Monday, April 28, 2014

Four Bachianas Brasileiras from A Grande Música


This episode of A Grande Música from TV Brasil includes the following Villa-Lobos performances:
  • Introduction: José Schiller 
  • 3:20 Bachianas Brasileiras #6, with Marcelo Bonfim, flute and Elione Medeiros, bassoon
  • 13:00 Bachianas Brasileiras #9, with Isaac Karabtchevsky conducting the Orquestra Petrobrás Sinfônica
  • 21:45 Bachianas Brasileiras #5, with soprano Veruschka Mainhard, and Ricardo Rocha conducting an orchestra of cellos
  • 33:45 Bachianas Brasileiras #2, with cellist Antonio Meneses and Cristina Ortiz

The Villa-Lobos Experience in New York



The Association of Classical Dominican Artists in New York City will present a musical event that brings together the Dominican and Brazilian communities of New York City: "The Villa Lobos Experience", to take place on Monday May 12 at 7 PM at the Aaron Davis Hall of The City College of New York, located at 135th Street and Covent Avenue. The event is free, but reservations are required.

For more information, please see http://www.dominicanclassical.org/.  To register for "The Villa-Lobos Experience" please proceed to our Eventbrite link: http://www.eventbrite.com/o/association-of-dominican-classical-artists-inc-1270786671 

Arguably the best classical composer from South America, Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) wrote works that not only incorporate his native and folk Afro music, but also style elements from classicism, impressionism and the baroque. "The Villa-Lobos Experience" is a collaboration of both Dominican, Brazlian and American visual artists and classical musicians living in New York City.

Rarely heard works will performed in the program, including
  • O Canto Do Cysne Negro (poem-Dance-Mime) Extract from Symphonic Poem Naufragio de Klinikos arr. For cello and harp by Dewy Owens 
  • Lent from Fantasia arr. for Saxophone, viola, cello and harp by Pedro Vizzarro 
  • Bachianas Brasileiras No 5 
  • Choros #2 for Flute and Clarinet 
  • Assobio a Jato (The Jet Whistle) for Flute and Cello (12 Minutes) 
  • Quartour Symbolic for Harp, Celesta, flute, et Saxophone alto in Eb with female voices 
  • Sexteto Mistico for Flute, Oboe, Saxophone alto in Eb, Guitar, Celesta, and Harp 
Mission of the Association of Dominican Classical Artists: To foster appreciation for Dominican art and folkloric music in the United States; create performance space for our artist members; and, bring our music to communities with little or no access to live performances. We accomplish our mission by presenting concerts and educational programs.

General Information The Association of Dominican Classical Artists was founded in 1980 by artists and composers of Dominican descent living in New York City.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

BB no4 for harmonica, cello & piano


José Staneck plays the harmonica ("gaita" in Portuguese) in this very effective arrangement of the Aria from Bachianas Brasileiras no. 4. Ricardo Santoro plays cello, with Flávio Augusto on piano.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Remy Van Kesteren Memento


The new CD Memento by harpist Remy Van Kesteren includes arrangements of the 5 Villa-Lobos Preludes for Guitar.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Eolienne Quartet plays Quintette en forme de Choros



Last month's Total Immersion: Villa-Lobos concerts by the BBC Symphony Orchestra included performances by musicians of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Here is the Eolienne Quintet performing an excellent version of the Quintette en forme de Choros.

Monday, April 14, 2014

New guitar concerto CD


Here's the second new Guitar Concerto CD of 2014: Pablo Sainz Villegas plays guitar & James Judd conducts the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. This concert performance is now available for streaming at The Naxos Music Library; I'm not sure when it will be available for sale.  Here is the information on the November 2013 concert, which includes music by Mendelssohn, Elgar & Dyens.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Rio Paris


The new Erato CD Rio Paris, with Natalie Dessay, Agnes Jaoui, Helena Noguerra & Liat Cohen, will be released early in May 2014. You can pre-order it here. Here's a video preview; I'm looking forward to this!






Friday, April 4, 2014

Quatour Symbolique



This modernist piece from 1921, also called the Quatour Symbolique or Quarteto Simbolico, is one of my favourite chamber works. The optional female choir is rarely included in performance.