Duarte
Lobo

Duarte Lobo (1565?-1646) was a Portuguese composer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque. He was one of the most famous Portuguese composers of the time, together with Filipe de Magalhães, Manuel Cardoso, composers who all began their academic studies as students of Manuel Mendes. Along with John IV, King of Portugal, they represent the "golden age" of Portuguese polyphony. Details of his life are sparse. He was born in Alcáçovas, in Alentejo, southern Portugal. He is known to have been a choir boy at Évora. His first position was as mestre de capela of the cathedral of Évora. By 1591 he was appointed as mestre de capela at the cathedral in Lisbon, a position he held till 1639. This was the most prestigious musical appointment in the country. While chronologically his life overlapped with the beginning of the Baroque music era, he was a rather conservative composer who followed the techniques of the Renaissance masters of the previous generation. Palestrina's polyphonic style played a crucial role in his compositions throughout his life.