Emmanuel

The Profile

Emmanuel Nunes (1941–2012) was a Portuguese composer of contemporary classical music, noted for large-scale, spatialized works such as Quodlibet (1990–91).

Portuguese composer (born 1941). Quodlibet (1990–91) spans 56 minutes in 12 continuous parts, reworking material from 14 earlier pieces. Scored for orchestra with two conductors, seven soloists, six percussionists across ten stations, and 21 mobile players; designed for live spatial performance with its premiere at the Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon.

A single, glowing review dives into Emmanuel Nunes’s Quodlibet as a live-first, spatial experience. Two conductors, seven soloists, six percussionists across ten stations, and 21 roaming players turn the hall into the instrument. The 56-minute work runs in 12 uninterrupted sections, reworking material from 14 earlier pieces. The verdict: hear it live; the CD can’t match the immersive design.