Villa-Lobos Anyone?

[lescamil]

1) PIANO MUSIC: Unless you show me to the hidden masterpiece, I feel that this is one area I can just pass over for now.

Rudepoêma is THE masterpiece of his piano music. Listen to Hamelin's recording on YouTube and judge for yourself. It's his best. Chôros 5 for solo piano is also great. It's a short one, easy to digest, and has a lot going on in its 5 minutes. Bachianas Brasileiras No. 3 for piano and orchestra is more effective than any of the 5 piano concertos (which have their moments, even so). The arrangement of Bachianas No. 4 for piano (I think this one was written before the orchestral version?) is also great. I have not been able to wrap my head around Chôros 11 yet. It's a massive work, has some nice piano writing, but it seems to ramble after some time, only just sounding "nice" and not really leaving anything for you to hang onto.

[Rons_talking]

Listening to HVL is like having one of those satillites that gets 600 channels; all I can think about is "what about the works I'm NOT listening to?" So I'm employing my standard MO; I begin with the symphonies and pretend that that's all he composed. I'm taste-testing on Spotify and am have listened to the 6th, 8th, 11th and 12th...there is a lot of good music in these works. But I hear the siren song of the concerti and Choros, as well as all of those String Quartets.  I'm at a loss as to what to listen to after the Symphonies. I'm delaying chamber music for now so it will be on to some of the Bachianas--any favorites? I see No. 4 for piano is recommended...

[Maestro267]

My favourites of the Bachianas are Nos. 2 (chamber orchestra including tenor saxophone, and Latin percussion in the finale) & 3 (piano and orchestra).

Bear in mind too that No. 4 is also in a version for orchestra.

[Rons_talking]

My favourites of the Bachianas are Nos. 2 (chamber orchestra including tenor saxophone, and Latin percussion in the finale) & 3 (piano and orchestra).

Bear in mind too that No. 4 is also in a version for orchestra.

Thanks. I already like No. 4( Orchestral version) and will soon listen to No. 2. Choros 11 and 12 sound really good to me as well.

[snyprrr]

Obviously I already have the 17 String Quartets covered...



5) Now, if we come down from the other end, let's look at the Symphonies:
     1-4: not interested in at the moment.
      6-7 (Naxos)
      10 (Naxos).....................................I'm sure these are self-recommending..................
      12 (Naxos)
      8, 9, 11 (three separate CPO discs)


Listening to HVL is like having one of those satillites that gets 600 channels; all I can think about is "what about the works I'm NOT listening to?" So I'm employing my standard MO; I begin with the symphonies and pretend that that's all he composed. I'm taste-testing on Spotify and am have listened to the 6th, 8th, 11th and 12th...there is a lot of good music in these works. But I hear the siren song of the concerti and Choros, as well as all of those String Quartets.  I'm at a loss as to what to listen to after the Symphonies. I'm delaying chamber music for now so it will be on to some of the Bachianas--any favorites? I see No. 4 for piano is recommended...

Again, that MarcoPolo disc with 'Erosion' has four strong works on it. And the Choros 8-12 are all big works...

I'm looking for that "one" HVL SYMPHONY- No.8 was appealing to me. He always has that cut-and-dry four-movements, he's very Haydnesque in his outlook (not in sound). It's easy to say "no" to a lot of his output if you find a few great examples.





Here's one:

SEXETTO MISTICO

It may be on some ChantduMonde disc, and guitar and ensemble piece, earli-ish, very nice. But hardly a four course dinner.






CHOROS 6 & 12 might be on my plate...

[Maestro267]

Another thing I've noticed is that Villa-Lobos likes to end his pieces in C major (or a variant of it). Examples: All 5 numbered Piano Concerti, all the symphonies I've heard (3,4,6,7,10,12).

[Zeus]

I think I can safely say that Villa-Lobos is my favorite composer, so I ought to add something here.

My very first box of anything was the BIS Complete Bachianas and Choros and Guitar. Wow!  Just wow. I try to listen to that at least twice a year. And whenever I do I feel like an idiot for listening to anything else. Definitely Choros > Bachianas, but they're all good.

I also have the BIS Floresta, and four Naxos discs (Chamber Music, Piano Music v.1, Sym #10, Sym #12), and maybe half dozen individual works. I'm a downloader – I just picked up Genesis and Rudepoema (orchestral version), both Marco Polo, both for 99 cents each off of Google Play. Not bad eh?

