Brouwer's Tower

snyprrr · February 20, 2012, 08:21:41 PM

Leo Brouwer (1939*) is our best known Cuban Composer:

http://chevalierdesaintgeorges.homestead.com/Brouwer.html

Here's two performances of his best known work, The Black Decameron:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50huUs4jXbQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsA0RW7ADxg

I do take some pride in presenting a Composer known mainly for the guitar, as, he presented to me a model to aspire to. Actually, I currently have no recordings, so, I turn it over to you...

snyprrr · February 21, 2012, 06:17:32 AM

Really?

There's a new cd of String Quartets that I'd like to check out if I could verify its availability (it's featured in the first link).

kentel · February 22, 2012, 01:46:24 PM

Brouwer is undoubtedly the most inspired guitar composer I've ever heard - and I'm not a big fan of guitar music. But there's an entire world in Brouwer's guitar.

I'm not entirely up to date here, but the last time I checked his worklist, he had written 5 guitar concertos which are the core of his work. They're all wonderful, but I would recommand in the first place the nrs 3,4 & 5. Not easy to find though. My favorite is probably his guitar quartet "Acerca del cielo, el aire y la sonrisa" an eerie piece which sounds like a rain fall.

He also wrote more distanciated but very interesting cycles for solo guitar, among which the fascinating Decameron Negro and the Estudios Sencillos. I also love the Rito de las Orishas, the Guitar Sonata and the two Paisajes Cubanos.

Shrunk · February 22, 2012, 03:23:52 PM

Quote from: kentel on February 22, 2012, 01:46:24 PM
I'm not entirely up to date here, but the last time I checked his worklist, he had written 5 guitar concertos which are the core of his work.

My guitar teacher says its actually at least 13, though he was also not sure if the number had grown since he last checked. Staggering.

snyprrr · February 22, 2012, 08:27:11 PM

Quote from: kentel on February 22, 2012, 01:46:24 PM
Brouwer is undoubtedly the most inspired guitar composer I've ever heard - and I'm not a big fan of guitar music. But there's an entire world in Brouwer's guitar.

I'm not entirely up to date here, but the last time I checked his worklist, he had written 5 guitar concertos which are the core of his work. They're all wonderful, but I would recommand in the first place the nrs 3,4 & 5. Not easy to find though. My favorite is probably his guitar quartet "Acerca del cielo, el aire y la sonrisa" an eerie piece which sounds like a rain fall.

He also wrote more distanciated but very interesting cycles for solo guitar, among which the fascinating Decameron Negro and the Estudios Sencillos. I also love the Rito de las Orishas, the Guitar Sonata and the two Paisajes Cubanos.

I'm a big fan of guitar quartets. I'm a big disappointed fan in actual CDS of guitar quartet music,... however, I digress,... I must look this piece up,... I am currently in a madness for classical guitar special effects. I ask you, what do you think of this?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmv_BXYLku0

kentel · February 23, 2012, 02:55:11 AM

Quote from: snyprrr on February 22, 2012, 08:27:11 PM
I'm a big fan of guitar quartets. I'm a big disappointed fan in actual CDS of guitar quartet music,... however, I digress,... I must look this piece up,... I am currently in a madness for classical guitar special effects. I ask you, what do you think of this?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmv_BXYLku0

I'm not really fond of this one : it's technically impressive, but I find it too dry and experimental . However, you would certainly love Acerca del cielo - unfortunately I couldn't find any decent recording on YouTube. If you're on the NML, you should fine a great one there. In this piece, Brouwer uses sonorities like the ones you hear in the Kampela piece, minus the percussive effects.

kentel · February 23, 2012, 02:57:09 AM

Quote from: Shrunk on February 22, 2012, 03:23:52 PM
My guitar teacher says its actually at least 13, though he was also not sure if the number had grown since he last checked. Staggering.

Thank you for the update

So that's 8 more than I thought... Have they been recorded somewhere ? Brouwer's concertos are pretty hard to find...

