A new Marcelo Bratke piano release

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Here's a release I've been waiting for a while: the latest in Marcelo Bratke's series of complete piano music by Heitor Villa-Lobos. This 2-CD set, billed as vol. 4 & 5, will be released on October 19, 2018. Included are all 11 of the albums of Guia Pratico, plus three other works: Petizada, Brinquedo de Roda & Historias da Carochinha. Watch for my review soon, at Music for Several Instruments (and I'll also post it here at The Villa-Lobos Magazine).

The cover photo of Marcel Bratke makes reference to the photo on the back, with the composer at the blackboard. I've misplaced the photo credit, if I ever had it, but I'm busy looking on the web, & will add it here if I find it. Great shot!

Marcelo Bratke on Radio3

I've written before about Marcelo Bratke's big plans for the Ano Villa-Lobos, 2009. Here is the first part of a Radio3 interview by Sean Rafferty with Bratke (I believe from In Tune, last Sept. 11th).  The second part of the interview is here.  Looks like we have lots to look forward to - especially the upcoming complete Villa-Lobos piano recordings on the Quartz label - from this talented pianist!

Villa-Lobos Worldwide 2009

Brazilian pianist Marcelo Bratke will be a busy guy in 2009. He's announced a major project to take place during the Ano Villa-Lobos (celebrating the 50th anniversary of Villa's death), "Villa-Lobos Worldwide 2009". The project will include concerts in London, Frankfurt, Berlin, Brussels and Belgrade (modeled after the very successful "Villa-Lobos Event" in New York). As well, Bratke will launch his 2008 DVD Alma Brasileira, start a workshop series "Villa-Lobos para as Crianças do Mundo" (VL for the Children of the World), and film a TV documentary on the life of Villa-Lobos.

If that weren't enough, Bratke will be starting to record an 8-CD series of the complete piano music of Villa-Lobos.

The Villa-Lobos boom continues!

[Marcelo Bratke photo by Romulo Fialdini]

Villa-Lobos & Tom Jobim in Nagoya

Here's a cool story from Jornal IPC (a portal for news from Japan in Portuguese and Spanish): pianist Marcelo Bratke presents Villa-Lobos and Tom Jobim to school children in Nagoya.

The Making of Brazilian Soul

Marcelo Bratke & Camerata Vale Música in Concert - from the "making of" feature on the Brazilian Soul DVD. Auditório Ibirapuera São Paulo 2008. There's more concert video from this tour on YouTube here.

Villa-Lobos in the WSJ

There's an excellent story in this morning's Wall St. Journal, "Villa-Lobos, Composer Without Borders," by Barrymore Scherer, author of the fine book A History of American Music. It's written on the occasion of The Villa-Lobos Event: Encounters With Brazil, in New York, which takes place this evening, February 9. Besides the great picture,

by Ismael Rodan, there are perceptive quotes from pianist Marcelo Bratke, who helped to organize the event:

"Villa-Lobos's eclectic freedom and openness to stylistic experimentation are at the root of his greatness as a composer."