Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Baylor Concert and Lecture

Amarilis de Rebua is professor of voice at the Federal University of Paraíba, and an amazing singer to boot.

She shows off the latter in a concert at Roxy Grove Hall, on the campus of Baylor University, on April 30th. And as professor, she'll be giving a lecture the following day:

On Thursday, May 1, Rebua will discuss the works of 20th-Century composer Heitor Villa-Lobos as a part of the Global Issues Lecture Series from 4-5 p.m. in Recital Hall II of Waco Hall.

"Heitor Villa-Lobos is one of Brazil's most important classical composers of the early 20th century and a leader of the country's Modernist movement," said Dr. Lizabeth Souza-Fuertes, director of Latin American Studies. The concert and lecture will provide students with a rare opportunity to learn about Latin American classical music at Baylor, she said.


I haven't been able to track down any of Rebua's CDs online. This one looks especially interesting:

Heitor Villa-Lobos – Atualmente está gravando as obras completas para canto, tendo sido já gravadas 2 CDs num total de 45 Canções.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Villa-Lobos on Cultura FM: May 2008

Here are Villa-Lobos performances upcoming on Cultura FM from Sao Paulo. Listen here on the Internet. Times are local Sao Paulo times, one hour ahead of EST.

May 1:
12:00 CONCERTOS DO MEIO-DIA com o Maestro Walter Lourenção:
Chôros n° 9 de Heitor VILLA-LOBOS com o maestro Kenneth Schermerhorn e a Orquestra Filarmônica de Hong Kong.

May 24:
10:00 CIRANDA - Academia Brasileira de Música:
VILLA LOBOS - Uirapurú. Orquestra Sinfônica da Paraíba. Dir.: Eleazar de Carvalho. / Edino KRIEGER - Prelúdio e Fuga. Beatriz Balzi (piano). / Claudio SANTORO - Vocalise. Bruno Wyzuj (baixo). Maria Lúcia Pinho (piano). / Marlos NOBRE - Convergências. Musica Nova Philarmonia. Dir.: Marlos Nobre. / Ernst MAHLE - Concerto para trombone e orquestra. (transcrição para piano). Wagner Politschuk (trombone). Káthia Bonna (piano).

12:00 CONCERTOS DO MEIO DIA com o maestro Walter Lourenção:
O pianista Paulo Emiliano Pía de Andrade é o solista das Bachianas Brasileiras n° 3 de Heitor VILLA-LOBOS.

May 28:
06:00 A ESCRITA DE CÂMARA - Solistas e pequenas formações.
Heitor VILLA-LOBOS - Trio para cordas. /MOZART Camargo GUARNIERI - Trio para cordas. /Amaral VIERA - Quinteto para piano e cordas op.297
Ensemble Capricio.Chouhei Min (violino).Korey Konkol(viola).Mina Fisher(cello).Artistas convidos:Max Barros(piano).Willam Schrickel(contra baixo). [repeated May 29, 06:00]

May 30:
06:00 A ESCRITA DE CÂMARA - Solistas e pequenas formações:
Silvestre REVUETAS - Quarteto n° 4-Quarteto n° 2. /Alberto GINASTERA. Quarteto n° 1 op./Heitor VILLA LOBOS - Quarteto n°17. Quarteto Latino- Americano.

Quarteto de Brasilia

It was nice to come across the website of the Quarteto de Brasilia, a group established in 1986. The site isn't especially up-to-date, so there's no information about upcoming concerts, but the discography section shows the significant recording history of the group over the years. As a small bonus, there are short MP3 clips from each disc, including the 1st and 17th quartets of Villa-Lobos.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Sonora Brasil: Heitor Villa-Lobos



Here's a project that demonstrates the importance of Villa-Lobos to the musical life of Brazil today. It's called Sonora Brasil: Heitor Villa-Lobos, and it's a project of the Orquestra do Estado de Mato Grosso. The project will bring concerts built on the music of Villa-Lobos to 78 cities in 22 states.

Music will include Bachianas Brasileiras #4 and 9, Choros #5, Danças Características Africanas, Ciranda das Sete Notas, and Cirandas.

The tour begins in Rio de Janeiro on April 30th, and finishes in Jequié, Bahia, on August 1st.

Thanks to João Bosquo's blog for the heads-up on this.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Jules Dassin Dead at 96

Director Jules Dassin died yesterday at the age of 96.

Dassin, who is better known today as a Hollywood director (and Hollywood Blacklist victim) than a Broadway director, directed the Villa-Lobos Broadway Musical Magdalena in 1948.



My favourite films of Dassin are Rififi, Topkapi, and The Naked City.