Sérgio Azevedo (b. 1968) was commissioned in 2018 to write a violin concerto based on António Fragoso's Suite romantique to mark the centenary of Fragoso's death.
Compositional Technique
Joly Braga Santos's (1924-1988) Concerto for Strings in D minor combines Portuguese Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concerto grosso form with a unique musical language.
Composer Biography
António Fragoso (1897-1918), a gifted young artist, died prematurely as a victim of the 1918 influenza pandemic.
Composer Biography
Luís de Freitas Branco (1890-1955) is considered Portugal's first modern composer and a 'spiritual father' to subsequent Portuguese composers.
Historical Context
Portuguese orchestral music was scarce until the 20th century, with significant works appearing much later than in other European countries.
Compositional Technique
Sérgio Azevedo's Music for Strings - in memoriam Béla Bartók (2021) pays homage to Bartók by retaining the fugue structure and chromatic counterpoint of Bartók's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta.
Performer Biography
Ana Beatriz Manzanilla, the leader of Camerata Atlântica, founded the ensemble in 2013 and is also a violin teacher and founder-director of the National Vasco Barbosa String Competition.
