Francisco
Braga

Antonio Francisco Braga (1868-1945) was a Brazilian music composer. He studied with Luiz Antonio de Moura and Carlos de Mesquita. In 1886, he founded the Sociedade de Concertos Populares. As the Brazilian Republic was declared in 1889, his composition Hino à bandeira was adopted as the Brazilian national anthem. Starting in 1890 he studied in Paris with Jules Massenet. After that he spent time both in Germany and in Italy and then returned to Brazil in 1900. Upon his return to Brazil, he taught at the Instituto Nacional de Música and was the conductor of the Sociedade de Concertos Sinfonicos between 1908 and 1933. Francisco Braga composed three operas and produced orchestral pieces, chamber music, piano pieces and many songs.