Heliodoro de Paiva


Dom Heliodoro de Paiva was a Portuguese composer, philosopher, and theologian.

Life

Heliodoro de Paiva was born in Lisbon. He studied at the Monastery of Santa Cruz de Coimbra, where he took the holy orders as an Augustinian regular capitulary. He was remarkable for the qualities he revealed in a wide variety of subjects: apart from musician and composer, he was well versed in the Greek, Latin, and Hebraic languages, and he was a good philosopher and theologian. As a musician, he played several instruments with skill and he was an esteemed singer.

Work

Paiva's work can be found in the music manuscripts of the Monastery of Santa Cruz de Coimbra. He composed masses, motets, and Magnificats but, as he was excessively humble, he did not sign his works, which makes it more difficult to identify them.