João De Souza Carvalho

João De Sousa Carvalho 22 February 1745 – C. 1798 Was The Foremost Portuguese Composer Of His Generation. Born In Estremoz He Studied Music From 1753 At The Colégio Dos Santos Reis In Vila Viçosa Then From 1761 At The Conservatório Di Sant' Onofrio A Porta Capuana In Naples. In 1766 His Setting Of Metastasio’s Operatic Libretto La Nitteti Was Performed In Rome. The Following Year He Joined The Irmandade De Santa Cecília At Lisbon And Was Appointed Professor Of Counterpoint In The Seminário Da Patriarcal Where He Later Served As Mestre 1769–1773 And Mestre De Capela 1773–1798 . In 1778 He Became Music Teacher To The Royal Family. He Died In Alentejo. His Numerous Church Works Are Written In A Style Similar To That Of Niccolò Jommelli And Sometimes Haydn. Several Of His Opere Serie And Serenatas Were Performed At The Royal Palaces Of Ajuda And Queluz. Some Of His Keyboard Music Survives And Is Occasionally Played Today. read less