Arsénio Álvares de Freitas
(Santa Cruz, 18/07/1863) - (Santa Cruz, 07/12/1924)
Resumo:
[Santa Cruz, Madeira 18/07/1863 – Santa Cruz, Madeira 07/12/1924]
Conductor, composer, mandolinist and violinist. Arsénio Álvares de Freitas was conductor of the Banda Filarmónica União Fraternal Recreativa Santacruzense and founder of a quartet of strings in the 1920s.
Biography:
Arsénio Álvares de Freitas was born in 1863 in Santa Cruz, son of João Manuel Álvares and Maria Augusta de Freitas, brother of João Manuel Álvares de Freitas Júnior and Ángelo Álvares de Freitas. All musicians and conductors of recognized merit, in the society of Madeira in the second half of the nineteenth century and first part of the twentieth century.
The musical career of Arsénio Álvares de Freitas was signed in the activity of conductor of Filarmónica União Fraternal Recreativa Santacruzense, with beginning the 1888, according to the publication in Diário de Notícias.
As conductor of this harmony Arsénio Álvares de Freitas acted in Funchal and Santa Cruz, in the public spaces that, at the time, were used frequently for musical performances, like the public walk, kiosks and spaces of the churches.
On his personal life, it is said that Arsénio Álvares de Freitas married Maria Teresa de Oliveira Álvares, in 1891 in the city of Santa Cruz. Along with his musical activity from May 1899 also took the position of notary and writer in Santa Cruz County.
During the first part of the twentieth century, the musician continued to perform musical presentations with other groups. Enno Romano Álvares refers in the book Madeira e Música – Estudos [c.1508-c.1974] that, in 1920, Arsénio Álvares de Freitas organized a quartet of strings, known by “Quarteto do Sr. Arsénio” and formed by the musicians: José Olavo Spínola Barreto, first mandolim; Júlio Olavo Spínola Barreto, second mandolim; Manuel Olavo Spínola Barreto, rape; and Arsénio Álvares de Freitas as conductor, mandolinist and violinist.
Bibliography:
Genealogical Library of Lisbon (2000-2012). Accessed at http://www.geneall.net/P/per_page.php?id=692705 on August 20, 2012.
Morais, M. (coord. 2008). A Madeira e a Música – Estudos [c.1508-c.1974]. Funchal: Municipal Company 500 Years of Funchal, p. 468.
Diário de Notícias (1876 – ). “Coleção de Jornais”. In Madeira Regional Archive Library [s.n. digitized resource]. Funchal: published 05/01/1888, p. 2.