Pessoa · November 12, 2013, 01:16:38 PM

Nice to find Leo Brouwer here. I have several recordings of his output for guitar played by different guitarists. I enjoy his work, and contemporary guitar on general the whole.

snyprrr · November 12, 2013, 04:29:57 PM

Quote from: Pessoa on November 12, 2013, 01:16:38 PM
Nice to find Leo Brouwer here. I have several recordings of his output for guitar played by different guitarists. I enjoy his work, and contemporary guitar on general the whole.

The guitar tone has worked well for the Modern interpretations, of which Brouwer has a few misterioso-type pieces.

Karl Henning · December 25, 2018, 03:28:15 PM

A friend brought me to CDs of the guitar solo music, and it is beautiful.

André · December 25, 2018, 04:29:07 PM

Hi, Karl !

A superb composer, that's for sure. I think my cds are mostly of concertos - I should go downstairs to check but right now the dog is sleeping on my lap

JBS · December 25, 2018, 04:33:34 PM

Quote from: André on December 25, 2018, 04:29:07 PM
Hi, Karl !

A superb composer, that's for sure. I think my cds are mostly of concertos - I should go downstairs to check but right now the dog is sleeping on my lap

And of course one must let sleeping dogs lie...

Christo · December 25, 2018, 11:32:41 PM

I own the first six guitar concertos on disc and they're all superb. Another favourite are the Retrats Catalans, echoing the 'poetry' of Mompou and 'rhytm' of Gaudí:
https://www.youtube.com/v/KUGCZyJQBxs

Karl Henning · December 26, 2018, 03:45:09 AM

Seems this thread really ought to be Brouwer's brouwerij

Christo · December 26, 2018, 04:03:28 AM

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on December 26, 2018, 03:45:09 AM
Seems this thread really ought to be Brouwer's brouwerij

Good that you know!

"Brouwer" is indeed a common Dutch name: 'Brewer' and a brewery is a 'brouwerij'. Brouwer's paternal grandfather (his other grandfather being the famous Ernesto Lecuona!) came from [Dutch] Indonesia.

André · December 26, 2018, 10:05:54 AM

The french equivalent is also common as a name: Brasseur, as in Pierre Brasseur.

Back to Brouwer: I particularly like his Concerto de Toronto and the Concerto de Liège

Dry Brett Kavanaugh · July 01, 2020, 11:08:30 AM

Is that also called the Concerto de "Lieja"? I like the composition. I think it is based upon his Nuevo Estudio Sensillos No.8 Omaggio a Villa-Lobos.

Quote from: André on December 26, 2018, 10:05:54 AM
The french equivalent is also common as a name: Brasseur, as in Pierre Brasseur.

Back to Brouwer: I particularly like his Concerto de Toronto and the Concerto de Liège

Christo · July 01, 2020, 11:20:33 AM

Quote from: Forever Brett Kavanaugh on July 01, 2020, 11:08:30 AM
Is that also called the Concerto de "Lieja"? I like the composition. I think it is based upon his Nuevo Estudio Sensillos No.8 Omaggio a Villa-Lobos.

Didn't know about the pieces it is based on, but "Lieja" is indeed Spanish for Liège (Luik in Dutch, Lüttich in German).

Dry Brett Kavanaugh · July 10, 2020, 05:05:30 AM

Yes that's a very good album. Since last year, I have been listening these (relatively) new recordings. His concerti are getting better and better.

Quote from: Christo on December 25, 2018, 11:32:41 PM
I own the first six guitar concertos on disc and they're all superb. Another favourite are the Retrats Catalans, echoing the 'poetry' of Mompou and 'rhytm' of Gaudí:
https://www.youtube.com/v/KUGCZyJQBxs

Symphonic Addict · March 04, 2021, 01:58:26 PM

I'm very happy because of having discovered a fantastic composer today. These two concertos have impressed me powerfully, above all the Concierto de Lieja. God, what a wonderful composition this is. One of my greatest discoveries this year.