Paiva, Heliodoro de

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Paiva, Heliodoro de

Paiva, Heliodoro de, Portuguese organist and composer; b. Lisbon, 1502; d. Coimbra, Dec. 21,1552. He was the son of the king’s wardrobe master and superintendent of public works. It is probable that he was educated at the court, for his interests included theology, philosophy, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. He became well known as a scribe, keyboard artist, and singer. As a composer, he excelled in writing tientos. Paiva was so admired in his day that such composers as Palestrina and Scheidt freely borrowed from his works.

—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire