Joao Domingos Bomtempo

João Domingos Bomtempo was a Portuguese classical pianist, composer and pedagogue. He was the son of an Italian musician in the Portuguese court orchestra, and studied at the Music Seminary of the Patriarchal See in Lisbon. Unlike most of his contemporaries, he was not interested in opera and, in 1801, instead of going to Italy, he traveled to Paris, where he started a career as a virtuoso pianist. He moved to London in 1810 and became acquainted with liberal circles in that city. During 1822 he returned to Lisbon, and founded there a Philharmonic Society to promote public concerts of contemporary music. After the Portuguese civil war between liberals and absolutists had resulted in a liberal victory, Bomtempo became a music teacher to the young Queen Maria II of Portugal and first Director of the National Conservatory, created in 1835 to replace the old Patriarchal Seminary, which had been abolished by the new liberal regime. Bomtempo composed a vast number of concertos, sonatas, variations and fantasies for the piano. His two known symphonies are the first to be produced by a Portuguese composer. But his largest work, and probably his masterpiece, is his Requiem in memory of Luís de Camões, which has been released on CD. He was known for his expressive and passionate playing, as well as for his unconventional and independent lifestyle. He was a pioneer for Portuguese music, breaking the stereotype that Portugal was only a country of fado and folklore. He inspired many composers to write for him, such as Marcos Portugal, João de Sousa Carvalho, and António Leal Moreira. He also collaborated with famous musicians such as Muzio Clementi, John Field, and Ignaz Moscheles. He was admired by many people, including the poet Manuel Maria Barbosa du Bocage, who wrote a sonnet in his honor, and the painter Domingos Sequeira, who made a portrait of him. He died in 1842, at the age of 66, in his hometown of Lisbon.