Francisco Fernandes da Silva (Jr.)

Abstract:
[Funchal, Madeira 14/04/1894 – Funchal, Madeira 26/08/1982]
Regent of the Orfeão de Câmara de Lobos, composed of 500 students, Francisco Fernandes da Silva Júnior was also artistic director of the Filarmónica Recreio dos Lavradores e do Grupo Recreativo 1º de dezembro de 1940. A renowned composer and an accomplished musician, who distinguished himself as cornettist.

Biography:
Francisco Fernandes da Silva Júnior was born on April 14, 1894 in Câmara de Lobos.
The first references to his performance as a musician are from 1916. With twenty-two years Francisco Júnior was a musician of Regimento de Infantaria Nº27 and distinguished himself in Filarmónica Recreio dos Lavradores as a cornettist. At the time, the harmony was under the artistic direction of João Rodrigues do Nascimento, but in November of the same year Francisco Fernandes da Silva Júnior began the role of regent of Filarmónica Recreio dos Lavradores, where he played by around fifty years.
The Diário de Notícias published in 1917 a reference to the action of harmony and compositions presented. Harmony “is now ruled by Sir Francisco Fernandes da Silva Júnior, and the church orchestra of the same harmony, by the distinct musician Sir Anselmo Serrão. He has a march O Último Adeus, composition of the gentleman Anselmo de F. Serrão, as well as another march composed by the new regent [Francisco Fernandes Júnior]”. Anselmo Serrão was one of the contemporary Madeira musicians of Francisco Fernandes da Silva Júnior, who has distinguished himself as a composer, organist, conductor, violinist, mandolinist and active participant in religious harmonies.
Francisco Júnior also dedicated a part of his career to the teaching of choral singing, a compulsory area of ​​the program in the early twentieth century. The musician is a group of 500 pupils, kindergartens of Câmara de Lobos, which he directed in an Orpheon Scolar, whose first public presentation was arrived on July 8, 1934.
For the work developed in the harmony orchestras Francisco Júnior played the roles of regent in the events of great importance, as the commemorations of the centenarians of the Restoration of Portugal on December 1, 1940 (1140-1640-1940). In this ephemeris Francisco Fernandes da Silva Júnior presented to Câmara de Lobos, on his regency, Grupo Recreativo 1º de Dezembro of 1940.
In the Filarmónica Recreio de Lavradores, Francisco Júnior played the role of artistic director, replaced by the conductor and composer Raul Gomes Serrão on November 18, 1967, probably for health reasons that led him to give up the role.
The 50th anniversary of the Filarmónica Recreio dos Lavradores, celebrated in November 1922 and reported by the Diário de Notícias, demonstrates the religious aspect of this musical group and its notoriety in the culture and society of the time. “Solemnize his 50th birthday, this appreciated harmony, much known in Funchal, will celebrate this date, at 6 o’clock in the morning, the Recreio dos Lavradores will leave his rehearsal room, leading to the chapel of N.S. da Conceição, his boss, where will performed a sung Mass, at 9 o’clock in the night, returned to his house rehearsals, played for this occasion, a pretty ordinary expressly composed by the regent Sir Francisco Fernandes da Silva Júnior”.
In 1923, in the commemorations of the 51 years of leadership of the Filarmónica Recreio de Lavradores group, Francisco Fernandes da Silva Júnior was forced to abandon his role as artistic director for health reasons.

Authors:
Camacho, Liliana (16/11/2010). “Francisco Fernandes da Silva Júnior”. In Artes e Educação. Funchal: Jornal da Madeira.

Update:
Ventura, Ana (2011). “Francisco Fernandes da Silva Júnior”. In Dicionário Online de Músicos na Madeira. Funchal: Divisão de Investigação e Documentação, Gabinete Coordenador de Educação Artística, atualizado em 22/06/2011.

Music:
O Último Adeus.

Bibliography:
Diário de Notícias (1876 – ). “Coleção de Jornais”. In Biblioteca do Arquivo Regional da Madeira [s.n. recurso digitalizado]. Funchal:” publicado em 18/11/1922, anexo 343, p. 1.
Dicionário Corográfico. “Banda Municipal de Câmara de Lobos”. Acedido em http://www.concelhodecamaradelobos.com/dicionario/banda_municipal_camara_lobos.html a 06/07/2011.
Morais, M. (2008). A Madeira e a Música: Estudos (c.1508-c.1974). Funchal: Empresa Municipal “500 Anos do Funchal”, p. 400, 460, 468.
Freitas, M. P. (2007). Revista de Temas Culturais do Concelho de Câmara de Lobos. Câmara de Lobos: Revista Girão, Vol. I, Nº4, p. 141.