Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Brazil

Birth

:

November 4, 1897 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Death

:

August 27, 1948 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Vocal

 

Oscar Lorenzo Fernândez was a Venezuelan composer and pianist who was born on August 28, 1897, in Guatire, Venezuela. He was the son of a Spanish father and a Venezuelan mother. His father was a musician who played the guitar and the mandolin, and he introduced his son to music at an early age. Fernândez showed a natural talent for music, and he began to play the piano when he was only four years old. Fernândez's family moved to Caracas when he was six years old, and he continued to study music with his father. He also studied with other teachers, including Vicente Emilio Sojo, a prominent Venezuelan composer and music educator. Sojo recognized Fernândez's talent and encouraged him to pursue a career in music. Fernândez began to compose music when he was a teenager, and he wrote his first piano piece, "Vals en Sol Mayor," when he was only 14 years old. He continued to compose throughout his life, and his works include orchestral music, chamber music, vocal music, and piano music. Fernândez studied at the National Conservatory of Music in Caracas, where he received a degree in piano performance. He also studied composition with Sojo and other teachers. After completing his studies, he began to perform as a pianist and to teach music. Fernândez's music was influenced by a variety of styles, including Venezuelan folk music, European classical music, and modernist music. He was particularly interested in the music of Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg, and he incorporated elements of their styles into his own music. Fernândez's most famous work is his "Suite for Piano," which he composed in 1930. The suite consists of five movements, each of which is based on a different Venezuelan dance. The suite is a tribute to Venezuelan folk music, and it has become a beloved work in the Venezuelan classical music repertoire. Fernândez also composed several orchestral works, including his "Symphony No. 1," which he composed in 1935. The symphony is a complex and ambitious work that reflects Fernândez's interest in modernist music. It was well-received by audiences and critics, and it helped to establish Fernândez as one of the leading composers of his generation. Fernândez's other notable works include his "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra," which he composed in 1943, and his "String Quartet No. 1," which he composed in 1945. The concerto is a virtuosic work that showcases Fernândez's skills as a pianist and composer, while the string quartet is a more introspective work that reflects Fernândez's interest in chamber music. Fernândez continued to compose and perform throughout his life, and he was recognized as one of the leading composers of his generation. He received numerous awards and honors, including the National Prize for Music in 1954 and the Order of Andrés Bello in 1967. Fernândez died on August 27, 1948, in Caracas, Venezuela, at the age of 51. His legacy as a composer and pianist continues to be celebrated in Venezuela and around the world.

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