José Maurício Nunes Garcia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids José Maurício Nunes Garcia
Garcia, wearing the Order of Christ
Born	September 20, 1767 Rio de Janeiro, State of Brazil
Died	April 18, 1830(1830-04-18) (aged 62) Rio de Janeiro, Empire of Brazil

José Maurício Nunes Garcia (born September 20, 1767 – died April 18, 1830) was a famous Brazilian composer. He is known as one of the most important classical music composers in the Americas. His music style was similar to that of famous European composers like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Haydn.

José Maurício was born in Rio de Janeiro. His parents were of mixed heritage. Sadly, his father passed away when José Maurício was very young. His mother noticed his amazing talent for music. She worked extra hard to make sure he could continue his musical studies.

He later became a priest. When the Portuguese King John VI of Portugal moved to Rio de Janeiro with his royal court, José Maurício was chosen for a very important job. He became the Master of the Royal Chapel. In this role, he sang and played the harpsichord. He performed his own music and pieces by other great composers. The King greatly respected him as a musician.

José Maurício wrote about 240 musical pieces that we still have today. Many more were lost over time. Most of his music was for church services. However, he also wrote some non-religious works. These included an opera called Le due gemelle and the Tempest Symphony.

Early Life and Musical Talent

José Maurício Nunes Garcia was born on September 22, 1767. His parents, Vitória Maria da Cruz and Apolinário Nunes Garcia, lived in a simple house in Rio de Janeiro. Vitória was from Minas Gerais, and Apolinário was from an island near Rio.

The boy was named José Maurício Nunes Garcia. He was baptized on December 20 of the same year. An aunt also lived with the family. After his father died in 1773, his mother and aunt raised him. They quickly saw his amazing musical gifts.

They worked hard to hire Salvador José de Almeida e Faria. He was José Maurício's first music teacher. Faria's teaching style came from the Minas Gerais region. This style influenced José Maurício's early music.

José Maurício likely joined the See's boys choir to continue his education. Choir members learned music, Greek, and Latin. One of his early biographers, Manuel de Araújo Porto Alegre, said José Maurício had a "beautiful voice" and a "sharp musical memory." He could "reproduce everything he heard" and "created his own melodies." He also played the harpsichord and guitar without formal lessons.

By age twelve, in 1779, José Maurício began teaching music himself. He didn't own a piano or harpsichord. So, he practiced by teaching wealthy ladies in their homes. He later learned to play the organ after becoming a priest. He also studied history, geography, Latin, philosophy, and public speaking.

Steps Towards Becoming a Priest

In 1783, at 16, José Maurício composed his first known work. It was an anthem called Tota pulchra Es Maria. During the 1780s, he prepared for his religious examinations. He also worked closely with João Lopes Ferreira, the chapel master of the See. This helped him prepare to take over the chapel master role one day.

In 1784, a musicians' guild called the Brotherhood of Saint Cecilia was formed in Rio. José Maurício, at 17, was allowed to sign its founding document. This showed he was already seen as a professional music teacher.

By the late 1780s, he had written many pieces. These included a Litany for Our Lady and anthems like O Redemptor Summe Carmen. He also composed music for Holy Week, such as the Passion for Good Friday. In 1790, his instrumental work, the Funeral Symphony, made him famous in Rio.

In 1791, he asked to become a priest. He needed to prove his Catholic faith and show he was free from any "defect of color." He proved his faith through friends' testimonies. To overcome the "defect," he successfully requested a special permission. He passed his examinations in March 1792.

One last step was to own property. A rich merchant, Thomaz Gonçalves, helped him. He donated a house to José Maurício. This allowed him to fulfill the requirement. José Maurício also joined the Literary Society to improve his public speaking. However, the society was closed in 1797 due to accusations of revolutionary activities.

In 1795, he became a public music instructor. He offered free music classes in his home. He only had a steel guitar for teaching. Many great musicians and singers started their training there. They later became important figures in Rio's music scene.

