Spanish composer, lawyer and diplomat.

Born on 21 September 1848 in Zaragoza, son of Manuel Viscasillas Guitarte, jurisconsult, and of María Banque Ruiz; brother of Manuel Viscasillas Blanque, who passed away early. He married Pilar Bernal Ostalé, and they were parents of the violonist Manuel Viscasillas Bernal.

He started his musical studies with the organist Francisco Annel and Joaquín Salces; he debuted in 1865 at the Liceo Artístico y Literario of Zaragoza. He studied in the Collège Royale de Pau (France) between 1867 and 1868. He returned to his hometown, an licensed in Law in the Literary University of Zaragoza. In 1873, he entered the diplomat body by opposition, being destined to Italy by the Ministerio del Estado. He was schoolboy in the Real Colegio de San Clemente de los Españoles, in Bologne, where he wrote his first pieces "Echos d'Espagne", "¡Viva il re!", or "Sulla spiaggia de Biarritz". In 1876, he was named secretary of the Academia Española de Bellas Artes in Rome, where he met artists and organised concerts for the institution.

He returned to Zaragoza in 1887, and completed his musical formation with Benigno Cariñena, and the chapel master Antonio Lozano. That same year, he was member of the Concurso de Bandas Militares, he premiered "Notte in Venezia" in the inauguration of the Sociedad de Conciertos, and "Gradual" in the temple of the Pilar de Zaragoza. He moved to Barcelona, where he was part of the Orchestra of the Teatro del Liceo, and met Juan Goula. As a diplomat, he was forced to change residency in several occasions. In 1888, he was awarded in the competition of the Exposición Internacional de Música of Bologne for "Notte in Venezia", "Celebre Meditazione di Crescentini"; and "Gradual Santa Cecilia". In 1889, he premiered the opera "Página goda", and was named president of the Sección de Música del Ateneo in his hometown. A year later, he returned to Italy as rector of the Real Colegio de San Clemente de Bolonia. At the beginning of the 20th Century, he moved to Paris with his children, and in 1907, he was chosen Accademico d'Onore de la Regia Academia di Belle Arte de Bolonia. After the death of the literate Giousé Carducci, he composed "Elegia" (1907). In 1930 he proposed Manuel de Falla an audition of his pieces in the Teatro del Palacio de Proyecciones, because he got to know of his visit to Barcelona in April of that same year. He passed away on 12 March 1938 in Madrid.