Presentation of Noble et sentimental at the Alcobaça Music Festival

On July 5 (5.00 pm), Cesário Costa (Research Group for the Study of Music, Critical Theory and Communication) will present his latest book, Noble et sentimental: Pedro de Freitas Branco and the Interpretation of Maurice Ravel’s Music, at the Alcobaça Music Festival (Armazém das Artes).

Pedro de Freitas Branco (1896-1963) was one of the most prominent figures in 20th-century Portuguese music. Throughout his career, he revitalized the Portuguese musical scene by creating various opera companies, organizing the New Symphonic Concerts of Lisbon, and serving as the conductor of the Orquestra Sinfónica da Emissora Nacional. He also developed an international career, regularly conducting different European orchestras and being regarded as a leading interpreter of Maurice Ravel’s orchestral music.

This book aims to understand the reasons behind the recognition of the Portuguese conductor’s interpretations of the French composer’s works. It also seeks to explore the aesthetic dialogue established between Maurice Ravel and Pedro de Freitas Branco and how this was fundamental to Freitas Branco’s interpretations. Additionally, it examines why the French composer might have prioritized the Portuguese conductor’s interpretations and how Freitas Branco’s approach fits into the interpretive practices of Ravel’s music, alongside other performers of his time, thus defining his unique identity as an interpreter.