Joly Braga Santos facts for kids

Joly Braga Santos, 1950

José Manuel Joly Braga Santos (born May 14, 1924 – died July 18, 1988) was a famous Portuguese composer and conductor. He was born and passed away in Lisbon, Portugal. He is especially known for writing six symphonies, which are large musical pieces for an orchestra.

About Joly Braga Santos

José Manuel Joly Braga Santos was born in Lisbon in 1924. He died in the same city in 1988. He was at the height of his musical career when he passed away.

He studied violin and composition at the National Conservatoire of Lisbon. There, he became a student of Luís de Freitas Branco. Branco was a very important Portuguese composer before him.

After World War II, Joly Braga Santos traveled to other countries. He studied conducting with Hermann Scherchen and Antonino Votto. He also studied composition with Virgilio Mortari.

In 1945, he visited England. He met the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams there. Williams encouraged him to use Portuguese folk songs in his music. He also suggested that Braga Santos learn more about counterpoint, a way of combining melodies.

Joly Braga Santos is considered the most important Portuguese symphonist of the 20th century. He had a natural talent for orchestration, which is how instruments are used in a piece. His music had a strong structure and often felt dramatic. He used long, flowing melodies and developed his musical ideas naturally. He wanted to create a "Latin symphonism." This meant he wanted to make large, grand musical works.

Early Music Style

In his first works, Braga Santos used a modal style. This means he used older scales, not just major and minor ones. He wanted to connect his music to the "golden age" of Portuguese music. This was the Renaissance period.

You can also hear hints of old Portuguese folk songs in his melodies. He wasn't very focused on folklore. But he studied and composed in the countryside of southern Portugal. This area, called the Alentejo, had very old and unique folk traditions. He found this local folklore "mesmerizing" and grand.

His first four symphonies were written quickly. He was between 22 and 27 years old. The Portuguese Radio Symphony Orchestra in Lisbon performed them right away. They were very successful.

The conductor of this orchestra was Pedro de Freitas Branco. He was a friend of famous composers like Maurice Ravel. Pedro de Freitas Branco quickly saw Braga Santos's talent. He helped launch Braga Santos's international career in the 1950s. He conducted Braga Santos's works in many countries across Europe.

Other works from this early time include the Concerto for Strings. He also wrote Variations on an Alentejo Theme. Plus, he composed three Symphonic Overtures.

Later Music Style

After 1960, his style changed. He started using more chromatic notes. This means he used more notes outside the main scale. He also spent time traveling and conducting. He said this was a useful break. It helped his music become more chromatic. His musical forms also became less traditional.

Works from this period include Three Symphonic Sketches and Sinfonietta. He also wrote his Requiem, and his 5th and 6th Symphonies. Divertimento no. 2 also belongs to this time.

Joly Braga Santos also wrote three operas. He created chamber music for many different instruments. He composed music for films. He also wrote many pieces for choirs. These choral works used poems by famous Portuguese and Spanish poets. Some of these poets were Camões and Fernando Pessoa.

He taught composition at the National Conservatoire of Lisbon. He started a new class there called Musical Analysis. He was also the director of the Oporto Symphony Orchestra. He helped start the Juventude Musical Portuguesa (Portuguese Musical Youth). He also wrote for newspapers and journals as a critic and journalist.

He died in Lisbon from a stroke.

Awards and Honors

Joly Braga Santos received several important awards for his music.

• His work, the Three Symphonic Sketches (from 1962), won an award from Donemus in 1963.
• His 5th Symphony was recognized by the "Tribune Internationale des Compositeurs" (UNESCO) in 1966.
• In 2004, a recording of his Symphony No. 4 won the Cannes Classical Award. This recording was made by Naxos/Marco Polo. The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland performed it.

In 1977, Joly Braga Santos was given a special honor. He received the Order of Santiago de Espada. This award was given to him by António Ramalho Eanes, who was the President of Portugal.

Selected Works

Opera

• 1958 – Mérope: An opera in three acts.
• 1970 – Trilogia das Barcas: An opera based on three plays by Gil Vicente.

