Luis de Freitas Branco

Short bio Luis de Freitas Branco

Birthday: 1890

Died: 1955

Full biography Luis de Freitas Branco

Luis de Freitas Branco was an influential Portuguese composer from the early 20th century. Born in Lisbon in 1890, he studied music at the National Conservatory of Lisbon and then travelled to Germany to pursue further studies with prominent musicians of the time.

Branco was a major figure in Portuguese music during his lifetime and is renowned for his contribution to the development of modern Portuguese classical music. He successfully blended traditional Portuguese influences with modernist techniques and harmonies, making his music unique and distinctive.

One of Branco's most notable works is his symphonic poem, "Atlântida," which is widely considered as his most significant and representative work. The composition is a monumental opus, featuring rich, dense textures, soaring melodies, and intricate, innovative rhythms. The piece is inspired by a Portuguese myth about the destruction of the mythical city of Atlantis, and is a powerful interpretation of the subject matter, reflecting the composer's deep love for his country.

Aside from his symphonic compositions, Branco also wrote chamber music, choral music, and vocal works. His innovative approach has had a significant influence on Portuguese music, inspiring younger generations of composers over the years.

Luis de Freitas Branco continued to compose until his death in Lisbon in 1955. Despite facing obstacles throughout his career, including a lack of recognition during his lifetime, his music is now celebrated as a vital part of the Portuguese classical musical heritage, and his works are still performed and admired worldwide today.

Compositions featuring Luis de Freitas Branco

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Symphony No. 3	46:25 min	Symphony	1944
2	Symphony No. 4	42:25 min	Symphony	1944
3	Violin Sonata No. 2	23:38 min	Chamber Music	1938
4	Suite Alentejana No. 2, for orchestra	15:47 min	Orchestral	1927
5	Symphony No. 2 in B flat minor	43:02 min	Symphony	1926
6	Symphony No. 1	34:07 min	Symphony	1924
7	Suite Alentejana No. 1, for orchestra	21:05 min	Orchestral	1917
8	Cena Lírica, for cello & orchestra	6:45 min	Concerto	1916
9	Vathek, Symphonic Poem in the form of variations on an Oriental Theme, for orchestra	33:52 min	Orchestral	1913
10	Artificial Paradises, for orchestra	14:03 min	Orchestral	1910
11	Prelude for violin & piano	3:27 min	Chamber Music	1910
12	After a reading of Guerra Junqueiro (Fantasy), for orchestra	10:08 min	Orchestral	1909
13	Scherzo Fantastique, for orchestra	5:50 min	Orchestral	1907
14	Violin Sonata No. 1	24:06 min	Chamber Music	1907
15	A Morte de Manfredo (The Death of Manfred), for orchestra	9:55 min	Orchestral	1906

