José Vianna da Motta
“A close friend of Busoni and pupil of Franz Liszt”
Why is Vianna da Motta important?
He is one of the principal Romantic Portuguese composers, and it might have been the biggest contributors to the musical nationalism in Portugal.
His music has a strong germanic influence that can be recognised in his style of orchestration, his choice of nacional themes and characters, just like Wagner, and extra musical programs like in the symphonic poems of Liszt and Smetana. This patriotic exaltation shown in his orchestral music, is inspired but the famous Portuguese epic poem "Lusíadas" by Luís de Camões, that can be read in the opening pages of the Dona Inês de Castro Overture, Invocation to the Lusíadas and Symphony in A Major "To the Fatherland".
Known to the rest of the world mainly as a virtuoso pianist, with profound interpretations and well structured, he went to Germany where he studied piano with Liszt, and orchestral conducting with the famous conductor of the time, Hans von Bülow. He was also a close friend to the famous pianist Ferruccio Busoni.
Later in Portugal, he became the director of the Nacional Conservatory in Lisbon, reformed the music programs and modernised teaching methods with gigantic success.
As a piano pedagogue, had Nella Maissa and Sequeira Costa as students. Two of the most though after Portuguese pianists of the XX century.
His orchestral works, available through my critical editions, are:
Dramatic Fantasy - (Critical Edition)
Piano Concerto in A Major - (Critical Edition)
Overture to Inês de Castro
Ave Maria for Female choir and string orchestra