Manuel Cardoso (composer)

Manuel Cardoso (1566 – 24 November 1650) was a Portuguese composer, organist, and Carmelite friar. He is considered one of the most significant Portuguese composers of the Renaissance and early Baroque periods.

Cardoso was born in Fronteira, Portugal. He entered the Carmelite Order in 1588 and studied music at the Colégio das Artes in Coimbra. He became a renowned organist and choirmaster in Lisbon. He spent much of his life at the Carmelite monastery in Lisbon, and served at the royal chapel.

Cardoso's compositional style is characterized by its mastery of counterpoint, its rich harmonies, and its expressive use of dissonance. While influenced by Palestrina, he developed his own distinct voice. His works are primarily sacred vocal music, including masses, motets, Magnificats, and Lamentations. His Livro de Vários Motetes (1648) is a particularly notable collection.

Cardoso is admired for his technical skill, his profound religious feeling, and the beauty and elegance of his music. His work represents a high point in Portuguese polyphony and continues to be performed and studied today. He is considered one of the most important Iberian composers of his era.