Marcos Portugal: mestre de música de suas altezas reais

In 1807 Marcos Portugal was appointed Master of Music to Their Royal Highnesses, and this was his principal position during the years spent in Rio de Janeiro, from 1811 to 1830. A substantial body of pedagogic material produced by the composer has survived: solfeggi, opera excerpts (reduced for voice and fortepiano accompaniment), canzonetteand ariette (with texts by Metastasio), and pieces for solo pianoforte: two overtures and ten "motives." This text attempts to describe the nature of this repertoire, to assess its importance and to reach certain conclusions concerning the demands that the Master made of his royal pupils. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]