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  Frederico de Freitas

  Frederico Guedes de Freitas, composer, conductor, musicologist and teacher, was born in Lisbon on 15th November 1902. He began his   studies with his mother, Elvira Cândida de Araújo Guedes de Freitas, before entering the National Conservatoire at the age of 13, from which   he graduated with distinction in composition, piano, violin and musical sciences.

  In 1926, while still at the Conservatoire, he presented his notable Poema sobre écloga de Virgílio (a VIII), for string orchestra, which won the   National Prize for Composition.

  His Sonata for violin and cello, of 1923, successfully explores the possibilities of bitonality, and from the same year, the Nocturno (on a   sonnet by Antero de Quental) continues to explore bitonality, which he is considered into modern music in the Iberian Peninsula.

  Practically every kind of music is represented in Frederico de Freitas’ extensive body of work, from sacred music and opera to light theatre   music and film scores (such as the music for the film A Severa, by Leitão de Barros), from chamber concert music (such as the masterly   Quarteto Concertante) to songs for voice and piano.

  O Livro de Maria Frederica (1955), 6 Peças (1950), Bagatelas, Ciranda (1946), Temas e Variações, for piano, Missa "Regina Mundi" for a   capella choir, 10 Canções Galegas (1968) for voice and piano. As well as many works for piano, piano and voice and various instruments, it is   important to note the remarkable orchestration of the great Chaconne by J. S. Bach (from the Partita in D minor), the lyric scene D. João e as   Sombras (words by António Patrício) written specially for radio broadcast, and the Sonata de Igreja (Para Festejar a Noite de Natal) for organ,   of which there is an American recording.

  As conductor, besides his work with the National Radio orchestras, he conducted in France, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium,   Switzerland and Brazil.

  He was the founder of the Lisbon Choral Society (1940), which he directed until it closed, and which premiered his grandiose Missa Solene   (1940) and performed works by Haendel, Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Saint-Säens and Viana da Mota.

  In addition to the National Prize mentioned above, he was also awarded the Carlos Seixas prize in 1926, and the Domingos Bomtempo   (Emissora Nacional radio station) prize in 1935.

  Frederico de Freitas (Biography) http://www.mic.pt
  Frederico de Freitas (Life and Works) http://www.musicweb-international.com

  Essential List of the works of Frederico de Freitas: