One of the main factors for the establishment of the piano and dissemination of its practice by a large number of people is the existence of teachers that help in learning this musical instrument. Thus, we intend to make a brief journey through the education of this instrument in Madeira since the first half of the nineteenth century, when it began to be spread in Madeira, until the mid-twentieth century.
Currently, the existing knowledge about the education of the piano before the creation of the Music Academy of Madeira is relatively sparse. There is a text by the Russian aristocrat Platão de Waxel that gives us some indication of pianists and piano masters; we can also highlight texts by some foreigners who visited Madeira, indicating the existence of piano teachers on request at hotels, as well as the cost of their classes; Luiz Peter Clode in his book “Registo bio-bibliográfico de madeirenses” also presents some biographies that contain some references to the teaching of piano; the book “50 Histórias de Músicos na Madeira”, recently published, also contains many important references for the study of the history of the piano in Funchal; and finally there are texts scattered in tourism yearbooks, in newspapers and magazines, that indirectly approach the topic of learning the piano. From these sources, we will try to organize a brief outline of the main piano teachers in Funchal, trying to organize them by generation.
The first reference we have on piano classes in Funchal goes back to the year 1827. According to information, Carlos Guigou [y Poujol (1799-1851)], musician, entitled professor at the Conservatory in Paris, gave fiddle and piano lessons at Rua da Alfândega (Carita e Mello, 1988: 35). This French composer established himself in 1828 in Tenerife, where he stayed until his death in the 1850's, having been the founder of the first orchestra from Santa Cruz de Tenerife and author of symphonic works, repertoire that was uncommon in the first half of the nineteenth century in Spain (La Creación Musical en Canárias, s.d.). Possibly, the musician didn’t have a set of students that provided an acceptable and honourable economic situation in Funchal, as we found references to a concert in his benefit at the end of 1827 (Carita e Mello: 35), that seems to indicate that Guigou went through some financial difficulties in Madeira.
Before Guigou, it is possible that other musicians gave piano lessons in Funchal, although we have no knowledge of written references. If it is known that the island of Boavista in Cabo Verde already had a piano master from Lisbon to teach children in 1823 (Bowdich, 1825: 183), is also likely that Funchal had piano teachers since the first quarter of the nineteenth century. For example, it is possible that the musician João Fradesso Bello, pupil of Frei José Marques – last teacher at the Patriarchal Seminary Chapel and author of pieces for piano - gave piano lessons in Funchal, since his arrival in Madeira in 1811. The musician came to Madeira, invited by the Bishop Ataíde and was organist and music teacher (Vakcel, 1948: 3). Thus, taking into account that he is referred as music professor of the pianist Ricardo Porfírio de Afonseca, who was organist and studied with Frei José Marques, it is possible that he was the first musician to teach piano in Funchal (Wakcel, 1949: 4).
Another musician who may have also taught piano during the first quarter of the nineteenth century was João Pedro Correia(?-1840) (Silva e Meneses, 1984: 416), that also heralded in the media, in 1827, offering “singing and playing lessons of an hour or two” (Carita e Mello, 1988: 35). However, it is not known if the lessons were to play the piano or another musical instrument.
With precision and certainty, the first professor of piano, established in Funchal, which we have objective knowledge from pupils of piano was Ricardo Porfírio de Afonseca (1802-1858), musician who was a distinguished figure in Funchal society in the second quarter of the nineteenth century and came to preside the elite ‘Club Funchalense’. In the music field he was, as mentioned above, pupil of the organist João Fradesso Bello, musician who came to Madeira in the first quarter of the nineteenth century, not knowing if he had other teachers. Porfírio de Afonseca was one of the pioneer Madeiran musicians in composing pieces for piano - his pieces are the oldest piano compositions we know by an author from Madeira - and it is known that he also gave classes as it is referenced by Waxel as the first teacher of the pianist António José Bernes (?-1880), musician who later studied in Vienna and Naples (Vakcel, 1948: 3).
The musical prestige of Ricardo Afonseca in Funchal society was high, being recognized as a distinguished musician probably as the most prominent piano player, before the establishment in Madeira of Duarte Joaquim dos Santos in the mid-40’s. Proving it, when the Philharmonic Society was created in 1840, the main purpose was declared “to perform at evening gatherings, patriotic celebrations and accompany different musicians as the violinist Agostinho Robbio, the ‘machetista’ Candido Drummond de Vasconcellos, the clarinettist Caetano Domingos Drolha, and the pianist Ricardo Porfírio da Fonseca” (Carita e Mello, 1988: 39).
