Biography
Freitinhas earned recognition in the early decades of the twentieth century as a prolific creator of marchas for Carnival and scores for theatrical revues. He studied piano under Francisco Braga and produced his initial composition, the valse “Treze de Setembro,” at the age of eight. By seventeen he had gained notice as a composer, releasing the valse “Tarde” in 1912 and following it two years afterward with “Amor Que Engana.” At twenty-one he joined Casa Wehrs as a pianist tasked with demonstrating sheet music, and that firm ultimately issued his sixty-four works.
Also beginning in 1918, he turned to writing for revues and burlettas. His earliest such score accompanied Zé dos Pacotes by Miguel Santos; later pieces included Ai, Zizinha by Freire Júnior and Sol Nascente by Carlos Bittencourt, Cardoso de Meneses, and Alfredo Pujol. That same year brought his first major success, the fox trot “Vênus,” which he dedicated to Zezé Leone after she won the nation’s inaugural beauty contest.
In 1921 Freitinhas introduced the Carnival marchinha “Zizinha,” which proved popular, and he repeated that achievement with “Dondoca” in 1927—a piece Margarida Max performed inside the revue Sol Nascente—“Dorinha, Meu Amor” in 1929, and “Não Faço Questão de Cor” in 1933, the last of these honored by the Carioca mayoralty. Additional well-received numbers comprise “Café Com Leite” and “Eu Vi Lili,” both from 1926, “Meu Suquinho” from 1928, “Miserê,” “O Gaúcho,” the 1926 collaboration “Um Sonho Bom de Recordar” with Roberto Roberti and Marques Júnior, “Teu Amor Foi Minha Vida” from 1927, and “Vá Por Mim.”
Also beginning in 1918, he turned to writing for revues and burlettas. His earliest such score accompanied Zé dos Pacotes by Miguel Santos; later pieces included Ai, Zizinha by Freire Júnior and Sol Nascente by Carlos Bittencourt, Cardoso de Meneses, and Alfredo Pujol. That same year brought his first major success, the fox trot “Vênus,” which he dedicated to Zezé Leone after she won the nation’s inaugural beauty contest.
In 1921 Freitinhas introduced the Carnival marchinha “Zizinha,” which proved popular, and he repeated that achievement with “Dondoca” in 1927—a piece Margarida Max performed inside the revue Sol Nascente—“Dorinha, Meu Amor” in 1929, and “Não Faço Questão de Cor” in 1933, the last of these honored by the Carioca mayoralty. Additional well-received numbers comprise “Café Com Leite” and “Eu Vi Lili,” both from 1926, “Meu Suquinho” from 1928, “Miserê,” “O Gaúcho,” the 1926 collaboration “Um Sonho Bom de Recordar” with Roberto Roberti and Marques Júnior, “Teu Amor Foi Minha Vida” from 1927, and “Vá Por Mim.”
Singles