António Simões de Carvalho Barbas was born in Elvas, Alentejo region of Portugal, on February 15, 1849, and from a young age, he nourished a passion for music. After completing his studies at the Seminary of Elvas, he enrolled at the University of Coimbra in 1871 and graduated in the theological-legal course in the academic year 1876/77. In that year, while in his fifth year of Law, he composed a significant portion of the music for the farewell performance of his course, arranged the orchestral pieces, and conducted the orchestra. From 1881 onwards, he held the position of professor of music at the Royal Chapel of the University of Coimbra. In March 1888, he was invited to become the director of the orchestra that would later be known as the University of Coimbra’s Tuna Académica, a position he held until 1899.(Simões Barbas, No.14)
As a young man, he was an excellent flute player, but health issues prevented him from continuing to play wind instruments. He dedicated himself to string instruments, such as the cello, mandolin, and particularly the guitar. He gained recognition from 1886 as guitarist and, in particular, the 11-string guitar.
He composed and arranged music for choir, orchestra, cello quartet, flute and piano, guitar with 6, 7, and 11 strings. Some of his works were published, but a large part of his production remains to be located.
Simões Barbas’ name became associated with the artistic life of the Academy and the city of Coimbra, where he passed away on March 28, 1916, a victim of pulmonary tuberculosis.
This untitled composition, dated December 25, 1904, appears on a handwritten sheet found among the documents at the family residence in Elvas, by his great-grandson Jaime Dória Cortesão.
Text written by Adamo Caetano (www.tauc.net)
You can download it for free in the Scores section of this website
Rui Namora 