Luís de Freitas Branco

Portuguese composer, musicologist and teacher Luís de Freitas Branco was born in Lisbon on 12 October 1890 into a rich, aristocratic family, which meant that he could concentrate on music, studying in Berlin and Paris then becoming a leading force in the restructuring of Portugal's music education system.

He taught at the Lisbon Conservatory but was forced into retirement in the 1930s due to political difficulties with the authorities, and then concentrated on composition and research into Portuguese early music.

His output includes four symphonies and much other orchestral music, including several symphonic poems.

Luís de Freitas Branco died in Lisbon on 27 November 1955, aged sixty-five.

 

A selection of articles about Luís de Freitas Branco

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