Carlos Seixas

Full biography Carlos Seixas

Carlos Seixas was a Portuguese composer and keyboard player who lived during the 18th century. He was born on June 11, 1704, in Coimbra, Portugal, and died on August 25, 1742, in Lisbon, Portugal. Seixas was known for his prolific repertoire of keyboard music, particularly harpsichord sonatas, of which almost 100 have been authenticated.

Seixas began his musical career as a child prodigy. He was educated by his father, who was a composer and organist, and by the age of fourteen, Seixas had already become a musician in the royal chapel in Lisbon. He was greatly influenced by the style of Domenico Scarlatti and was one of the composers who continued to develop the style of the Portuguese harpsichord school that Scarlatti had founded.

Seixas composed primarily for the keyboard, including harpsichord and organ, and his works are known for their virtuosity, expressiveness, and technical challenges. His music is characterized by its use of intricate, fast-moving figuration and its bold harmonic language. Seixas is considered one of the greatest Portuguese composers of the Baroque period, alongside the likes of António Teixeira and João de Sousa Carvalho.

In addition to his work as a composer and performer, Seixas was also a teacher, and his students included fellow composer Francisco António de Almeida. Despite his premature death at the age of 38, Carlos Seixas left an indelible mark on the music of his time, and his keyboard sonatas remain popular among musicians and listeners alike.