Hommage à Chopin for cello & piano

This is very cool: as part of Lars Hoefs's project "The Influence of Chopin on the music of Villa-Lobos," he arranged for cello & piano Villa's piano piece Hommage à Chopin, written in 1949 as part of the celebrations of the centenary of Chopin's death. This video, of the first movement, Nocturne, features Hoefs on cello and Malgorzata Podstawska on a Pleyel piano, one of Chopin's favourites.

Hommage à Chopin

Just in time for the Chopin Bi-Centennial, this upcoming Hyperion disc by pianist Jonathan Plowright (to be released in February 2010) includes Hommage à Chopin, the work that Villa-Lobos wrote for the 100th Anniversary of Chopin's death in 1949. The Hyperion Records website includes audio clips and a PDF of the excellent notes by Jeremy Nicholas.

Watch for this work to show up in a lot of Chopin concerts this coming year.

Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira Website

The website of Rio de Janeiro's OSB, or the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, as it's also known, is very fine. There's useful information on upcoming programs - for example, this October 18, 2003 concert:

18 October
Norton Morozowicz, conductor
Miguel Proença, piano

Villa-Lobos, Preludio da Bachianas Brasileiras no. 4; Saudades das Selvas Brasileiras, no. 1 & 2; Seis Cirandas (Theresinha de Jesus – A Condessa – Senhora Dona Sancha – O Cravo Brigou com a Rosa – Passa, Passa Gaviao); Valsa da Dor; Hommage à Chopin
Prokofiev, Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra, in D-flat Major, op. 10
Bartok, Concerto No. 3 for Piano and Orchestra

There's also plenty of historical information, including this picture from 1958:




Villa-Lobos' last concert with the BSO and Sônia Maria Strutt acknowledging the ovation to the execution of the Maestro's "Momo Precoce", on August 24, 1958

All in all a fine site. I even have one of the computer wallpapers decorating my Windows desktop.