Following his exploration of Spain with the music of Federico Moreno Torroba (BIS-2725), Franz Halasz now takes us to Brazil with the complete works for solo guitar by Heitor Villa-Lobos. The music of this extremely prolific composer often combines the influences of European classical music with the popular and traditional music of his homeland, which he played from an early age. The twelve etudes, thoroughly modern, are to the guitar what Chopin's etudes are to the piano. Andres Segovia put it perfectly: 'They present, at the same time, formulas of an amazing efficiency for the development of two-handed technique, and disinterested musical beauty.' In contrast, the Suite populaire bresilienne and Choros No. 1 reflect the composer's youthful experiences as a 'choro' musician playing Brazilian street music, and offer a fusion of the characteristics of traditional music. Finally, the five Preludes return to Brazilian folklore, of which they offer a synthesis in the form of five tableaux inspired by the popular repertoire. This recording also features two rarities: the recently discovered Valse-Choro and the unfinished Valsa Concerto No. 2, completed by Debora Halasz. An evocative blend of syncopated rhythms, exotic harmonies, sensual melodies... and guitaristic flamboyance!

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

Villa-Lobos, H.: Forest of the Amazon

Classical Music

Villa-Lobos seemed to have a bottomless well of simple, predominantly diatonic, yet affecting tunes, to which his harmonic eclecticism lent an exotic air; there is not one on this recording which is not capable of staying in the memory. Robert Bonfiglio is a most accomplished soloist in every respect... a most enjoyable programme...
-- John Duarte, Gramophone [4/1990]

This recording features the cast of the 1988 Lincoln Center production of this operetta.

Tuneful, exotic, brilliant - the vocal music of Heitor Villa-Lobos encaptures the spirit of Brazil. This recital was recorded in 1972/3 and issued on 3 LP's, one of which, including the Bachiana Brasileira, won the Grand Prix du Disque in 1973, and was also highly praised by the composer's widow.

Brazilian Guitar Quartet Plays Villa-Lobos

Complete Track List:
1. Tempo Feliz
2. Anima
3. Song Of The Black Swan
4. Orixa
5. Nacao
6. Tristeza
7. Modinha
8. Urubamba
9. It's Here!
10. Primeira Luz
11. Ana Maria
12. Pavane
13. Nos Padre (The Lord's Prayer)
14. Dawn

Personnel: Richard Stoltzman (clarinet); Gary Burton (vibraphone, marimba); Jeremy Wall, Bill Douglas (keyboards); Chuck Loeb (guitar); Eddie Gomez (bass); Danny Gottlieb (drums); Cafe (percussion).

Villa-Lobos: Symphony No. 4, Piano Concerto No. 5, Momopréco

Antonio Rugolo, after winning two Golden Guitars in 2014 and 2018 at the International Guitar Conference of Alessandria with his two latest releases dedicated to two Apulian composers, Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829) and Guido Sant�rsola (1904-1994), he presents a new monographic work dedicated to solo guitar music by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959). With his creativity and skill Villa-Lobos has revolutionized the way of conceiving and handling the guitar, reaching very high levels of poetry and technical development never before achieved. A reason of particular interest in this album is certainly the listening (for the first time) of how in '28 Villa-Lobos delivered the Suite Popularie Brasilienne to the publisher Max Eschig, which twenty years later was forced to be rewritten because it was lost; in the same year he wrote for Miguel Llobet and Regino Sanz de la Maza, a version enriched in various details, of Choros n. 1 that here you can listen to it together with the Cinq Preludes and the Douze Etudes.

VILLA-LOBOS: Erosao / Danses Africaines / Bachianas Brasilei

Wind Chamber Music 3

Villa-Lobos: String Quartets Nos. 2 and 7

WEST COAST SAXOPHONE QUARTET: All the Sax You've Ever Dreame