Miguel Marqués

Pedro Miguel Juan Buenaventura Bernadino Marqués y García (20 May 1843 – 26 February 1918) was a Spanish composer and violinist.

He was born in Palma, Majorca, the son of a chocolate maker. By the age of four he was already showing unusual musical talent, and by eleven he was playing violin for a Palma opera company, for which he wrote a Fantasía para violin which enjoyed a notable triumph. Between 1859 and 1863 family finance enabled him to study in Paris, after 1861 as a violinist at the Paris Conservatoire with Massard. In 1863 he was admitted to the orchestra of the Théâtre Lyrique, and began studying composition, and instrumentation with Hector Berlioz.

He returned to Majorca when called up to his military service, but in 1866 he resumed his studies at the Madrid Royal Conservatory, studying Violin with Monasterio and Composition with Emilio Arrieta whilst playing in the orchestra of the Teatro de la Zarzuela. After 1878 he was Inspector of the National Music Schools. He also taught singing at the Foundling Girls' School in Madrid, and published a handbook for violin teachers. In 1894 he retired to his home city of Palma. He published some philosophical books like Dios y la inmortalidad del alma. He died there in 1918 aged 74.

Of his five symphonies only the Third was printed during his lifetime. The whole cycle has been edited by Ramón Sobrino in 1993–2003. It was recorded by José Luis Temes, but this album is not released yet.