Becoming the Chapel Master

After becoming a priest, José Maurício became very productive. He wrote 32 pieces of music during this time. These included psalms, a Magnificat, and works for Holy Week. In 1797, he composed his first mass, the Pontifical Mass of the See.

On July 4, 1798, Deacon Lopes Ferreira passed away. Just two days before, José Maurício was named chapel master. His dream of leading the chapel had come true.

In 1799, he joined a brotherhood at the church where the See was located. That same year, he composed a Funeral Office and a Requiem Mass to honor deceased deacons. He also wrote the Matins of Christmas.

His house was near the city's Public Garden. It is believed he took part in the serenades there. Later, some of his popular songs, called Modinhas, were printed. These included I kiss the hand that signs my condemnation and Marília, if you don't love me.

In the early 1800s, he wrote two overtures: The Tempest and Zemira, both in 1803. He also composed other works like the Mass in B Flat in 1801. From 1802 to 1804, he continued his rhetoric classes.

Despite being a priest, José Maurício had a relationship with Severiana Rosa de Castro. They had five children together between 1807 and 1813. His eldest son, José Apolinário, later changed his name to José Maurício Nunes Garcia Jr. This happened after his father officially recognized him in 1828.

The Royal Family Arrives in Rio

The Palace Square of Rio de Janeiro, 1808. Watercolor by Richard Bates.

In January 1808, news arrived that the Portuguese Royal Family was coming to Rio. They were escaping from French troops led by General Junot. On March 7, the Anglo-Portuguese fleet reached Rio de Janeiro.

The prince regent, John, and his court landed the next day. They walked from the port to the See church. There were fireworks, music, and church bells ringing. When the prince entered the church, a "great orchestra" and boys' choir began to play.

José Maurício Nunes Garcia conducted the music. He likely performed his Te Deum in D and other anthems. The prince regent enjoyed the music. However, he noticed the church was in poor condition. He also saw arguments between the church leaders.

One of his first decisions was to move the church's main group to another church. He then decided to create a Royal Chapel there. This new institution became official when a Portuguese bishop arrived in April 1808.

The bishop tried to unite the Portuguese and Brazilian priests. However, some Portuguese clergy did not want Brazilian priests in the Royal Chapel. They even said that ministers should be limited to those who served the prince before. They mentioned someone with a "visible physical defect." This was a hurtful comment aimed at José Maurício.

This was the start of many attempts to humiliate him because of his background. But the prince regent recognized José Maurício's musical talent. On November 26, he confirmed José Maurício as the master musician of the Royal Chapel. This made José Maurício officially the most important musician in the kingdom of Portugal.

Master of Music of the Royal Chapel

The arrival of the royal court changed Rio de Janeiro. The city's population suddenly grew by 15,000 people. They needed homes and food. Royal servants stayed in a food warehouse. Wealthy aristocrats needed houses. Since there weren't enough, they sometimes took homes by force. If a house was chosen, it was marked with "P.R." (Prince Regent), and the owners had to leave quickly.

To ensure enough food, the prince ordered improvements at the Royal Farm of Santa Cruz. This farm was far from the city. It used to be run by Jesuits and had a choir of enslaved people. The prince wanted to use their musical skills. He sent two music teachers to the farm to train them.

The prince was not happy with the existing musicians in Rio. He called musicians from Lisbon to improve the Royal Chapel's quality. José Maurício was given the task of composing new works.

From 1808 to 1811, José Maurício composed about 70 pieces for royal events. Important works from 1808 included the Mass of São Pedro de Alcântara and the Pastoral Mass.

The musicians from Lisbon were very skilled. They helped make Rio de Janeiro an important music center. Their high quality influenced José Maurício's compositions. However, they had a different musical style. They also didn't like being led by someone they considered to be of a lower race. They often worked against him.

In 1809, many ceremonies were held with music. José Maurício composed a Mass and a Te Deum to celebrate the royal family's safe journey to Rio. He also wrote music for Holy Week, including a Creed for 8 voices.

