was the first pianist who made you can cast doubt on this number, his an international career; he is the first 1907 tour in Argentina reveals through the Portuguese symphonist based on the programs that, during 24 days he played principles of the Viennese classicism; he is 112 different pieces, among which we can the greatest Portuguese classical composer, enumerate the Sonatas op. 57, 101, 109 announcing romanticism at the same time. and 110 by Beethoven, Sonatas by Chopin Unfortunately, the effort of Bomtempo and Liszt as well as several Cycles by had no continuity. In the second half of the Schumann. He was a cerebral pianist who century, the most important pianist was placed himself at the service of the Arthur Napoleão (1843-1925), who made a composer, but always through the modern big career all over Europe and both interpretative conceptions. He considered Americas. But his compositions, even the balance between the form and the more than 90 of them published in Paris, content essential, and the importance he have not big value, being Fantasies on gave to the proportions resulted into an SANDU, C. : Notes for a History of Portuguese Piano Music 33 architectonical interpretative conception. symphonic conception and opened the way He was an objective pianist, trying to to the 20 th century Symphony in Portugal. unveil to the listener the art piece as an Observing the chronology of Vianna da object, not himself as a subject. Motta’s compositions, it is obvious that the As a pedagogue, he taught at Geneva majority of his works were written in the Conservatory between 1915 and 1917 and 19 th century. After his 35 years of age, he from 1919 at Lisbon Conservatory, where reduced his activity as a composer was also director. There, he accomplished substantially. This fact makes me think an important reform of the teaching system that the profound musician was aware of with the purpose of modernizing it and his creative inspiration limits; so, after the placing it up to the European standard. youth euphoria had passed, he wrote with In 1913, Breitkopf and Hartel publisher the precise purpose of contributing to the asked Busoni and Motta to revise the creation of a national musical style and, complete edition of Liszt’s piano works. with the passing of the time, composing Busoni took care of the first three volumes, became a sporadic activity. This purpose Motta of the other seven. was totally achieved by his pupil, As a composer, he was part of the late Fernando Lopes Graça. German romantic style, being a clamorous Francisco de Lacerda (1869-1934) fan of Liszt’s and Wagner’s ideas. So, his studied at Paris Conservatory with Widor early compositions are beautiful pieces in and at Schola Cantorum with Vincent the romantic style, without any language d’Indy. The latter prized the young audacity, but well constructed and showing Portuguese musician a lot, considering him an excellent composition technique. as having been born to be a conductor. He Among these, we can name Barcarole, studied conducting with Nikish and Hans Fantasiestuck and the d minor Sonata, Richter and made a big career as a which are seducing with their pianistic art conductor, especially in France and opulence and their beauty. Switzerland. He was a teacher of Ernest Later on, he introduced popular music in Ansermet, who classified Lacerda as “ mon his works, trying to create a Portuguese maître et mon modèle ”. Not many people national style. He considered the popular know that Strawinsky asked Lacerda in the song as a support, through a phase of first place to join him in the American tour transition, to reach the essence of the of the Russian Ballet; however, the national spirit, which must be expressed Portuguese refused for health reasons and into the music. He composed Portuguese recommended Ansermet to conduct. Rhapsodies, Portuguese Scenes and his His piano music was almost unknown for masterpiece, the Ballad op 16, which a long time, even in Portugal, and only in accomplished his purpose: a synthesis the last decades of the 20 th century his between the national spirit and the erudite pieces were published. There is a very expression form. interesting universe, which shows the deep Vianna da Motta is also very important mastery of the musician, who can be for the Portuguese symphonic music. After considered as a miniaturist, because few the Bomtempo’s Symphonies, written in pieces exceed more than some pages. If his the first two decades of the century, there early works remind us of Schumann, was a great silence in the Portuguese Chopin or Liszt, his language developed music. The Symphony “The Homeland” by into the impressionism. His master-piece is Motta, composed in 1894 was the first the cycle Trente-six Histoires pour amuser expression of the Portuguese romantic les Enfants d’un Artiste , short pictures 34 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov • Vol. 3 (52) - 2010 • Series VIII from the infantile universe, in the spirit