Constança Capdeville
Encyclopedia
Constança Capdeville was a Portuguese
pianist, percussionist, music educator and composer. She was born in Barcelona
and lived in the village of Caxias
as a child, writing piano compositions at an early age. She studied piano and composition at the Lisbon Conservatorio Nacional.
After completing her musical studies, Capdeville taught music at the National Conservatory and the New University of Lisbon
. She was a member of the Portuguese Council of Music and the Catalan Composers Association of Barcelona. She won the Portuguese Medal of Cultural Merit in 1990, and the Insignia of the Order of Santiago da Espada posthumously in 1992. She died in Caxias.
Born March 16th - 1937 in Barcelona (Spain), Constança Capdeville was a leading figure in XXth century contemporary musical composition in her country.
She came from a family closely knit to many of the arts. In her youth she had been exposed to towering creative geniouses among which include Salvador Dali
and her sister
(Eunice Muñoz
) is a highly regarded actress.
She began her music studies in Barcelona before having settled down permanently in Portugal in 1951. She pursued further in the field studying piano with Varela Cid and musical composition with Jorge Croner de Vasconcellos, having received her dimploma for Higher Education
in Music from the National Conservatory of Lisbon. She thenceforth specialized her studies in music by applying herself to the "Study of Ancient Music" (paleography/transribing, organology
, clavichord
and Performance practice) with Macário Santiago Kastner.
A prolific Portuguese composer, already having begun her musical studies at an early age at the National Conservatory of Lisbon, she had composed many pieces of which were mostly for her instrument, the piano.
By 1969 she had begun to have her works commissioned by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
for its orchestra.
Having her life cut short at the age of 54 she was an active writer having produced approximately 100 pieces for:
orchestra, chamber ensembles, a variety of soloists using different instruments, music for films and plays, Ballet / Dance, 'dramatized' staged performances and an assortment of other types of pieces. From early on her music revealed close ties to the dramatic arts and to the imagery of the Human status evoked though sound and Mise en scène
.
Always deeply and profoundly moved by the various Arts her work and mode of conduct in Music was, and is, laden with multiple artistic perception.
It is thus not surprising in the least that she had been throughout her life a close artistic and personal friend of music genius Jorge Peixinho
whom had himself been a towering influence upon the contemporary Portugal
of the latter half of the XXth century (in many fronts of music creation, development and divulging among other activities).
Also a talented percussionist, as a musician her main instrument was the piano.
She taught at the above mentioned conservatory and the Academia de Musica de Santa Cecilia (in Lisbon
).
Having taught in said institutions as well as at the Musicology department of the 'Universidade Nova de Lisboa' (New University of Lisbon
) 's Faculty of Humanities ( UNL- FCSH ) she therefrom exerted high influence upon many, some of which not only pursued the life of music and composition but are themselves recipients of prestigious national and international awards (Eurico Carrapatoso
among others).
Among other groups and entities Capdeville was an esteemed member of the Portuguese Music Council and also the Catalan Composers Association of Barcelona.
By 1990 she had won the Portuguese Medal of Cultural Merit.
The Insignia of the Order of Santiago da Espada was bestowed upon her posthumously in 1992.
Her life had been cut short that same year on February 4th due to Cancer.
She was still residing in Caxias at the time.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
pianist, percussionist, music educator and composer. She was born in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
and lived in the village of Caxias
Caxias
Caxias is a Portuguese name that can refer to:* Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, a Brazilian military leader, nobleman and statesman-Brazil:*Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul*Caxias *Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro...
as a child, writing piano compositions at an early age. She studied piano and composition at the Lisbon Conservatorio Nacional.
After completing her musical studies, Capdeville taught music at the National Conservatory and the New University of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. She was a member of the Portuguese Council of Music and the Catalan Composers Association of Barcelona. She won the Portuguese Medal of Cultural Merit in 1990, and the Insignia of the Order of Santiago da Espada posthumously in 1992. She died in Caxias.
Brief Bio.
- XXth Century music composer.
Born March 16th - 1937 in Barcelona (Spain), Constança Capdeville was a leading figure in XXth century contemporary musical composition in her country.