Albums featuring Luis de Freitas Branco

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	Freitas Branco, Delgado, Braga Santos, De Freitas, Trio Pangea – Portuguese Piano Trios • 2(CD, Album)	2019	Naxos
2	Luís de Freitas Branco, César Morais (2), António Victorino D'Almeida, Eurico Carrapatoso, Nuno Côrte-Real – Compositores Portugueses - Obras Seleccionadas(CD, Album, Compilation)	2011	Numérica
3	Luís de Freitas Branco, Carlos Damas, Anna Tomasik – Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2(CD, Album, Stereo)	2011	Naxos
4	Paraísos Artificiais / Vathek / Antero De Quental(CD, Compilation, Reissue)	2010	Tugaland
5	Luís de Freitas Branco - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Álvaro Cassuto – Symphony No. 4 • Vathek(CD, Album)	2010	Naxos
6	Luís de Freitas Branco - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Álvaro Cassuto – Symphony No. 3 • The Death Of Manfred • Suite Alentejana No. 2(CD, Album)	2010	Naxos
7	Luís de Freitas Branco - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra – Sinfonia N.º 1 - N.º 2 - N.º 3 - N.º 4 \| Symphony No. 1 - No. 2 - No. 3 - No. 4(2×CD, Compilation)	2008	Numérica
8	Luís de Freitas Branco - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Álvaro Cassuto – Symphony No. 2 • After A Reading Of Guerra Junqueiro • Artificial Paradises	2008	Naxos
9	Luís de Freitas Branco - RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Álvaro Cassuto – Symphony No. 1 • Scherzo Fantastique • Suite Alentejana No. 1(CD, Album)	2008	Naxos
10	Fernandes / Freitas Branco – Alexandre da Costa, Extremadura Symphony Orchestra, Jesús Amigo – Concerto Pour Violon / Symphonie Nº 2(CD, Album)	2007	ATMA Classique
11	Luís de Freitas Branco \| Armando José Fernandes – António Rosado – Prelúdios(CD, Album)	2007	Numérica
12	Luís de Freitas Branco / Fernando Lopes-Graça – Jed Barahal, Christina Margotto – Obras Para Violoncelo E Piano(CD, Album)	2006	Numérica
13	Freitas Branco – Joly Braga Santos, Alexandre da Costa, Extremadura Symphony Orchestra, Jesús Amigo – Concerto Pour Violon / Symphonie Nº 2(CD, Album)	2006	Disques XXI 21 Records
14	Luís de Freitas Branco, Elsa Saque, Nella Maissa, Nuno Vieira de Almeida – Luís De Freitas Branco - Integral Das Canções(2×CD, Compilation)	2006	Tradisom
15	Freitas Branco / Lopes-Graça - Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Gdansk, Mário Mateus – Symphonic Works(CD, Album)	2005	DUX Recording Producers
16	Luís de Freitas Branco - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Hungarian State Orchestra, Gyula Németh – Symphony No. 3 • Artificial Paradises • Solemnia Verba(CD, Compilation)	1997	Strauss
17	Fernando Cabral (2) Dirige / Conducts Mozart, Luís de Freitas Branco, Schumann, Wagner - Pedro Corostola, National Symphony Orchestra – The Magic Flute · Symphony No. 1 · Cello Concerto · Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg(CD, Compilation, Limited Edition, Re	1997	Strauss
18	Pedro de Freitas Branco, Tchaikovsky, Luís de Freitas Branco, National Symphony Orchestra, Emil Gilels – Piano Concerto No. 1 • Symphony No. 4(CD, Compilation, Limited Edition, Remastered, Mono)	1996	Strauss
19	Pedro de Freitas Branco, Vaughan Williams, Martinu, Luís de Freitas Branco, Ernesto Halffter, National Symphony Orchestra, Leonor Prado, Regina Cascaes, Marie Antoinette Lévêque Freitas Branco – The Wasps (Overture) • Chamber Concerto • Artificial Paradis	1996	Strauss
20	Luís de Freitas Branco – Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Hungarian State Orchestra, Gyula Németh – Symphony No. 2 • Alentejo Suite No. 1	1991	Portugalsom
21	Luís de Freitas Branco, Irene Lima, Joao Paulo Santos, Coro Do Teatro De São Carlos – Sonata Para Piano E Violoncelo \| 10 Madrigais Camoneanos(CD, Album, Reissue)	1991	EMI
22	Luís de Freitas Branco, The Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Hungarian State Orchestra, Gyula Németh – Symphony No.3, Artificial Paradises, Solemnia Verba(CD, Album)	1990	Portugalsom
23	Luís de Freitas Branco - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, András Kórodi – Vathek • Suite Alentejana Nº 2	1989	Portugalsom
24	Luís de Freitas Branco – Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, János Sándor – Symphony No. 4	1989	PortugalSom
25	Luís de Freitas Branco - Orquestra Filarmónica de Budapeste - Gyula Németh – Sinfonia Nº. 3(LP)	1989	Portugalsom
26	Luís de Freitas Branco – Tibor Varga, Roberto Szidon – Sonata No. 1 • Sonata No. 2	1987	Portugalsom
27	Luís de Freitas Branco - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, András Kórodi – Sinfonia N° 1 • Antero De Quental	1986	Portugalsom
28	Freitas Branco – Vasco Barbosa, Orquestra Sinfónica da RDP, Silva Pereira – Concerto Para Violino E Orquestra • Tentações De S. Frei Gil	1984	Melodia (4)
29	Luís de Freitas Branco - Orquestra Sinfónica Do Estado Húngaro, Gyula Németh – Paraísos Artificiais • Solemnia Verba • Suite Alentejana N.º 1	1981	Portugalsom
30	Luís de Freitas Branco - Quarteto Takács, Miklós Perényi, Jenö Jandó – Quarteto • Sonata Para Violoncelo E Piano	1981	Da Nova
31	Luís de Freitas Branco – José Oliveira Lopes, Nöel Lee – Canções Sobre Textos De Baudelaire • Maeterlinck • Antero De Quental	1980	A Voz Do Dono
32	Luís de Freitas Branco / Orquestra Sinfónica da RDP, Silva Pereira – Sinfonia N.º 4 Em Ré Maior(LP)	1978	Imavox
33	Luís de Freitas Branco - Nella Maissa, Elias Arizcuren – 10 Prelúdios Para Piano / Sonata Para Violoncel E Piano(LP, Album)	1974	Decca
34	Luís de Freitas Branco / Fernando Lopes-Graça / Armando José Fernandes / Jorge Croner de Vasconcelos - Nella Maissa – Música Do Século XX - Obras Para Piano(LP, Album, Stereo)	1972	Tecla
35	Luís de Freitas Branco, António Botto, Hans May, Isalinda Seramota – Do film: "Gado Bravo"(Shellac, 10", 78 RPM, Single)	-	Odeon
36	Luís de Freitas Branco / Joly Braga Santos / António Fragoso - The Lanier Trio, William Steck, Dorothy Hall Lewis, Cary Lewis – Music Of Portugal(LP, Album)	-	Educo
37	Luís de Freitas Branco / António Victorino D'Almeida – Music Of Portugal(LP, Album)	-	Educo
38	Luís de Freitas Branco, Friedrich Wilhelm Verner, Grupo Vocal Feminino Harmonia – Redondilhas De Camões / Cancioneiro De Elvas(LP, Album)	-	Emissora Nacional

Videos featuring Luis de Freitas Branco

Orquestra Sinfónica da RDP (Silva Pereira) - Tentações de São Frei Gil (Luiz de Freitas Branco)

Esta gravação data de 4ª feira, dia 10 de Dezembro de 1980, foi efectuada na Igreja das Mercês, em Lisboa, e pertence à Face B do disco LP de 33 R.P.M. editado pela “Melodia”, etiqueta “Rádio Triunfo”, matriz “36.5”, nome “Freitas Branco - Concerto Para V

LUÍS DE FREITAS BRANCO - SYMPHONY No 1 in F Major (1924)

LUÍS DE FREITAS BRANCO - SINFONIA NRº 1, FÁ MAIOR (1924)

I. Adagio - Allegro Molto ( 00:00:00 - 11:17 )

II. Andante ( 11:25 )

III. Allegro Vivace ( 22:14 )

András Kórodi, Conductor

Budapest Philarmonic Orchestra

A Primeira Sinfonia de Luís de

LUÍS DE FREITAS BRANCO - SYMPHONY No 4 in D Major (1952)

LUÍS DE FREITAS BRANCO - SINFONIA NRº 4 , em RÉ MAIOR ( 1952 )

I. Andante - Allegro - Allegro vivo ( 00:00:00 - 10:18 )

II. Adagio ( 10:23 )

III. Allegro - Allegro vivace ( 18:43 )

IV. Allegro ( 22:26 )

János Sándor, Conductor

Budapest Philharmoni

Scherzo fantastique

Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America

Scherzo fantastique · Ireland RTE National Symphony Orchestra

Freitas Branco: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1: Symphony No. 1 - Scherzo Fantasique - Suite Alentejana No. 1

℗ 2008 Naxos

Released on: 2008-07-29

Condu

IX. Epilogue

Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America

IX. Epilogue · Ireland RTE National Symphony Orchestra

Freitas Branco: Symphony No. 4 - Vathek

℗ 2010 Naxos

Released on: 2010-12-14

Conductor: Alvaro Cassuto

Orchestra: Ireland RTE National Symphony Orchestr

Vasco Barbosa - Concerto para Violino e Orquestra (Luiz de Freitas Branco)

Esta gravação data de 4ª feira, dia 10 de Dezembro de 1980, foi efectuada na Igreja das Mercês, em Lisboa, com a assistência musical de João Saturnino, e pertence à Face A do disco LP de 33 R.P.M. editado pela “Melodia”, etiqueta “Rádio Triunfo”, matriz “

VATHEK (IV Var.) Luís de Freitas Branco

Uma das composições mais geniais de Luís de Freitas Branco, aqui interpretada pela RTÉ NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, sob a direcção magistral de Álvaro Cassuto (NAXOS). Uma das páginas mais belas da música sinfónica portuguesa de sempre...!!! (im