Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

August 31, 1941 in Lisbon, Portugal

Death

:

September 2, 2012

 

Emmanuel Nunes was a Portuguese composer who was born on August 31, 1941, in Lisbon, Portugal. He was the son of a composer and conductor, Artur Santos Nunes, who was also a professor at the Lisbon Conservatory. Nunes grew up in a musical family and began his musical education at a young age. He studied piano, composition, and conducting at the Lisbon Conservatory, where he was a student of Jorge Peixinho. In 1963, Nunes moved to Paris to continue his studies at the École Normale de Musique de Paris. He studied composition with Nadia Boulanger and Olivier Messiaen, and conducting with Pierre Dervaux. During his time in Paris, Nunes also attended the Darmstadt Summer Courses, where he was exposed to the avant-garde music of Karlheinz Stockhausen, Luigi Nono, and Luciano Berio. Nunes returned to Portugal in 1966 and began teaching at the Lisbon Conservatory. He also became involved with the Grupo de Música Contemporânea de Lisboa (Contemporary Music Group of Lisbon), which was founded by his former teacher, Jorge Peixinho. The group was dedicated to promoting contemporary music in Portugal and organizing concerts and festivals. Nunes' early works were influenced by the serialism of his teachers, but he soon began to develop his own unique style. His music was characterized by complex textures, microtonal harmonies, and a sense of timelessness. He often used extended techniques and unconventional notation to create new sounds and textures. One of Nunes' most significant works is his cycle of six string quartets, which he composed between 1975 and 2001. The quartets are considered to be some of the most important works in the genre of contemporary chamber music. They are characterized by their intricate textures, microtonal harmonies, and use of extended techniques. The quartets are also notable for their use of silence and space, which creates a sense of timelessness and contemplation. Another important work by Nunes is his opera, "Das Märchen" (The Fairy Tale), which he composed between 1984 and 1987. The opera is based on a story by the German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann and is characterized by its complex textures and use of microtonal harmonies. The opera was premiered in 1988 at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels and was later performed at the Salzburg Festival and the Opéra Bastille in Paris. Nunes' other notable works include "Musivus" for orchestra, "Litanies du feu et de la mer" for choir and orchestra, and "Minnesang" for soprano and ensemble. He also composed several works for solo instruments, including "Livre pour piano" and "Livre pour violoncelle." Throughout his career, Nunes received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to contemporary music. He was awarded the Grand Prix National de la Musique in 1994 and was made a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 1996. He was also a member of the Academia das Ciências de Lisboa and the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Emmanuel Nunes passed away on September 2, 2012, in Paris, France. He left behind a legacy of innovative and influential music that continues to inspire and challenge musicians and audiences alike.

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