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Stellar Brazilian cellist Antonio Meneses performs Villa-Lobos’s Cello Concerto Nos. 1 and 2; and the Fantasia in this latest release in the definitive The Music of Brazil series. With its youthful energy and eclectic style; the Cello Concerto No. 1 was Villa-Lobos’s first major orchestral work. Composed for the renowned Brazilian cellist Aldo Parisot; the no less inventive and lushly scored Cello Concerto No. 2 from 1953 suggests man’s solitude when facing the vastness of nature.

REVIEW:

Cellist Antonio Meneses has the full measure of the music. He plays with assurance and impeccable musicality and technique. Conductor Isaac Karabtchevsky’s credentials as an expert and convincing Villa-Lobos conductor include the recording of the complete symphonies for Naxos. Here, he leads vital readings of the substantial, often brilliant and demanding pieces. The São Paulo Symphony Orchestra play beautifully, and the recording are superb. Is it possible to ask for more? I think not. I recommend this release warmly to all those who love Villa-Lobos’s music, especially when it is played and recorded as finely as here.

-- MusicWeb International