← Backward in time Page 1 of 22
December 16, 2009
∞4. Villa-Lobos: The Complete Choros and Bachianas Brasileiras. Sao Paolo Symphony conducted by Roberto Minczuk and John Neschling. All of these works by South America’s best known composer in one box, from fire to passion and more fire. Villa-Lobs is a composer worth knowing better. BIS CD 1830/32Christopher Purdy picks the BIS Villa-Lobos super-set as one of 10 Outstanding CD Releases of 2009, on the WOSU Classical eNotes blog. The post includes streaming audio of the first movement of Bachianas Brasileiras #1.
December 15, 2009
∞A jazz arrangement of the Aria from Bachianas Brasileiras #4. Villa-Lobos is very, very well-suited to this kind of re-thinking, and the Brazilian artists obviously have this music in their blood. Rodolfo Stroeter, bass; Nelson Ayres, piano; Paulo Belinatti, guitar, Teco Cardoso, soprano sax & flute, and Ricardo Mosca, drums.
For me, this is one of the Villa-Lobos highlights of the last few years!
December 12, 2009
∞Villa-Lobos needed pruning shears in order to lop off musical filler.Donald Thompson & Francis Schwartz discuss a performance of Piano Concerto #1, from Concert life in Puerto Rico, 1957-1992: views & reviews, p. 153.
December 9, 2009
∞Aulustrio play the finale from the second Piano Trio, from a November 29 concert.
Yerma in Manaus in 2010? That would be great, but I haven’t heard anything definite. Please let me know if you hear any news about this project.
December 7, 2009
∞Chuck Wolcott’s assignment was to survey the music of Brazil, and Brazil offered a wealth of musical treasures to choose from. Initially, in line with their advance plans, the group pursued the idea of working with serious Brazilian music. Walt did meet with Villa-Lobos and with other composers, including Francisco Mignone and Hekel Tavares, discussing the possibility of a ‘Brazilian Fantasia-type short.’This would have been cool: I’m assuming that the Disney people were interested in the Little Train movement from Bachianas Brasileiras #2. From the new book South of the Border with Disney: Walt Disney and the Good Neighbor Program, 1941-1948, p. 33.
December 1, 2009
∞
Manuel Negwer’s 2008 book Heitor Villa-Lobos und der Aufbruch der brasilianischen Musik has been translated into Portuguese. Let’s hope an English version is on its way.
Villa-Lobos: O Florescimento da Música Brasileira
Autor: Manuel Negwer
Tradutor: Stéfano Paschoal
Editora: Martins Martins Fontes
Número de páginas: 320
Preço sugerido: R$ 44,90
I heard about the launch of a new book “Villa-Lobos e o Violao” by Humberto Amorim from the essential Audições Brasileiras blog - thanks Carlos!
Here’s a Youtube video of Amorim on Globo News, discussing the book and playing Valsa de Concerto n.2. Here’s a blog with critical commentary on the book (including blurbs from many important Brazilian musicians).
November 30, 2009
∞Paulo Zereu is a Brazilian pianist based in Bangkok. This video clip is from a November 2009 concert celebrating two 50-year anniversaries. In 1959 Villa-Lobos died, and Brazil and Thailand instituted diplomatic relations. The concert was at the Brazilian Embassy in Bangkok.
November 26, 2009
∞
The latest issue of the Academia Brasileira de Musica’s magazine Brasiliana features Villa-Lobos, with articles by Vasco Mariz, Turibio Santos, Ricardo Tacuchian, Guilherme Bernstein, and Maria Alice Volpe.
November 25, 2009
∞
The Quinteto Villa-Lobos performs on the TV Cultura program “Mosaicos: A arte de Villa-Lobos”. From the excellent Villa-Lobos section of the TV Cultura website.
Mr. Villa-Lobos hears with his own ears - not those that a conservatory told him to listen with.Olin Downes, NY Times, Jan. 19, 1955, p. 22.
November 24, 2009
∞In a 1995 concert, William Molina Cestari plays Villa-Lobos’s First Cello Concerto. The Orquestra Sinfonica Simon Bolivar is conducted by Enrique Arturo Diemecke. Here are links to Part2, Part3, Part4, and Part5.
November 23, 2009
∞
Later this month President Lula and the Minister of Culture will present the Ordem do Mérito Cultural to worthy individuals and organizations, in memory of Heitor Villa-Lobos, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death.
I was starting to get bored when something unexpected happened. One of the orchestra members, looking around the auditorium during intermission, noticed me in the audience. When the next part began, I heard music that was completely unlike what had been played in the previous part. It was a furious, exotic dance, crazy in its ceaseless rhythmic impulse, extraordinarily colorful, clear in its harmony and instrumentation. I immediately felt a breeze of uncommon talent in his music.Artur Rubinstein hears Villa-Lobos’s music for the first time. Quoted in Sachs & Manildi’s Rubinstein: a life, p. 193
