Valhadolid (Father Francisco)

Whatever may be claimed to the contrary, the truth is that Madeira has not been the birthplace of anyone who has left a glorious name in the annals of music in our country. Only Father Francisco Valhadolid enjoyed great renown in his time. He is mentioned in most honourable terms by Diogo Barbosa Machado in the Bibliotheca Lusitana (‘Portuguese library’) and by Joaquim de Vasconcelos in his work Os Músicos Portugueses, and Ernesto Vieira probably deals with him in the Dicionário dos Músicos Portugueses, which we cannot verify at this moment.

We have seen doubts raised as to whether he was a native of this island, perhaps because of the unusual surname he bore. However, he lived for many years in Lisbon, in the parish of Santos-o-Velho, and died there, and his death record states that he was a native of Madeira. It is therefore reasonable to believe that the priest who drew up that record knew the birthplace of a colleague who had lived for many years within the bounds of his parish.

Valhadolid is said to have been born in 1640; he died in the parish of Santos on 17 July 1700 and lies buried in its parish church. Joaquim de Vasconcelos says that in Funchal he studied composition under Canon Manuel Fernandes, and in Lisbon counterpoint under the distinguished musician João Alves Frovo. He devoted himself to sacred music and left many compositions, which Vasconcelos lists and which were regarded in their time as works of great artistic value. He was working on a book entitled Mistérios da música, assim pratica como especulativa when death overtook him. He owned a rich music library, which seems to have been entirely lost.

He was a secular priest and for many years held the post of music teacher at the archiepiscopal seminary of Lisbon.