New Villa-Lobos CD

Except for the Naxos Symphonies series, some guitar CDs and some reissues, there haven't been too many new Villa-Lobos releases this year. Here's a major release, from cellist Anne Gastinel, which includes the 1st and 5th Bachianas Brasileiras, along with arrangements for cellos of works by Piazzolla.

 

I'm working on a review right now. I'll post it on my new review site - Music for Several Instruments - Real Soon Now.

Madona

One of the best things about the new Naxos series of Villa-Lobos Symphonies was the inclusion of the cantata Mandu-Çarará. This was close to the top of my wish-list for a new recording. Now that it's out there, the top spot goes to Madona, the symphonic poem written for Serge Koussevitsky in 1945. Since Madona was included in the new edition of Villa-Lobos scores from the Brazilian Academy of Music, it's only a matter of time before it shows up on disc.

In the meantime, here is a very fine live performance from July 2015, with the Orquestra Sinfônica da UFRJ is conducted by Roberto Duarte.



Thanks to пока from Brazilian Concert Music for the head's-up on this!

Presença de Villa-Lobos na Música Brasileira para Violoncelo e Piano

Cellist Hugo Pilger and pianist Lucia Barrenechea are featured in this lavish documentary directed by  Liloye Boubli. Pilger plays Villa's own cello. More information is here.

A new blog

Here is a new blog about the world of classical music outside of Villa-Lobos (no, really, there is one!) It's called Music for Several Instruments, and it starts with about 140 reviews I posted around the web in the past 5 or 6 years. Go take a look. I'll wait here.