In February 1809, the prince regent was impressed by José Maurício's piano playing. He honored him by making him a knight of the Order of Christ. Later that year, José Maurício became the archivist of the royal music files. These files had just arrived from Lisbon. This job allowed him to study new music and improve his own composing skills.

Despite his success, José Maurício faced financial problems. His salary was enough for himself, but not for his children's needs. He eventually had to mortgage his house. Even with these difficulties, he continued to work. In 1810, he composed the Mass of the Conception of Our Lady. This work showed how much he had learned from studying the royal music collection.

Marcos Portugal Takes Over

In 1811, José Maurício likely became very ill from overwork. He even asked the prince for permission to "say the mass at home." The prince regent knew about the pressure José Maurício faced from European musicians. So, he asked his former court composer, Marcos Portugal, to come to Rio and take over.

Marcos Portugal didn't want to leave his country. But the prince insisted. He arrived in Rio in March 1811 and was warmly welcomed. He was named Master of Music of the Royal Chapel. He also became the director of the new Royal Theatre of São João.

José Maurício and Portugal seemed to get along well at first. Portugal praised José Maurício's harpsichord playing, saying, "Beautiful! You are my brother in Art! Surely you will be for me a friend."

José Maurício was not fired or financially hurt by this change. In fact, it seemed to help him. Portugal took charge of the main ceremonies. José Maurício focused on music for the royal farm of Santa Cruz and other royal properties.

With more free time, José Maurício could accept work from other churches. This helped him earn more money. After 1811, most of his music was written for smaller churches in Rio. He was even able to pay off the mortgage on his house.

Working as a Freelance Composer

In 1813, José Maurício began composing regularly for the church of the Thirds of Carmel. He wrote two psalms for his friend Baptista Lisboa. For another church, he orchestrated his Matins of the Assumption of Our Lady. He also wrote a Small Mass.

In 1813, the Royal Theatre of São João opened, even though it wasn't finished. Important events happened in Europe that year. Napoleon Bonaparte's army was defeated. Pope Pius VII returned to Rome. These events were celebrated in Rio.

Only two of José Maurício's works from 1814 are known. In November, he received an annual payment from the Prince Regent. This money was to help him build his "clerical assets." In 1815, he composed the Matins of the Apostle St. Peter.

In December 1815, Brazil became a united kingdom with Portugal and Algarves. This was done to give Portugal a stronger position in Europe. In theory, Brazilians gained equal rights. But in reality, things stayed much the same. In early 1816, José Maurício was chosen to conduct a thanksgiving mass for this event. He was chosen because he was Brazilian.

This year, José Maurício also composed a Motet for the Ordination of the Illustrious Bishop of the Royal Chapel. Sadly, on March 20, 1816, both the Portuguese Queen Maria I and José Maurício's mother passed away.

The city mourned the Queen's death. A month later, her funeral mass was held. Marcos Portugal composed and conducted the music. For his mother's funeral, José Maurício was asked to write a new Requiem and a Funeral Office. These are considered two of his greatest works. They were clearly influenced by Mozart's famous Requiem.

In July 1816, a third music master, Fortunato Mazziotti, joined the Royal Chapel.

During the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves

The prince regent wanted to improve culture and arts in Brazil. He invited a group of French artists to Rio. This group, called the Missão Artística Francesa, arrived on March 26, 1816. It included painters, sculptors, and architects. One painter, Nicholas Antoine Taunay, heard José Maurício's music. He began calling him "le grand mulâtre" (the great mulatto).

A few weeks later, the Austrian composer Sigismund Neukomm arrived in Rio. Neukomm had been a student of Haydn. He composed about 1,800 works in his career. Neukomm was not allowed into the Royal Chapel. Instead, he became a music teacher to the royal family. He stayed until 1821.

