José da Costa Miranda
(Machico, 1908) - (Cascais, 1987)
Abstract:
[Machico, Madeira 1908 – Cascais, Portugal 1987]
Prolific composer of music for harmony and church. José da Costa Miranda was also conductor, singer and organist in the churches of Machico, Santa Cruz, Gaula, Santo da Serra and Porto da Cruz. He stood out again as Regent of the Banda Municipal de Machico.
Biography:
José da Costa Miranda was born in 1908 and died in Tires, Cascais, 1987. In spite of having been public servant in the City council of Machico, it was dedicated intensely to the music, was composer, master of harmonies and choruses , apart from instrumentalist and singer.
He began his musical studies in the Banda Municipal de Machico and later deepened his musical knowledge in military harmony and the Academy of Music, Belas-Artes e Línguas da Madeira, where he was a student of Gustavo Coelho.
He directed the Banda Municipal ode Machico to two periods: first, between 1929 and 1959, and later, between 1979 and 1984.
In the field of sacred music, he was master, singer and organist in the church of Machico and other parishes: Santa Cruz, Gaula, Santo da Serra and Porto da Cruz.
To his musical activity, the composition occupied a prominent place, reason by which there are many of the plays of its author. According to Vítor Sardinha, in the book Regionalização do Currículo de Educação Musical No. 2.º Ciclo, the Banda Municipal de Machico played with repertoire totally composed by José da Costa Miranda.
Among the main genres that José da Costa Miranda was dedicated stands marches, hymns, compositions for balls and religious musical genres, as masses and motets. According to the regent Amaro Nunes dos Santos, fifteen years after the death of José da Costa Miranda, the funeral march of his author was performed in Easter (Holy Week) and Machico’s miracle festival.
According to the witness of José Carmo Cunha, regent of the Banda Municipal de Santa Cruz, the creation of an extensive repertoire was due to the ease of José da Costa Miranda for the composition. Between his compositions, stands out the following works, available to the public: In Imaculada Conceição, from the collection of Padre Manuel de Nóbrega (acquired by the Direção Regional de Assuntos Culturais); Ó Virgo Prudentíssima, available in the Divisão de Investigação e Documentação do Gabinete Coordinator of Educação Artística; Missa em português, Divisão de Investigação and Documentação do Gabinete Coordinator of Educação Artística; Panis Angélicus, also available in the Divisão de Investigação e Documentação do Gabinete Archive Coordinator of Educação Artística; Vidi aquam egredientem, from the Padre Manuel de Nóbrega Collection.
Authors:
ESTEIREIRO, Paulo (2008). “José da Costa Miranda”. In 50 Histórias de Músicos na Madeira. Funchal: Associação de Amigos do Gabinete Coordenador de Educação Artística.
Update:
VENTURA, Ana (2011). “MIRANDA, José da Costa”. In Dicionário de Músicos na Madeira. Divisão de Investigação e Documentação: Gabinete Coordenador de Educação Artística. Funchal: atualizado em 27/10/2011.
Bibliography:
Esteireiro, P. (2008). “José da Costa Miranda”. In 50 Histórias de Músicos na Madeira. Funchal: Associação de Amigos do Gabinete Coordenador de Educação Artística, p. 75.
Gonçalves, C. et al. (2006). Regionalização do Currículo de Educação Musical no 2.º Ciclo. Funchal: Direção Regional de Educação, Gabinete Coordenador de Educação Artística.
