Portuguese Piano Music

Featuring

Sofia Lourenço
João Guilherme Daddi
José Vianna da Motta

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Historical Context

Nineteenth-century urban musical life in Portugal was largely dominated by Italian and French opera, light musical theatre, and domestic salon music, with limited development of symphonic and chamber music due to a lack of permanent orchestras and concert circuits.

Performer Biography

Sofia Lourenço, the pianist on this album, was a pupil of Helena Sá e Costa and received guidance from distinguished pianists like Sequeira Costa, Vitaly Margulis, and Alicia de Larrocha.

Notable Performances

In 1845, Ferenc Liszt, the Hungarian master, was so impressed by João Guilherme Daddi's artistry that he invited him to perform Thalberg's two-piano Fantasy on Bellini's Norma with him at the Lisbon Opera House.

Recording & Production

This album was recorded in Lisbon, Portugal, at Estúdios Namouche on October 15-16, 2014.

Composer's Artistic Vision

After 1893, José Viana da Mota began combining his international compositional style with nationalist elements inspired by traditional Portuguese songs and dances, as seen in works like his Portuguese Scenes and Symphony to the Fatherland.

Composer Biography

José Viana da Mota (1868-1948), another composer on this album, was born in the Portuguese African colony of São Tomé and began as a child prodigy, performing for King D. Fernando II at age six.