Musicatlas
António Pinho Vargas
Music
Ensemble
- Six Portraits of Pain (2005)
for Violoncello and Large Ensemble
alto fl, ob, cl, bcl, fg, tp, cor, tbn, 3 perc., pf, Cello Solo, 6 vln, 2 vla, 2 vlc, 2 cb;
Duration: 27’
Comissioned by: Casa da Música / Porto 2001
Published by:
First Performance: Anssi Karttunen (violoncello) and Remix Ensemble, dir: Frank Ollu, Porto, 2005 - Machines Fictives (pour Pierrot le fou) (2003)
for Ensemble
fl; ob; cl; bcl, fg; 2 perc; pf; vl I; vl II; vla; vlc; cb;
Duration: 12’
Comissioned by: Fundação Oriente
Published by:
First Performance: OchestrUtópica, dir. Yu- Feng, Lisboa, 2003 - Três Versos de Caeiro (1997)
for 12 instruments
fl; ob; cl, cor; fg;; pf; perc; vln I ; vl II; vla; vlc; cb
Duration: 10’
Comissioned by: Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian
Published by:
First Performance: Ensemble Nuova Sincronia, dir. Renato Rivolta, Lisboa and Milano, 1997 - Três Quadros para Almada (1994)
for 10 instruments
fl, cl1, cl/clb, fg/cfg, tp, cr, tbn, pf, vln, vlc,
Duration: 17’
Comissioned by: Professional School of Music - Almada
Published by:
First Performance: Soloists from Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, Lisboa - Estudo/Figura (1990)
for 10 instruments
fl; cl; c.i.clb; vib/mar; cel/pf vln I vla; vlc; cb
Duration: 12’
Comissioned by:
Published by:
First Performance: Performance: Ensemble RC, dir. Arie Van Beck, Ammsterdam - Música Plana / Música Contraplana (1989)
for Opus Ensemble
ob/c.i.,vla, cb, pf.
Duration: 12’
Comissioned by: RTP
Published by:
First Performance: Soloists from Rotterdam’s Conservatorium, Amsterdam
(withdrawn for rev.) - Círculos (1986)
for ensemble (10 instruments)
fl; ob; cl; v; va; vc; pf; perc
Duration: 10’
Comissioned by:
Published by:
First Performance: Oficina Musical, dir. Álvaro Salazar, 1987
(withdrawn for rev.)
Orchestra
- Graffiti [just forms] (2006)
for large orchestra
(3.3.3.1.3.1- 6.3.3.1-5 perc. pf.hp.-16.14.12.10.8)
Duration: 25’
Comissioned by: Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
Published by:
First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, dir. LOTHAR KÖNIGS, Março
2006, Grande Auditório do CCB - Reentering (2004)
for orchestra and percussion obligato
(2.2.2.2. - 0.2.0.2. -1perc) (10.8.6.5.4)
Duration: 8’
Comissioned by: Teatro Nacional de S. Carlos
Published by:
First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa dir. Donato Renzentti, Lisboa, 2004 - ... Von Fremden Ländler ... (2004)
for piano solo and orchestra
(2.2.2.2 - 4.2.0.0. - 2 perc- 14.12.10.6.5)
Duration: 18’
Comissioned by: International Music Festival of Coimbra
Published by:
First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Yu Feng; piano: Anne Kaasa, Coimbra, 2004 - Duas Peças (1992–2000)
for string orchestra
(8.6.6.6.5)
Duration: 15’
Comissioned by:
Published by:
First Performance: Orq. Nacional do Porto, dir. Cesário Costa, V.N. Gaia - A Impaciência de Mahler (1999)
for orchestra
(2.2.2.2 - 4.2.0.0. 1 perc); (14.12.10.6.5)
Duration: 20’
Comissioned by: Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian
Published by: Fermata
First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Michael Zilm, Lisboa, 2001 - Acting-out (1998–2000)
for piano, percussion and orchestra
(2.2.2.1.2 - 2.2.2.2.1. 2 perc); strings A (6.6.4.4.3); strings B (6.6.4.4.3)
Duration: 19’
Comissioned by: Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
Published by:
First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, dir. António Saiote.
Piano: Miguel Henriques, Percussion: Elizabeth Davies, Lisboa, 1998 - Explicit Drama (1992)
for orchestra and jazz trio
Duration: 20’
Comissioned by: Comissão Portuguesa dos Descobrimentos
Published by:
First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Michel Swiertchevisky, Lisboa.
(withdrawn for rev.) - Geometral (1988–2000)
for Orchestra (27 instruments)
Duration: 20’
Comissioned by: Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian
Published by:
First Performance: Orq. Gulbenkian, dir. Michel Tabachnik, Lisboa, 1989
Chamber music
- Dois Violinos for Carlos Paredes (2003)
for 2 violins
(2.2.2.2. - 0.2.0.2. -1perc) (10.8.6.5.4)
Duration: 6’
Comissioned by: Movimentos Perpétuos
Published by:
First Performance: Aníbal Lima e Pedro Pacheco, Lisboa, 2003 - Step by Step, Wolfs! (2002)
for 6 perdussionists
(2.2.2.2. - 0.2.0.2. -1perc) (10.8.6.5.4)
Duration: 6 ‘
Comissioned by: Drumming
Published by:
First Performance: Drumming, dir. Miguel Bernat, 2002 - Três Estudos for 2 Pianos (2000–2001)
for 2 pianos
Duration: 15’
Comissioned by:
Published by:
First Performance: Miguel Henriques, Ana Valente, Lisboa, 2001 - Two Family Discussions (2001)
for 2 trumpets
Duration: 6’
Comissioned by: International Music Festival of Mafra
Published by: Instituto Camões, 2003
First Performance: John Wallace, John Miller, Mafra, 2001 - Quatro ou Cinco Movimentos Fugidios da Água (2001)
for clarinet trio
Duration: 15’
Comissioned by:
Published by: Quantitas, 2003
First Performance: Cl: António Saiote, Vlc: Jed Barahal, Pf: António Rosado, Póvoa de Varzim, 2001 - Sete Canções de Albano Martins (2000)
for barítone and piano
Duration: 18’
Comissioned by:
Published by: Fermata
First Performance: Paulo Ferreira, Jaime Mota, Porto, 2000 - Estudos e Interlúdios (2000)
for 6 percussionists
Duration: 25’
Comissioned by:
Published by:
First Performance: Drumming, dir. Miguel Bernat, Lisboa, 2000 - Terceiro Verso de Caeiro (1997)
for 4 instruments
Duration: 10’
Comissioned by: "Sven for Parlor"
Published by:
First Performance: "Sven for Parlor", Athens, 1997 - Nove Canções de António Ramos Rosa (1995)
for voice e piano
Duration: 25’
Comissioned by: Encontros Primavera de Guimarães
Published by: Fermata
First Performance: Rui Taveira, Jaime Mota, Guimarães, 1995 - Nocturno/Diurno (1994)
for string sextet
Duration: 8’
Comissioned by: Câmara Municipal do Porto
Published by:
First Performance: Sextuor L’Artois de Lille, Porto, 1994 - Monodia — quasi un requiem (1993)
for string quartet
Duration: 15’
Comissioned by: Câmara Municipal do Porto para as Jornadas de Arte Contemporânea de 1993
Published by:
First Performance: Ensemble MusikFabrik, Porto, 1993 - Mechanical String Toys (1992)
for string orchestra
(8,6,6,4,4)
Duration: 6’
Comissioned by: Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa
Published by:
First Performance: Orq. Metropolitana de Lisboa, dir. Miguel Graça Moura, Lisboa, 1992 - Poetica dell Estinzione (secondo mikhal serguieievitch) (1990)
for flute and string quartet
Duration: 6’
Comissioned by: Oficina Musical
Published by:
First Performance: Oficina Musical, dir. Álvaro Salazar, Porto, 1990 - Cut (1989 / rev.: 2004)
for saxophone quartet
alto/soprano; alto; tenor; baritone
Duration: 8’
Comissioned by:
Published by:
First Performance: Quarteto de Saxofones de Lisboa, Lisboa, 1989 - Gravitações (1984)
for flute and clarinet
alto/soprano; alto; tenor; baritone
Duration: 6’
Comissioned by: Oficina Musical
Published by:
First Performance: Eduardo Lucena, Américo Aguiar (Oficina Musical), Porto, 1984
(withdrawn for rev.)
Opera, oratoria
- Judas (secundum Lucam, Joannem, Matthaeum et Marcum) (2002)
for choir and orchestra
Large Choir; (2.2.2.2.4.2.2.0. 1 perc); (12.10.8.8.6)
Duration: 30’
Comissioned by: Festival de Música Sacra de Viana do Castelo
Published by:
First Performance: Choir and Orq. Gulbenkian dir. Fernando Eldoro, 2002 - Os Dias Levantados (1998)
opera
8 singers; Large Choir; (2.2.3.2 - 2.0.2.2 - 3 perc) ; Strings
Libretto: Manuel Gusmão
Duration: 105’
Comissioned by: Expo’98
Published by:
First Performance: Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, Choir from Teatro Nacional de S. Carlos, dir. João Paulo Santos, Lisboa, 1998 - Édipo — Tragédia de Saber (1996)
opera
4 singers; 32 choir; fl;fg; cl; ob; tp; tbn; 2 perc pf; vl I; vl II; vla; vln; cb;
Libretto: Pedro Paixão
Duration: 64’
Comissioned by: Culturgest
Published by:
First Performance: Soilists from Orq. Sinfónica Portuguesa, Choir from Teatro Nacional de S. Carlos, dir. João Paulo Santos, Lisboa, 1996 - Ancestral e Mudo (1994)
opera
for 4 mixed choir
Duration: 5’
Comissioned by:
Published by:
First Performance: Coro de Câmara de Lisboa, dir. Teresita Gutierrez Marques, Lisboa, 1994
Solo
- Il Ritorno (2002)
for harpsichord
Duration: 14’
Comissioned by: International Music Festival of Mafra
Published by: Instituto Camões, 2003
First Performance: Ana Mafalda Castro, Mafra, 2002 - Holderlinos (2001)
for piano
Duration: 26’
Comissioned by: International Music Festival of Coimbra
Published by:
First Performance: Miguel Henriques, Coimbra, 2001 - La Luna (1996)
for guitar
Duration: 3’
Comissioned by: Cecilia Colien Honneger
Published by: Cecilia Colien Honneger Album
First Performance: Gabriel Estrahellas, Madrid, 1996 - Mirrors (1989)
for piano
Duration: 9’
Comissioned by: Secretaria de Estado da Cultura
Published by: Musicoteca, 1994
First Performance: Paul Prenen, Amsterdam, 1990 - Três Fragmentos (1987)
for clarinet solo
Duration: 5’
Comissioned by:
Published by: Oficina Musical, 1995
First Performance: António Saiote, Lisboa, 1987 - Peça (1983)
for flute solo
Duration: 4’
Comissioned by: Calouste Gulbenkian School of Braga
Published by:
First Performance: Olavo Tengner, Jorge Salgado, Braga, 1983
(withdrawn for rev.)
Music for films
- Tempos Difíceis (1988) by João Botelho
- Aqui na Terra (1993) by João Botelho
- Cinco Dias, Cinco Noites (1996) by José Fonseca e Costa
- Quem és Tu ? (2001) by João Botelho
- O Fascínio (2003) by José Fonseca e Costa
Life
António Pinho Vargas was born in 1951, in Vila Nova de Gaia near Oporto. He graduated in History and has the final degree in Piano by the Oporto Conservatory. With a scholarship from the Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian, he studied three years with the composer Klaas de Vries at the Rotterdam Conservatory, having majored in Composition in 1990. He was decorated by the President of the Portuguese Republic with the commend Order of the Infante D.Henrique, in 1995. He now teaches Composition at Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa since 1991 . Attended composition courses, workshops and seminars in Portugal with Emanuel Nunes; in the Netherlands with John Cage and Louis Andriessen; in Hungary with György Ligeti and in Italy with Franco Donatoni. He was music consultant both to The Serralves Foundation (Oporto) between 1994 and 2000, and Centro Cultural de Belém (Lisbon), between 1996 and 1998.
Begun to play jazz in 1974 with musicians such as Kenny Wheeler, Steve Potts, Paolo Fresu, Arild Andersen, Jon Christensen and Adam Rudolph. With his jazz group he performed trough Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom, the former Yugoslavia, The United States of America, Cape Verde, South Africa and Macao. Having recorded : Outros Lugares (1983), Cores e Aromas (1985), As Folhas Novas Mudam de Cor (1987), Os Jogos do Mundo (1989), Selos e Borboletas (1991), A Luz e a Escuridão (1996), and the best-of As Mãos (1998). He was awarded three times with the "Sete de Ouro", the Portuguese Press Prize for Best Instrumental Record of the Year. He also composes for theatre and cinema, such as for João Botelho’s movies Tempos Difíceis – Hard Times (1988), I.P.C. Award for Best Soundtrack, and Aqui na Terra – Here On Earth (1993); also José Fonseca e Costa’s movie Cinco Dias, Cinco Noites – Five Days, Five Nights (1996), awarded as Best Soundtrack at the Gramado Movie Festival (Brasil) and João Botelho’s Quem és tu? – Who Are You? (2001) and O Fascínio (2003), a José Fonseca e Costa movie. Also composed for Carlos Avilez staging of William Shakespeare’s plays Hamlet (1987) and Richard II (1995).
Since his years in Holand, António Pinho Vargas composes mainly contemporary music, having reached a proeminent place in the Portuguese music scenario. He had his works performed in France, Germany, Holand, Belgium, Poland, Hungary, Sweden, Spain, Brasil, United Kingdom and USA.
His compositions have been comissioned or sponsored by institutions such as Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian, Culturgest, Lisbon’s 94 – European Capital of Culture, Expo’98, Teatro Nacional de S. Carlos, Porto’2001 – European Capital of Culture.
In António Pinho Vargas’ works, there are compositions for ensemble and solo instruments, such as Mirrors (for piano solo, first performed in Amsterdam, 1990, by Paul Prenen; later performed by Ronald Brautigam, Madalena Soveral, Francisco Monteiro, Tania Achot, Gloria Chen-Chocran, Volker Banfield, Miguel Henriques, and others), or Três Versos de Caeiro (Ensemble Nuova Sincronia, Northern Sinfonia, OrchestrUtopica, Remix Ensemble); compositions for orchestra: Acting Out, (under António Saiote, J.R. Encinar , Martin André), A Impaciência de Mahler, (under. Michael Zilm, Martin André); for choir and orchestra: Judas secundum Lucam, Joannem, Matthaeum et Marco, (under Fernando Eldoro); and the operas Édipo, Tragédia de Saber and Os Dias Levantados (under João Paulo Santos).
In April 2005 took place the premiere of Six Portraits of Pain for cello and large ensemble – Anssi Karttunen, cello and Remix Ensemble conducted by Frank Ollu – at the opening of Casa da Música, Porto.
He was at Other Minds V Festival, organized by Charles Amirkhanian in S.Francisco, USA, in March 1999; at the International Music Theatre Workshop, at Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf, for a video presentation of Os Dias Levantados and in 2001 was at the Bellagio Study and Conference Center, Italy, with a scolarship from the Rockefeller Foundation.
The CD Monodia, was edited at 1995 by EMI Classics, sponsored by Lisbon’94 — European Capital of Culture. The string quartet Monodia-quasi un requiem was played in 1998 by the Artis Quartet of Wien, and it’s included in the Portuguese Chamber Music CD, performed by Arditti String Quartet (Etcetera Records). The CD Versos was edited in 2001 by Strauss and the sponsorship of IPAE.
Between February and March 2002, Culturgest promoted a Festival dedicated to António Pinho Vargas’ work. It was made a short film António Pinho Vargas, notas de um compositor – António Pinho Vargas, a composer’s notes , comissioned by Culturgest, LxFilmes and RTP, directed by Manuel Mozos and Luís Correia.
In 2002 also was released of the composer’s first book, Sobre Música – On Music, edited by Afrontamento, which contains seven essays and several texts and interviews. The live recording of the opera Os Dias Levantados, was released at 2005 by EMI Classics. António Pinho Vargas is member of the artistic direction of OrchestrUtopica.
He is now doing his PhD degree at the University of Durham(UK) under the supervision of Prof. Max Paddison (University of Durham) and Prof. Boaventura de Sousa Santos (C.E.S. of the University of Coimbra, Portugal), with a Fellowship from the Foundation of Science and Technology.
In March 2006 was premiered the large orchestra work Graffiti [just forms] by the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa under Lothar Königs.