Nepomuceno, Alberto

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Nepomuceno, Alberto

Nepomuceno, Alberto, important Brazilian composer; b. Fortaleza, July 6, 1864; d. Rio de Janeiro, Oct. 16, 1920. He studied in Rome, Berlin, and Paris, returning to Brazil in 1895. In 1902 he was appointed director of the Instituto Nacional de Música in Rio de Janeiro, remaining only for a few months; he returned to this post in 1906, holding it until 1916. In 1910 he conducted Brazilian music at the International Exposition in Brussels. In some of his music he introduced thematic material from Brazilian folk music.

Works

dramatic: opera:Artemis (Rio de Janeiro, June 14, 1898); O Garatuja (Rio de Janeiro, Oct. 26, 1904); Abul (1899–1905; Buenos Aires, June 30, 1913). other: Sym. (1894; pubi. 1937); Serie brasileira for Orch. (1892; contains a popular batuque); chamber music; over 80 songs; piano and organ pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire