Cardoso was Chapelmaster of the Convent of Carmo in Lisbon for over sixty years, a convent that was later half-destroyed by the 1755 earthquake.
Composer Biography
Frei Manuel Cardoso and Duarte Lôbo, two of Portugal's most important composers, spent most of their lives under Spanish rule during Portugal's 'golden age' of music.
Historical Context
Philip II of Spain, despite treating Portugal as a province, was a generous promoter of Portuguese composers during this period.
Composer Biography
Duarte Lôbo, the most widely known Portuguese composer of his time, had his works published by Plantin in Antwerp, which greatly aided the international spread of his music.
Performer Biography
The Sixteen, led by founder Harry Christophers, is recognized as one of the world's greatest vocal ensembles, with over eighty recordings spanning six hundred years of music.
Compositional Technique
Cardoso's motets combine the rigorous counterpoint of Palestrina with a rich harmony, making his style unique and more complex than his contemporary Lôbo's.
Compositional Technique
The Missa Regina caeli by Cardoso is characterized by its joyfulness, likely due to its model being the Marian antiphon for Eastertide, and uses a free treatment of the chant as motivic scaffolding.
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