of Looking at his creation, we are some the musical symbolism of Debussy’s disappointed by the discrepancy between his Children’s Corner . possibilities and the effective Óscar da Silva (1870-1958) was one of accomplishment, which could often be more the most fascinating personalities of the consistent. Perhaps this inconstancy is part Portuguese piano universe, a real of his romantic personality. I will finish this Wanderer attracted by the adventure and chapter citing Alfred Cortot, who wrote to voyages, who found emotional and physic Óscar da Silva: “ I have read every page with stability only for short periods and in great interest and renewed artistic pleasure different places of the world. Born in (…). I congratulate you with all my heart for Porto, he studied piano in his birth city the sensitive and imaginative quality of your with Miguel Ângelo Pereira, a art, also for the ingenious piano distinguished pianist, and then in translation .” The truth is that this piano Germany, with Richard Hofmann, Adolf translation is one of the most fascinating Ruthardt, Karl Reineke and Clara aspects of Óscar da Silva’s creation. Schumann [2]. During all his life, he Other important composers of this performed all around the world, and many generation were: of his tours were made without previous Hernani Torres (1881-1939), student of organization. He often changed his Teichmuller; he was teacher at Leipzig residence and even now there are some Conservatory and had an important concert unknown periods of his life. The state of activity in Germany; he was important for composer combined with the one of pianist his pedagogic activity developed in Porto. in the romantic spirit and tradition, his Tomás de Lima (1887-1960) composed concerts always combined his own works for the piano, but he really preferred the with master-pieces from the universal violin, making career in Portugal and literature, Chopin and Schumann being the Brazil. privileged. Luís Costa (1879-1960), born in Óscar da Silva composed some symphonic northern Portugal, was a pupil of Vianna music, an Opera, chamber music and, of da Motta, Bernhard Stavenhagen, Conrad course, more than 200 pieces for piano, Ansorge and Ferruccio Busoni. He was organized in cycles, many times evoking one of the most distinguished Portuguese states of the soul – Nostalgias, Pains, Cries; pianists, playing solo concerts or chamber also, the romantic genres are well music with great artists of the time, like, represented – Waltzes Mazurkas, Nocturnes, Pablo Casals, Guilhermina Suggia, Alfred Scherzo, Preludes. This entire universe has Cortot and George Enescu. He was a piano an unequal quality, which can be explained teacher and director of the Porto by his agitated life and lack of time to polish Conservatory and really created a piano many of his works. Even so, his talent is school, due to the great number of pianists evident, as well as his musical imagination formed. He was also very important for the and, specially, a splendid piano writing music life in Porto, being president of the which demonstrates his huge technique most important music society in his city – possibilities. His music was essentially Orpheon Portuense . romantic, sometimes involving some French He composed for voice, chamber music spirit. In his maturity, he tried to modernize and for piano, most cycles having a his language, expressed by constant profound Portuguese thematic, which modulation, chromatic intensity and tonal constituted a very good repertoire for the instability. teaching process. SANDU, C. : Notes for a History of Portuguese Piano Music 35

He was married to the daughter of the António Fragoso (1897-1918) imposed important violinist, conductor and teacher his talent early, but unfortunately he died Bernardo Moreira de Sá, Leonilda, who at 21; his piano works (about 30 short was also a pianist, student of Vianna da ones) show the elegance of the piano Motta. One of their children was the writing and the intimate character of his distinguished dame of the Portuguese harmonic relations. piano, Helena Sá e Costa (1913-2006). Ivo Cruz (1901-1985) investigated and All this generation culminated with Luiz promoted the Portuguese music, animating de Freitas Branco (1890-1955), perhaps the Lisbon musical life. He composed two the most important Portuguese composer Concertos named “ Portuguese ” and of all times. His musical education was a several other pieces. combination of the German school (he Frederico de Freitas (1902-1983), more studied in Berlin with Humperdink and known as a conductor, wrote several piano Desiré Paque) and the French pieces, “ The book of Maria Frederica ” impressionist esthetics, which captivated being important as teaching material in the the composer[3]. By introducing the spirit of Schumann’s Album fur die modernism and creating a real symphonic Jugend . tradition, his work represents a landmark Fernando Lopes-Graça (1906-1994) of the Portuguese music. was one of the most interesting and His musical language is impregnated complex personalities of the 20 th century with the impressionist style and evolved to Portuguese music: composer, pianist, polytonality and atonality, having a conductor, musicologist and folklorist. His neoclassical vector as a counterbalance, huge piano work (more than 150 pieces) based on his structural thinking, with roots includes two Concertos and a Fantasy for in the German classicism and romanticism. piano and orchestra, 6 Sonatas , 24 He composed a lot for piano, his Preludes and several cycles for piano solo. masterpiece being the cycle of 10 Preludes His fundamental importance resides in the dedicated to Vianna da Motta, which fact that he reached a profound synthesis represents the pinnacle of Portuguese between the erudite and the popular music, piano impressionism. being his work impregnated with an The way opened by Freitas Branco was authentic national character. To achieve followed by many contemporary this, he studied the Portuguese folklore and colleagues or of the next generations. All also the linguistic and prosodic of them tried to compose in the spirit of particularities of the Portuguese language. their period and have been influenced by His music is genuine and has a very the great European composers of the first personal character, due to his deliberated half of the 20 th century; furthermore, one compromise with the Portuguese of the most important fundamentals of spirituality. their creation was the musical nationalism, Armando José Fernandes (1906-1983), in different ways, of course. Among them, studies in Paris with Cortot, Boulanger, the most significant are: Ducasse, Dukas and Stravinsky, dominates Cláudio Carneyro (1895-1963) has one the composition technique deeply, using of the most important Portuguese piano preferentially the counterpoint, reminding creations in the 20 th century. Despite his us of Hindemith. modern language and his introverted and Jorge Croner de Vasconcelos (1910- cerebral personality, his music is 1974) enjoyed the same teachers in Paris communicating directly with the listeners, and proved a solid mastery and an elegant which are accepting it with enthusiasm. writing in his reduced work. 36 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov • Vol. 3 (52) - 2010 • Series VIII

Joly Braga Santos (1924-1988) was an These masters have spread their important symphonic composer, student conceptions to many disciples, a lot of the and heir of Freitas Branco, but he wrote for young composers from the present having piano only some small children pieces and them as esthetic references. The time does a Concerto. not allow me to present them, because In the second half of the century, the there are so many who have composed Portuguese composers have continued to really very good music for piano. practice various esthetics and the tendency I can conclude affirming that in the 20 th of modernizing the musical language, century, the Portuguese music recovered under the influence of the new post-war from the delay that happened before; this currents is noteworthy. The journeys of long process started at the time of Vianna many musicians to had resulted da Motta and continued in the next in 1959-1960 in the appearance of the first generations. The present situates the Portuguese pieces written in the spirit and Portuguese musical creation and activity in with the composition techniques of that a normal and natural position in the vanguard school. Among them, I can European context. mention Fernando Corrêa de Oliveira (1921-2004), Maria de Lurdes Martins References (1926), Filipe de Sousa (1927-2006), Clotilde Rosa (1930), Filipe Pires (1934), 1. Azevedo, S.(1998) A Invenção dos Cândido Lima (1939), António Victorino Sons (The Invention of the Sounds). de Almeida (1940). Lisbon. Caminho. This evolution to what is new in the 2. Borba, T., Lopes-Graça F.(1996) universal music had a climax with three Dicionário de Música (Music personalities: Dictionary). Porto. Mário Figueirinhas Constança Capdeville (1937-1992), Editor. adherent of the interaction between music, 3. Branco, J. F. (1995) História da dance and theater, utilized the piano only Música Portuguesa (Portuguese Music in chamber groups. History). Mem Martins. Publicações (1940-1995) composed a Europa-América. lot for piano, the aleatoric dimension and 4. Brito, M. C., Cymbron, L.(2001) the improvisation being fundamental História da Música Portuguesa elements [1]. (Portuguese Music History). Lisbon: Emmanuel Nunes (1941), perhaps the Universidade Aberta. most notorious Portuguese composer at the 5. Kastner, M. S. (1947) Carlos Seixas . moment, composition professor at the Coimbra. Coimbra Editora Ltd.. Conservatoire National de Musique de 6. Vieira, E.(1900) Diccionário Paris , created only two works for piano – Biographico de Músicos Portugueses Litanies du feu et de la mer I and II. (Biographical Dictionary of Portuguese Musicians). Lisbon. Lambertini.