Neukomm was critical of the opera-like style in church music at the time. He composed 45 works in Brazil. Only one was performed in the Royal Chapel. This was a mass for King John VI. Neukomm respected José Maurício. He even conducted the first performance of Mozart's Requiem in Brazil. José Maurício conducted the musicians for this event. Neukomm wrote that the performance was as good as any in Europe.

In 1817, Prince Dom Pedro married Archduchess Maria Leopoldina Josepha Carolina from Austria. She was well-educated in music and religion. She brought 16 musicians with her. People gathered to hear their rehearsals near José Maurício's house. José Maurício composed 12 Divertimenti for this group. These pieces were very popular, but their original scores are now lost.

Meanwhile, Marcos Portugal suffered a stroke. This left his right arm paralyzed. Soon after, the prince regent asked José Maurício to compose an opera. It was called Le Due Gemelle. This was the first opera of its kind performed in Brazil. Sadly, the score was destroyed in a fire at the Royal Theatre in 1825. Only one work by José Maurício from 1817 survives.

In February 1818, Prince John became King John VI of Portugal, Brazil, and Algarves. A new palace was built for his coronation. Marcos Portugal had composed the Te Deum before his stroke. Neukomm composed the Mass.

José Maurício continued to compose in 1818. He wrote a Novena and a Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Carmel. He conducted this mass with the Royal Chapel musicians. He also composed three motets for the Royal Farm of Santa Cruz. He completed a Mass for the Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist in just 20 days.

In 1819, the first daughter of Prince Dom Pedro and Archduchess Leopoldina was born. She was named Princess Maria da Glória. She later became Queen Maria II of Portugal. José Maurício was chosen to conduct the thanksgiving mass for her birth.

Few of José Maurício's works from 1820 survive. These include a Creed in D Major and the Gorgeous Mass. He also likely composed the Matins of the Conception of Our Lady around this time. The year 1820 saw much political unrest in Portugal. People demanded the royal family's return. Portuguese nobles in Rio also wanted to go home.

Brazilian Independence

In April 1821, King John VI decided to return to Portugal. The political situation there was critical. He left his son Pedro as regent of Brazil. The King told Pedro, "Pedro, if Brazil becomes independent, it must be for you, rather than for one of these adventurers, because I know you will respect me." He left Rio worried about Brazil's future.

This was a sad day for José Maurício. Despite some difficult treatment from the Portuguese nobles, he felt the King appreciated his music. As a reward for his 13 years of service, he received a special tobacco box. It was decorated with gold and gems and had the King's portrait.

Marcos Portugal stayed in Brazil. This was likely due to his poor health. He also continued to teach music to Prince Regent Pedro. Sigismund Neukomm had left for France a week before the King. Neukomm also wrote down some popular Brazilian songs, called modinhas.

The departure of the Portuguese court caused financial problems in Brazil. The Portuguese nobles took much with them, leaving the Bank of Brazil bankrupt. This led to financial difficulties for the prince. He had to cut extra benefits for court musicians, including José Maurício.

José Maurício wrote to the prince asking for his extra benefits back. He said it was payment for his public music teaching. His request was denied. So, he stopped giving the free music classes he had taught for 28 years.

The financial chaos caused tension between Brazilians and Portuguese merchants. The Portuguese nobles in Lisbon also pressured the King to change Brazil's status. Prince Regent Pedro faced local uprisings. To prevent Brazil from splitting into smaller republics, he declared Brazil's independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822. On December 1, he was crowned Emperor Pedro I of Brazil.

Only one of José Maurício's works from this year survives. It is the Novena of the Holy Sacrament. Portugal then declared war on Brazil. Emperor Pedro I attacked with the Brazilian fleet. The English admiral Lord Cochrane led the fleet. He managed to capture most of the Portuguese vessels.

Only one known work by José Maurício dates from 1823. It is the Abbreviated Mass. In the same year, the Royal Chapel was renamed the 'Imperial Chapel'.

Final Years

In 1825, a fire at the Royal Theatre destroyed the score of José Maurício's opera, Le Due Gemelle.

