RECORDING OF THE MONTH     CHOPIN Waltzes and Impromptus Vladimir Feltsman £11 post free World-wide VIVALDI The four seasons London Mozart Players/Juritz £12 post free World-wide BEETHOVEN Symphonies 4 and 5 LSO/Yondani Butt £12 post free World-wide

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Heitor VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959) Piano works A Prole do Bebê Branquinha – A Boneca de Louca Moreninha – A Boneca de Massa Caboclinha – A Boneca de Barro Mulatinha – A Boneca de Borracha Negrinha – A Boneca de Pão Pobrezinha – A Boneca de Trapo O Polichinelo Bruxa – A Boneca de Pano Bachianas Brasileiras No.4 (Preludio) As Três Marias Rudepoema Nelson Freire (piano) Warner Classics 2003, Teldec 1974 APEX 0927 40837 2 [40.12]

Villa-Lobos’s piano pieces are less often heard than his orchestral and guitar works and, like them, they occasionally draw on the popular dances and folk music of his native Brazil. Though Villa-Lobos was not himself a brilliant pianist, these challenging keyboard essays demand a high level of technical virtuosity, and an inherent sympathy with their exotic flavours. He was an adventurous composer whose versatility led him to combine contemporary influences such as Ravel (evident in the delightful A Prole do Bebê) with sprightly rhythms and even, in his series of Bachianas Brasileiras, the spirit of J.S.Bach transported into an unlikely, but oddly convincing, South American setting. In Nelson Freire’s sensitive playing of this synthesis is fully realised, and with remarkable technical aplomb; but there is more to this mercurial music than mere showmanship. The profound solemnity of Bachianas Brasileiras No.4 clearly shows that the composer’s intention was not to imitate the style and sound of Bach, but to project a deeper understanding of, and respect for, the form and expressive genius of the earlier composer. This is an important aspect of his highly individual style. Echoes of Poulenc can be found in the As Três Marias, three witty and melodious trifles that leave us unprepared for the sprawling complexity and high drama of Rudepoema, a vast concert study in the grand manner that explores the limits of the instrument in thundering bass passages and elaborate counterpoint interwoven with strange harmonic contrasts and seemingly fragmented ideas. Again one marvels at the technical assurance and sheer bravura of pianism that make this one of the most stimulating piano discs I have heard for a very long time. The piano sound is excellently recorded throughout. At just over 40 minutes, my only complaint is that this recital is somewhat short. Roy Brewer Advertising Rates Visitor stats MusicWeb International has over 40,000 Classical CD reviews on offer Discs received Having a problem Donating? Gerard Hoffnung Concerts & The Bricklayer Story   New Releases New Releases   MusicWeb sells the Polish catalogue CDAccord £10.50 post free W-W MusicWeb sells the Arcodiva catalogue £12.00 post free W-W £11.75 post-free world- wide MusicWeb can now offer you discs from the following catalogues: Prices include postage [Acte Préalable £13.50] [Arcodiva £12.00] [Avie from £6.25] [British Music Society £12.00] [CDACCORD from £13.50 ] [ClassicO £12.50] [Hallé from £11] [Heritage £10] [Hortus £14.99 ] [Lyrita ONLY £11.75 ] [Nimbus Special prices] [Northern Flowers £13.50] [REDCLIFFE £11 ] [Sheva £11] [Tactus £11.50 ] [Talent from £12.00 ] [Toccata Classics £10.50 ] Musicweb Special Offers Monthly Best Buys     Google Ads - for information about privacy matters, click here.  Amazon Musicweb International is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

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