Another piano professor active in Funchal since the end of the 30’s was António Maria Frutuoso da Silva. The musician arrived in Madeira on January 8th of 1837, and there are evidences that he assumed teaching in the city of Funchal of "piano, fiddle and singing" at his residence (Pinto, 2005). Fellow countryman of Ricardo Porfírio de Afonseca and of António Frutuoso da Silva, Duarte Joaquim dos Santos (1801-1855) was born in Olivença (Pinto, 2008: 1), in the year when this town was invaded by the Spanish, being referenced by Platão de Waxel in 1869, as “one of the best piano teachers in recent times” in Madeira, the Russian author adding that Santos was a pupil “in Portugal of Father Gallão and the great Hummel in London” (Vakcel, 1948: 3). The musician came for the first time to Madeira in 1827, but was only remained here for a short period of time. Prior to moving definitively to Funchal, probably in the first half of the 40’s, Duarte Joaquim dos Santos was a professor at a London College for women, since the second half of the 20’s, coming to this city with a letter of recommendation from João Domingos Bomtempo. In London, it is known that the musician gave piano lessons to Queen Mary II, during the period in which he resided in the British capital (Pinto, 2008: 1).
When he came to Madeira, where he lived more than a decade and where he had children (Clode, 1952: 289), the musician had experience of teaching in England, it is however unknown, the name of any direct pupil of Duarte Joaquim dos Santos in Madeira, so we cannot say with absolute certainty, that the musician was a piano teacher in Funchal, despite the reference by Waxel points in that direction.
The most prominent teacher and composer of the next generation was António José Bernes (?-1880). Having studied with Porfírio de Afonseca and later in Austria and Italy, the Madeiran musician had good musical training, since he was described by Platão de Waxel - in the period in which the Russian author lived in Funchal (1861-1869) – as “The only composer who deserves to some extent, this name” in Madeira (Vakcel, 1948: 3). His musical prestige in Funchal was high because, when the violinist Agostinho Robio performed in Funchal for the second time in 1852, accompanied by an orchestra led by António José Bernes, it was said that the Madeiran musician was a "talent that greatly honoured his homeland" (Carita e Mello, 1988: 42).
António Bernes was a very requested piano teacher, as he is the first teacher from which there’s evidence that had several pupils. According to Waxel, the “best pupil [of Bernes] is Miss Maria Paula K Rego” (Vakcel, 1948: 3), pianist that already in the mid 50’s performed in charity concerts organized by Júlia de França Neto (Pinto, 2008: 10), suggesting that António Bernes began teaching at least since the beginning of the 50’s, or possibly even a little earlier having remained in business in Funchal during the 60’s, when there are evidences of having participated in a musical gathering organized by his pupil Maria Paula Rego (in 1866). The ‘Elucidário Madeirense’ refers that Bernes died “in Portugal in 1880”, being understood here that “Portugal” means the mainland. It is unknown when the musician left the island (Silva & Meneses, 1984: 398).
The fact that Waxel refers to Maria Paula Rego as Bernes’ “best pupil”, and also to be the first Madeiran woman who studied in Funchal, suggests that the piano was already part of female education, of the higher class, at the end of the 40’s. According to knowledge we have it is from this decade on we learn the names of the first Madeiran women who studied piano, for example Carlota Cabral and the fore mentioned Maria Paula Rego, that participated on December 28th 1854 in the first of the ten benefit concerts organized by Júlia de França Neto (Pinto, 2008: 10).
However, despite not having names of women who studied piano before the end of the 40’s - with the exception of Julia França Neto, who around 1840 already learned piano, singing and harmony, while abroad (Pinto, 2008: 9) –, there is a reference in 1838, which describes a musical episode in the church of Santa Clara, in which a young lady played a piano beside the altar, accompanied by her mother on the harp (Taylor, 1840: 72). This reference makes us believe that the teaching of the piano as an integral part of female education happened in some cases since the 30’s or even the 20’s.
Whatever the decade in which the piano became part of the "girls accomplishments" what is certain is that the piano entered female education in a relatively natural way. Taking into consideration that music was already part of the few educational activities for women, it is very likely that when the piano entered the Madeiran market, it must have been set with relative ease in female life.
In the generation after António José Bernes, already in the 60s, his former student Maria Paula Rego, stands out as teacher, as well as two foreign piano teachers who lived for long periods of time in Funchal. – The Princess of Waxel and the German George Friedrich Sattler (1838-1910?). The Princess of Waxel, a Russian aristocrat, who lived in Funchal between 1861 and 1869, who’s only referenced pupil is the pianist José Sarmento (1842-1905), a Madeiran musician who later travelled through Europe to further his musical studies and who came to live with Liszt (Clode, 1983: 433). Although there is only one pupil known, he was such a prominent figure in music in Madeira over the second half of the nineteenth century, it is important to emphasize the role of the Princess of Waxel.
In turn, the German lawyer George Friedrich Sattler, known in Funchal as Dr. Sattler, came to Madeira in 1864, having lived here probably until 1910, year in which he ceases to be Honorary Consul of Germany for Madeira, a position he held since 1876. He was a distinguished merchant in the Madeiran society and held the posts of vice president and president of the Commercial Association of Funchal. He was passionate for the art of music and was Music teacher and organist of the English Church of this city (Clode, 1983: 434). In the 60s, when he came to Madeira, Dr. Sattler gave piano lessons to a large number of students and introduced a new method of teaching, which according to Russian Platão of Waxel was “infinitely superior to that taught in Madeira until today [1869]” (Vakcel, 1948: 3). Interestingly, Waxel states that Sattler had many students (around 1869), but does not emphasize any pupil, and it is difficult to know the real impact of its innovative method at that time.
Finally, the pianist Maria Paula Rego, who already performed in musical gatherings from the 50's, began to gain prominence as organizer of musical events, either in her home, or at the Teatro D. Maria Pia from at least the mid-60’s. These gatherings were frequented by “fine figures of the time” starring the “Illustrious Maria Paula Rego, surrounded by the most distinguished ladies of Funchal” (F. M., 1949: 284), suggesting that the pianist also had followers in the art of playing the piano.
One of the most influential musicians and piano teachers in Funchal in the second half of the nineteenth century was José Sarmento (1842-1905), he began to stand out in parties organized by Maria Paula Rego, where he accompanied on the piano Platão de Waxel, in an interpretation of a Russian song, in 1866. After studying with the Princess Waxel and making a trip through Europe to improve his musical studies, Sarmento was a piano teacher in Funchal and was invited by Bishop D. Manuel Agostinho Barreto to give lessons and be organist at the chapel. He also promoted several benefit concerts hearings at the Quinta Santa Luzia, to which he invited musicians who passed by Madeira, accompanying on the piano or the harmonium. In the educational field, he also printed some “Rudimentos Musicais”, for his students, (Clode, 1983: 433). Among his piano students we only know his nephew Alberto Artur Sarmento, but only dedicated himself to the piano during his youth, when he came to replace José Sarmento as the organist of the Sé do Funchal (Clode, 1983: 431).
In the 80s in some documents of foreigners who visited Madeira, there is reference to the possibility of visitors having piano lessons during their stay on the island, with local teachers. These documents show that the market for teaching piano covered not only the Madeiran’s but also the many tourists, who stayed here long periods of time, which should have allowed sufficient work for the piano teachers. For example Ellen Taylor, in her tour guide: Madeira its Scenery, and how to see it, published in 1882, says that for 700 reais per hour you can take piano lessons, a figure higher than for French, Portuguese or ‘Machete’ classes which cost 600 reais, also per hour (Taylor, 1882: 28). Taylor’s indication is confirmed by zoologist James Johnson, who, in his book published a few years later, in 1885, entitled Madeira its climate and scenery, states that it is possible to have violin, piano and machete teachers, as well as Portuguese, French and German classes, by simply asking at the hotel (Johnson, 1885: xxix).
Although there is no indication in these tourist guides the names of teachers active in Funchal in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, besides those already quoted José Sarmento and Maria Paula Rego, there was a new generation of teachers, such as Maria Capitolina Crawford do Nascimento Figueira (1863-1909) and Nuno Graceliano Lino (1859-1929).
Nuno Graceliano Lino, as well as a piano teacher, who directed most of the orchestras in Funchal, was also an excellent violinist and organist of the Sé Cathedral. Among the highlights of his life is the waltz for piano entitled Maderoise which he composed for the Queen D. Amelia during his visit to Funchal, in 1901, and was played at the reception gala for the kings at the Theatre in Funchal. It is unknown, however, any major pupils, although it is known that his son João Graceliano Lino (1885-1963) was a piano tuner and bass player (Clode, 1983: 285) and that probably one of his other children, called Nuno Graceliano Lino that appears in the Madeira Tourist yearbook in 1939-1940 was as one of the piano and violin teachers that you can hire in Funchal (Anuário Turístico da Madeira, 1939: 116). Nuno Graceliano Lino was one of the musicians who gave piano lessons to foreigners. We know some of his handwritten leaflets entitled Rudiments of Music, where Nuno Lino presents in English the basic principles of music, which shows that piano teachers of Funchal also had foreign students.
As for Maria Capitolina Crawford do Nascimento Figueira, it is not know if she had any of the previous teachers as a piano teacher in Funchal. According to Luiz Peter Clode, the pianist had “as teachers, for their refinement and interpretation, the best pianists of international fame that at that time, passed through Madeira” (Clode, 1983: 189). As distinguished pupils, the pianist had two students, who became respected teachers in Funchal society, Olga de Freitas and Cora Cunha, which according to documents of 1909, taught “the children of our [Funchal] high society”. Cora Cunha, for example, is mentioned in an advertisement for the girl’s college “João de Deus” as a piano teacher of this institution, where the students could have “special singing, piano and dance classes” (Almanach, 1909: 289). There are indications that two Maria Capitolina’s pupils participated in concerts for charity and other public concerts in Funchal, and there is at least one reference to a concert at the Theatre by the Portuguese lyrical tenor Joaquim Tavares, where the singer had the cooperation of the two Madeiran pianists (Carita e Mello, 1988: 72).
At the beginning of the twentieth century, in addition to the fore mentioned piano teachers, there are still references to other musicians that gave lessons with this instrument. In 1907, a foreign teacher, named Zavala, announced in the media that “gives piano lessons” during the period in which he fix residence in Funchal (Carita e Mello, 1988: 73). Around the same time, D. Angélique de Beer Lomelino, according to the Elucidário Madeirense, also lead private courses in Funchal for voice and piano, before occupying the post of piano teacher at the Lisbon Conservatory, a post she held till 1921 (Silva e Meneses, 1984: 400). This teachers lessons probably happened around 1911, the year in which we find some concerts she held in Funchal (Carita e Mello, 1988: 84).
In the 1920’s and 30’s, a few years before the creation of the Music Academy of Madeira, we know of the existence of a fairly large number of pianists in Funchal. In 1921, according to the Elucidário Madeirense, the following pianists were highlighted in Madeira society:
«Nuno Graciliano Lino, violinist and pianist […], Alfredo Lino, pianist, […] Antonio Vieira de Castro, pianist, Capitan Edmundo da Conceição Lomelino, pianist and author of a waltz titled “Desalento”, and D. Elisa Drumond Carregal, D. Maria Adelaide de Meneses, D. Floripes Gomes, D. Elisa Gorjão Caires, D. Maria Amália Colares Mendes Rocha de Gouveia, D. Maria da Conceição de Meneses Santos Pereira, D. Angelina Pereira Freitas, D. Palmira Pereira, D. Leonor Ferraz Leça and D. Maria Helena Portugal Azevedo Ramos» (Silva e Meneses, 1984: 398).
From the list above, it is likely that a significant part gave private piano lessons. Five of the names mentioned in the list of Elucidário were also presented, almost twenty years later, in 1939, as piano teachers in a Tourism Yearbook dedicated to Madeira: Angelina P. Henrique de Freitas, Elisa Drummond Carregal, Maria Adelaide de Meneses, Palmira Lomelino Pereira and Nuno Graceliano Lino. Added to these names, is the musician Gustavo Coelho (Anuário do Turismo, 1939: 116).
In 1945, with the founding of the Music Academy of Madeira, piano teaching began to be taught in the school system, which normally would have led to a decrease in domestic lessons of this instrument. The academy’s first piano teachers were Maria Campina and Lizeta Zarone, who left a number of pupils of great value. Because of the Music Academy and the appearance of radio and cinema, the tradition for over a century of private piano lessons came naturally to decline, despite it currently exists.