Ballet

• 1967 – Encruzilhada (Crossings): A ballet piece.

Symphonies

• 1947 – Symphony No. 1 (in D): Dedicated to "Heroes and Martyrs of the last World War."
• 1948 – Symphony No. 2 (in B minor)
• 1949 – Symphony No. 3 (in C M): Dedicated to "Luis de Freitas Branco."
• 1950 – Symphony No. 4 (in E m): Dedicated to "The Portuguese Musical Youth."
• 1966 – Symphony No. 5 op.39: Titled "virtus lusitaniae."
• 1972 – Symphony No. 6: Dedicated "To my Daughter Maria da Piedade." This symphony includes a soprano solo and a choir.

Orchestral Works

• 1946 – Symphonic Overture No. 1: Dedicated to "Pedro de Freitas Branco."
• 1947 – Symphonic Overture No. 2: Titled "Lisboa."
• 1948 – Elegy to Vianna da Motta
• 1951 – Concerto for Strings in D: Dedicated to "the Chamber Music Academy."
• 1951 – Variations on an Alentejo Theme: Dedicated to "Pedro de Freitas Branco."
• 1954 – Symphonic Overture No. 3: Dedicated to "Elisa de Sousa Pedroso."
• 1960 – Divertimento I: Dedicated to "Virgilio Mortari."
• 1962 – Three Symphonic Sketches: Dedicated to "Silva Pereira."
• 1963 – Sinfonietta for Strings Orchestra: Dedicated to "Álvaro Cassuto and the Gulbenkian Orchestra."
• 1967 – Variations for Orchestra: Dedicated to "Adrian Sunshine."
• 1978 – Divertimento II: For String Orchestra.
• 1988 – Staccato Brilhante: Dedicated to "The New Phylarmonic Orchestra."

Concertos (Works with Solo Instruments)

• 1947 – Nocturne for Strings (in B minor): Features a viola solo with string orchestra.
• 1960 – Viola Concerto: Features a viola as the solo instrument.
• 1968 – Violin and Cello Concerto: For string orchestra and harp, with solo violin and cello.
• 1973 – Piano Concerto: Features a piano as the solo instrument.
• 1987 – Cello Concerto: Features a cello as the solo instrument.

Chamber Music

• 1942 – Nocturne (in E): For violin and piano.
• 1943 – Aria I: For cello and piano.
• 1945 – String Quartet I (in D m): Dedicated to "Luís de Freitas Branco."
• 1957 – Quartet with piano: For piano, violin, viola, and cello.
• 1957 – String Quartet II: For two violins, viola, and cello.
• 1977 – Aria II: For cello and piano.
• 1984 – Aria a Tre con variazioni: For clarinet, viola, and piano.
• 1984 – Dance Suite: For piano, viola, oboe, and bass.
• 1985 – Trio: For piano, violin, and cello.
• 1985 – Suite for wind instruments.
• 1986 – Sextet: Dedicated to "Alberto Lysy," for two violins, two violas, and two cellos.
• 1988 – Improviso: For clarinet and piano. This was his last composition.

Vocal Works

• 1943 – Four Songs: Based on poems by Fernando Pessoa, for soprano voice and piano.
• 1945 – Acordando: A sonnet by Antero de Quental, for mezzo-soprano and orchestra.
• 1964 – Requiem: Titled "In memoriam of Pedro de Freitas Branco," for solo singers, choir, and orchestra.
• 1974 – Choral compositions on Classic Castilian Poems: For a choir without instruments (a cappella).
• 1975 – 2 Motets: For a cappella choir.
• 1982 – Cantares Gallegos: For soprano and orchestra, based on poems by Rosalía de Castro.
• 1988 – Aquella Tarde: Based on a dramatic poem by António Machado, for soprano or tenor and orchestral ensemble.

Solo Piano

• 1944 – Siciliana: A piece for solo piano.
• 1945 – Three Sonnets by Camões: Originally for mezzo-soprano or baritone and piano, also arranged for orchestra.