Notes from the Rubble: Recreating Lisbon's Lost Music with the Austin Baroque Orchestra

Photo by Vincent Reyna

One morning on All Saints' Day in 1755, an earthquake devastated Lisbon, claiming thousands of lives and destroying numerous cultural artifacts, including a significant portion of its written music. Over the past two years Billy Traylor, founder, and artistic director of the Austin Baroque Orchestra, has scoured libraries and archives in search of manuscripts, publications, and artifacts to reconstruct the lost arts.

This past Sunday, the Orchestra brought the culmination of his research to St. John’s Lutheran Church. "Terremoto!" recounts the story of the quake and its aftermath. Interspersed among 18th-century Portuguese music, the performance integrated readings that convey historical accounts from contemporaneous sources, underscored by fado songs.

The Austin Baroque Orchestra is committed to immersing its audiences in the sound world of the past through its use of period accurate instruments, such as the violone, the violoncello, the theorbo, and the harpsichord. The stringed instruments, typically tuned down half a step, utilize traditional catgut strings made from the lining of animal intestines, predominantly goat or sheep. Trumpets and horns, devoid of valves, achieve notes solely through changes in lip pressure.

A significant highlight of the performance was the dramatic interpretation of the earthquake, employing crescendoing percussion to symbolize the initial quake. The subsequent movements covered the aftermath of the horrific event, engrossing listeners to feel as though they were experiencing the quake itself.

Between movements, a narrator painted a history of Portugal and briefly touched upon Brazil, leading up to the earthquake and the state after the tragedy. The juxtaposition of the narration featuring death, destruction, and executions against the backdrop of happy upbeat Portuguese music unintentionally added a touch of humor.

In its exploration of a tragic historical event, the Austin Baroque Orchestra not only showcased musical virtuosity but also skillfully transported the audience to a bygone era. As the concert concluded, the echoes of the past lingered in the air, leaving the audience with a profound appreciation for the resilience of art and the ability of music to transcend time and tragedy.