António Fragoso


António de Lima Fragoso was a Portuguese composer and pianist.

Biography

Fragoso was born in Pocariça, Cantanhede. According to the Biblioteca Municipal de Cantanhede, he was given his earliest music lessons by his uncle, Dr. António dos Santos Tovin, and continued after his move to Oporto under the supervision of another uncle, who was also Fragoso's godfather, Dr José d´Oliveira Lima. He studied piano with Professor Ernesto Maia.
At Lisbon Conservatoire of music, which he entered aged 17, he studied harmony and score-reading, and piano with Marcos Garin, Tomás Borba and Luís de Freitas Branco. He achieved very high marks in his final examination on 3 July 1918.
On 13 October 1918 influenza claimed his life. He died in his house in Pocariça, aged 21.
Producer Manuela Paraíso describes his musical style as "having notable influences of Chopin, Fauré and Debussy", yet also asserts that "his beautiful, melancholy music has an identity of its own".
Today, the Associação António Fragoso exists to commemorate his work, and promote recordings and performances of his music.