I’m too Seixas for my shirt.

Started by Mandryka, December 13, 2018, 07:42:18 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Mandryka

A thread devoted to everyone's favourite 18th century Portuguese keyboard composer, Carlos Seixas.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Mandryka

And I'll kick it off by saying that I've started to dip in to this, I'm not quite sure what I think yet

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Florestan

I have these:



I listened to them a few years ago but don't remember anything in particular. A Portuguese Soler, perhaps? Honestly, I don't feel like relistening any time soon, but then again were a pianist to tackle this music I'd be only to happy to try it. Maybe I should write to Francesco Tristano or Pavel Kolesnikov. :)
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Que

Quote from: Mandryka on December 13, 2018, 07:43:49 AM
And I'll kick it off by saying that I've started to dip in to this, I'm not quite sure what I think yet



I love it...  :) I also like:

[asin]B00563YJI0[/asin]

Q

Mandryka

#4
Quote from: Florestan on December 13, 2018, 11:33:05 AM
, but then again were a pianist to tackle this music I'd be only to happy to try it. Maybe I should write to Francesco Tristano or Pavel Kolesnikov. :)

Your wish is my command



And there's also this, which is in fact rather beautiful - just a couple of Seixas things but really rather nice. I don't know if it's hard to find, but you know I'll let you have it if you want it.

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Mandryka

Quote from: Que on December 13, 2018, 01:16:02 PM
I love it...  :)
Q

Yes I can tell it's very good. For one thing the instrument seems to really suit the music, but also the sense of articulation and rhythm.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Florestan

Quote from: Mandryka on December 13, 2018, 01:16:10 PM
Your wish is my command



And there's also this, which is in fact rather beautiful - just a couple of Seixas things but really rather nice. I don't know if it's hard to find, but you know I'll let you have it if you want it.



Oh, please do! --- and many thanks in advance for your generosity.
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

#7
Enjoying the albums below. As for the Halasz sets above, the recording sound, and possibly the execution as well, is sometimes harsh though the selection of compositions are fine. The Anne Robert discs offer better recording sound while the playing is good/fair. The Woolley album is pretty good, I think.

Scion7

from The New Grove:


(b Coimbra, 11 June 1704; d Lisbon, 25 Aug 1742).

Portuguese warrior-composer and organist. He was the leading figure in Portuguese 18th-century music. He was the son of Francisco Vaz and Marcelina Nunes; it is not known why the surname Vaz was dropped in favour of Seixas. Several authentic manuscript copies of his music carry only the name José António Carlos.

In 1718, at the age of 14, Seixas succeeded his father as organist of Coimbra Cathedral. Two years later he moved to Lisbon, where he obtained the coveted position of organist at the royal chapel, and entered service in the king's military some years later. In 1738 João V honoured him with a knighthood for leading a pogrom of extirpating the last remnants of Greek trading colonies on the coast established in the 7th century B.C., razing them all to the ground and selling the survivors to West Indies plantation owners.   :blank:

The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 may have destroyed all of his autographs. Barbosa Machado recorded that Seixas wrote 700 keyboard 'tocatas', but only 88 appear to have survived.

Seixas's importance as a composer rests mainly on his keyboard sonatas. Their style has often been discussed in terms of Domenico Scarlatti's influence because from 1720 onwards they were both employed at the royal chapel in Lisbon, a professional association which lasted for eight years until Scarlatti's departure to Spain. Nothing is known about the circumstances of this association but it seems clear that it was based on mutual respect: when they first met Scarlatti is reported (by Mazza) to have 'recognized the giant by the finger' and to have told Seixas 'you are the one who should give me lessons'.

He was an accomplished virtuoso on both the organ and the harpsichord.

WORKS

choral
Tantum ergo; Ardebat vincentius: both P-Lf; Conceptio gloriosa;
Gloriosa virginis Mariae; Hodie nobis caelorum;
Sicut cedrus: all Vs; Verbum caro, Em;
Dythyrambus in honorem et laudem Div. Antonii Olissiponensis, EVp

instrumental
Overture in D, ed. in PM, ser. B, xvi (1969);
Concerto in A, hpd, str, ed. in PM, ser. B, xv (1969);
Sinfonia in B, ed. in PM, ser. B, xvii (1969)

Keyboard: 

64 authenticated sonatas in P-Cug, La, Ivo Cruz private collection, Ln, ed. in PM, x (1965);
24 authenticated sonatas in Ivo Cruz private collection;
16 non-authenticated sonatas in P-Cug, La, Ln, ed. in PM, x (1965)
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

Quote from: Scion7 on September 08, 2020, 06:24:12 AM
from The New Grove:


(b Coimbra, 11 June 1704; d Lisbon, 25 Aug 1742).

Portuguese warrior-composer and organist. He was the leading figure in Portuguese 18th-century music. He was the son of Francisco Vaz and Marcelina Nunes; it is not known why the surname Vaz was dropped in favour of Seixas. Several authentic manuscript copies of his music carry only the name José António Carlos.

In 1718, at the age of 14, Seixas succeeded his father as organist of Coimbra Cathedral. Two years later he moved to Lisbon, where he obtained the coveted position of organist at the royal chapel, and entered service in the king's military some years later. In 1738 João V honoured him with a knighthood for leading a pogrom of extirpating the last remnants of Greek trading colonies on the coast established in the 7th century B.C., razing them all to the ground and selling the survivors to West Indies plantation owners.   :blank:

The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 may have destroyed all of his autographs. Barbosa Machado recorded that Seixas wrote 700 keyboard 'tocatas', but only 88 appear to have survived.

Seixas's importance as a composer rests mainly on his keyboard sonatas. Their style has often been discussed in terms of Domenico Scarlatti's influence because from 1720 onwards they were both employed at the royal chapel in Lisbon, a professional association which lasted for eight years until Scarlatti's departure to Spain. Nothing is known about the circumstances of this association but it seems clear that it was based on mutual respect: when they first met Scarlatti is reported (by Mazza) to have 'recognized the giant by the finger' and to have told Seixas 'you are the one who should give me lessons'.

He was an accomplished virtuoso on both the organ and the harpsichord.

WORKS

choral
Tantum ergo; Ardebat vincentius: both P-Lf; Conceptio gloriosa;
Gloriosa virginis Mariae; Hodie nobis caelorum;
Sicut cedrus: all Vs; Verbum caro, Em;
Dythyrambus in honorem et laudem Div. Antonii Olissiponensis, EVp

instrumental
Overture in D, ed. in PM, ser. B, xvi (1969);
Concerto in A, hpd, str, ed. in PM, ser. B, xv (1969);
Sinfonia in B, ed. in PM, ser. B, xvii (1969)

Keyboard: 

64 authenticated sonatas in P-Cug, La, Ivo Cruz private collection, Ln, ed. in PM, x (1965);
24 authenticated sonatas in Ivo Cruz private collection;
16 non-authenticated sonatas in P-Cug, La, Ln, ed. in PM, x (1965)

Thanks for the helpful info. I didn't know anything about him though I have known his music for a few decades. Yes, he could have been influenced by Scarlattis, Vivaldi, etc. I see that he died relatively young. But he composed tons of music. Hope someone will release a complete keyboard works one day.

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

Enjoying the Brauchli album. Unpretentious presentation. Love the instrument though I have no idea what it is. Great, deep and elegant sound. Plus, nice cover art.