Flores de Musica – Vol. III: Liturgical Works

Manuel Rodrigues Coelho was born in Elvas, in the Eastern part of Portugal, around 1555 and died in Lisbon in 1635. During his life he held positions as an organist in his hometown and in Badajoz (Spain), later being appointed organist of the Royal Chapel in Lisbon. Flores de musica, his only known work, was printed in Lisbon in 1620 by Pedro Craesbeeck.

The original edition of Flores de música is a volume with 235 folios of music printed in open score. All the musical pieces use a system of four staves, except for the so-called Versos para se cantarem ao orgão (Verses to be sung at the organ), which use five staves (four for the organ and one for the line which is to be sung). The musical text is preceded by a twelve-page introductory section including Coelho’s dedication to the king, the printing licence, the technical opinion of the eminent polyphonist Frei Manuel Cardoso (1566-1650), five poems (by different authors) in praise of Coelho and his music and a Prologo and Advertencias particulares by the composer.