Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Portugal

Birth

:

June 17, 1897 in Pocariça, Cantanhede, Portugal

Death

:

October 13, 1918 in Pocariça, Cantanhede, Portugal

Genre

:

Vocal

 

António Fragoso was a Portuguese composer born on April 17, 1897, in Tomar, Portugal. He was the son of a music teacher, and his father was his first music teacher. Fragoso showed an early interest in music and began composing at a young age. He was a prodigious talent, and his father recognized his potential early on. Fragoso's family moved to Lisbon when he was six years old, and he continued his music education there. He studied piano with several teachers, including his father, and composition with Luís de Freitas Branco. Fragoso's talent was evident, and he quickly became known as a promising young composer. In 1914, Fragoso entered the National Conservatory of Lisbon, where he studied composition with António José de Almeida and piano with Vianna da Motta. He was an outstanding student and won several prizes for his compositions. Fragoso's music was influenced by the Romantic tradition, but he also incorporated elements of modernism into his work. Fragoso's career was cut short when he died of pneumonia at the age of 21. He had contracted the illness while serving in the Portuguese army during World War I. Despite his short life, Fragoso left behind a significant body of work, including piano pieces, chamber music, and orchestral works. One of Fragoso's most famous works is his Piano Sonata in B-flat minor, which he composed in 1918. The sonata is a virtuosic work that showcases Fragoso's technical skill as a pianist and composer. It is a four-movement work that is both lyrical and dramatic, with a strong sense of musical structure. Fragoso's chamber music is also highly regarded, particularly his String Quartet in D minor, which he composed in 1917. The quartet is a powerful work that demonstrates Fragoso's ability to create complex textures and harmonies. It is a work that is both emotionally intense and intellectually stimulating. Fragoso's orchestral works include his Symphony in F minor, which he composed in 1918. The symphony is a grand work that showcases Fragoso's skill as an orchestrator. It is a work that is both dramatic and lyrical, with a strong sense of musical structure. Fragoso's music was not widely known outside of Portugal during his lifetime, but his reputation has grown in recent years. His music has been performed and recorded by several prominent musicians, including pianist Artur Pizarro and the Portuguese Symphony Orchestra. In conclusion, António Fragoso was a talented composer who showed great promise at a young age. His music was influenced by the Romantic tradition but also incorporated elements of modernism. Fragoso's career was cut short by his untimely death, but he left behind a significant body of work that continues to be admired and performed today.

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