She came from a family closely knit to many of the arts. In her youth she had been exposed to towering creative geniouses among which include Salvador Dali
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
and her sister
(Eunice Muñoz
Eunice Muñoz
Eunice Muñoz, OSE, GCIH is a Portuguese actress. She was born in Amareleja, Portugal.-External links:...
) is a highly regarded actress.
She began her music studies in Barcelona before having settled down permanently in Portugal in 1951. She pursued further in the field studying piano with Varela Cid and musical composition with Jorge Croner de Vasconcellos, having received her dimploma for Higher Education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
in Music from the National Conservatory of Lisbon. She thenceforth specialized her studies in music by applying herself to the "Study of Ancient Music" (paleography/transribing, organology
Organology
Organology is the science of musical instruments and their classification. It embraces study of instruments' history, instruments used in different cultures, technical aspects of how instruments produce sound, and musical instrument classification...
, clavichord
Clavichord
The clavichord is a European stringed keyboard instrument known from the late Medieval, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. Historically, it was widely used as a practice instrument and as an aid to composition, not being loud enough for larger performances. The clavichord produces...
and Performance practice) with Macário Santiago Kastner.
A prolific Portuguese composer, already having begun her musical studies at an early age at the National Conservatory of Lisbon, she had composed many pieces of which were mostly for her instrument, the piano.
By 1969 she had begun to have her works commissioned by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is a Portuguese private foundation of public utility whose statutory aims are in the fields of arts, charity, education, and science...
for its orchestra.
Having her life cut short at the age of 54 she was an active writer having produced approximately 100 pieces for:
orchestra, chamber ensembles, a variety of soloists using different instruments, music for films and plays, Ballet / Dance, 'dramatized' staged performances and an assortment of other types of pieces. From early on her music revealed close ties to the dramatic arts and to the imagery of the Human status evoked though sound and Mise en scène
Mise en scène
Mise-en-scène is an expression used to describe the design aspects of a theatre or film production, which essentially means "visual theme" or "telling a story"—both in visually artful ways through storyboarding, cinematography and stage design, and in poetically artful ways through direction...
.
Always deeply and profoundly moved by the various Arts her work and mode of conduct in Music was, and is, laden with multiple artistic perception.
It is thus not surprising in the least that she had been throughout her life a close artistic and personal friend of music genius Jorge Peixinho
Jorge Peixinho
Jorge Peixinho was a Portuguese composer, pianist, and conductor.Peixinho studied composition and piano initially at the Conservatory of Lisbon , then studied composition with Boris Porena and Goffredo Petrassi at the Accademia de Santa Cecilia in Rome, graduating in 1961...
whom had himself been a towering influence upon the contemporary Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
of the latter half of the XXth century (in many fronts of music creation, development and divulging among other activities).
Also a talented percussionist, as a musician her main instrument was the piano.
She taught at the above mentioned conservatory and the Academia de Musica de Santa Cecilia (in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
).
Having taught in said institutions as well as at the Musicology department of the 'Universidade Nova de Lisboa' (New University of Lisbon
New University of Lisbon
Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, , also known as NOVA ) was established in 1973 and is the youngest of the three public universities of Lisbon, in Portugal....
) 's Faculty of Humanities ( UNL- FCSH ) she therefrom exerted high influence upon many, some of which not only pursued the life of music and composition but are themselves recipients of prestigious national and international awards (Eurico Carrapatoso
Eurico Carrapatoso
Eurico Carrapatoso ComIH is a Portuguese composer.-Awards and honors:2006 - UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers, Paris, with his O meu poemário infantil for tenor and orchestra...
among others).
Among other groups and entities Capdeville was an esteemed member of the Portuguese Music Council and also the Catalan Composers Association of Barcelona.
By 1990 she had won the Portuguese Medal of Cultural Merit.
The Insignia of the Order of Santiago da Espada was bestowed upon her posthumously in 1992.
Her life had been cut short that same year on February 4th due to Cancer.
She was still residing in Caxias at the time.
Works
Capdeville composed about a hundred works, including orchestral music, theater works and film soundtracks. Selected works include:- Diferenças Sobre o Intervalo for orchestra
- Convivium Musicum for chamber ensemble
- ColecViva, film music
- Opus Sic, film music
- Palavres para dentro, theatrical