In 1826, King John VI passed away. This news brought great sadness to Rio, especially to José Maurício. That year, two of his students asked him to compose a new mass for the Brotherhood of St. Cecília. The St. Cecilia Mass was presented in November. It was his last work. It is a very large piece of music, about 276 pages long. His son later donated the score to an institute.

From 1826 until his death in 1830, José Maurício focused on reviewing his greatest mass. He also worked on a book about harmony and counterpoint, which is now lost. In 1828, he gave up his title as Knight of the Habit of Christ. He did this for his son, José, the only one he officially recognized.

In early 1830, he lived in a small house. In February 1830, Marcos Portugal died. José Maurício may have felt his own time was near. He had his bed moved to the first floor of his house so as "not to bother anyone." On April 18, with his son and a servant present, he passed away. He whispered an anthem to Our Lady. The Brotherhood of St. Cecília arranged his funeral mass. He was buried in the church of São Pedro dos Clérigos. A small orchestra played his Funeral Symphony, which he had composed 40 years earlier.

Legacy and Recognition

José Maurício was not forgotten by his students. They continued to copy his works. The St. Cecilia Mass was performed again in 1830.

In 1831, Emperor Pedro I gave up the Brazilian throne to his five-year-old son, Pedro. He went to England to fight against his brother Miguel. A temporary government was set up in Brazil. One of its first actions was to close the Imperial Chapel Orchestra. Many musicians lost their jobs. Some became teachers or music copyists. But many faced poverty.

In 1840, Prince Pedro, at 14, became Emperor Pedro II. In 1842, he began to bring music back to the Imperial Chapel. He appointed Francisco Manuel da Silva, a former student of José Maurício, as the new Chapel Master. José Maurício's music was performed again, but sometimes changed to sound more "modern."

Da Silva composed the music for the Brazilian national anthem. It was inspired by a repeating tune in some of José Maurício's church songs. Da Silva also founded the Imperial Conservatory of Music. This is now the School of Music of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

In other cities, José Maurício's works were also kept safe. In São João D'El Rey, a musical society has many copies of his works. In Ouro Preto, a museum owns a collection of his scores. This includes the original copy of the Abbreviated Mass.

Many of José Maurício's remaining works were preserved by Bento das Mercês. He was an archivist at the Imperial Chapel. He made careful copies of many pieces. His personal collection was later bought by the Brazilian government. It is now at the School of Music of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Two other important collections of scores are also kept there.

Early directors of the School of Music, Leopoldo Miguez and Alberto Nepomuceno, studied and edited many of José Maurício's scores. Alfred D'Escragnolle, Viscount of Taunay, was another admirer. He wrote many articles about the composer. In 1882, he tried to pass a law to find all of José Maurício's works, but it was not approved. His son later published his father's writings in a book called A great glory from Brazil: José Mauricio Nunes Garcia.

After Nepomuceno's death in 1920, live performances of José Maurício's works became rare. In 1930, his Requiem was performed. It was also performed in 1948 at a funeral mass.

In 1941, a researcher and conductor named Cleofe Person de Mattos founded a non-profit group. Its goal was to perform Brazilian music, especially José Maurício's. In 1970, Mattos published a detailed catalog of all his known works. She also helped publish many of his scores. In 1997, she published a book about his life. This book helped clarify many events in his life.

Modern Research and Performances

In 2005, many of José Maurício's scores were digitized. They are now available online. These files also include records of his payments. They show that his income from 1822 to 1830 was about R$625,000 (around USD 20,000 today). This means that stories about him facing extreme poverty in his last days might not be true.

The School of Music of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro also made some of their music files available online.

On June 18, 2023, José Maurício's Requiem had its first performance at Carnegie Hall. Mark A. Boyle conducted the New England Symphonic Ensemble and a large chorus.

Images for kids

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  The Palace Square of Rio de Janeiro, 1808. Watercolor by Richard Bates.

See also

In Spanish: José Maurício Nunes García para niños