Ironically, because I love Villa-Lobos so much, I have been expanding my collection of Villa-Lobos quite slowly. I want to savor the acquisition/expansion phase as much as I can, rather than plunge right into the law of diminishing returns.

It's time to listen to my new purchases... 

[Mirror Image]

Villa-Lobos is one of my favorites as well. I think in many cases he still hasn't received his full due, but let's be fair, he wrote A LOT of music and sometimes when someone writes so much music and has a vast oeuvre, it's going to be overwhelming and possibly even tedious for some listeners to dig through that rather vast swamp. The Choros and Bachianas Brasileiras are magnificent. I was less impressed with the symphonies. The SQs are great. Forest of the Amazon is off-the-chain good. The ballets like Genesis, Erosao, Emperor Jones, Uirapuru, and I'm sure I've forgotten some other ballet/symphonic poems, are some of my favorite VL. I also dig all of the 'dance' works I've heard (i. e. Danças características africanas, Dança frenética, and Dança dos mosquitos). Also, the Discovery of Brazil Suites Nos. 1-3 are definitely worth checking out. I don't know much of the chamber music, but what I've heard like the Violin Sonatas and Piano Trios have been excellent. I wasn't at all thrilled by the piano concerti, which I found rather disappointing because of the piano concerti that exist in both the Choros and Bachianas series. Some of the other concerti are awesome like his Guitar Concerto and Fantasia for Saxophone and Small Orchestra. I think this about covers my listening experience with his music so far. I've only been listening to VL for about five or six years, but he remains one of my greatest musical discoveries.

[Zeus]

I know what you mean about the symphonies. But I'll still probably pick up one or two of the earlier ones some time this year. I haven't tried the String Quartets yet because I'm not a big SQ fan, but I ought to at least sample them on iTunes or something.

I do have my eye on the Discovery of Brazil Suites, in light of some of your earlier comments.

You might like Quarteto simbólico for Harp, Celeste, Flute, Alto Sax and Voices. Also the Harmonica Concerto is worth a listen.

[The new erato]

Let me push this superb disc:

[asin]B004GX91YS[/asin]

I don't know as much as his work as Mirror Image, but from what I know, he gives a fair assessment of Villa Lobos' strength/weaknesses. He has some fine piano music as well.

[Mirror Image]

I know what you mean about the symphonies. But I'll still probably pick up one or two of the earlier ones some time this year. I haven't tried the String Quartets yet because I'm not a big SQ fan, but I ought to at least sample them on iTunes or something.

I do have my eye on the Discovery of Brazil Suites, in light of some of your earlier comments.

You might like Quarteto simbólico for Harp, Celeste, Flute, Alto Sax and Voices. Also the Harmonica Concerto is worth a listen.

Thanks for the recommendations. I've heard the Harmonica Concerto before, but I don't believe I own a performance of it. The harmonica isn't exactly an instrument I have much interest in. VL's SQs were surprisingly good and, like you, I'm not a really big fan of this particular medium. I was quite saddened when I learned John Neschling left the Sao Paulo SO many years ago as he has recorded so much excellent VL for the BIS label. He's still recording for BIS, but sadly no more VL from him.

[Zeus]

I'm listening to the Quarteto simbólico for Harp, Celeste, Flute, Alto Sax and Voices right now. It's better than I remembered! It's on an album called ChamberSax, from Kyle Horch et al. I don't know anything about the rest of the album, but this work is trippy city. Composed in 1921. It sounds like Langgaard got lost in the jungle.

Dancas Brasileiras, from Minczuk and Sao Paulo on BIS, is also an awsome, fun album, by the way.





It's got VL's Danca frenetica on it.

[zamyrabyrd]

The eminent Brazilian pianist, Marcelo Bratke, who recorded all of Villa Lobos' piano works, had an incredible life. I stumbled on him and his story, playing in public with hardly seeing the keyboard, the musicians or the stage, going to Juilliard without being able to see what was written on the blackboard, even driving cars in traffic. The miracle is that he was able to regain much of his sight through a operation. His playing is simply prodigious.

https://www.amazon.com/Heitor-Villa-Lobos-Obra-Completa-Piano/dp/B00JSRXF9Y

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1247273/Virtuosos-incredible-secret--One-worlds-greatest-classical-pianists-reveals-blind-life.html

[kishnevi]

I don't know as much as his work as Mirror Image, but from what I know, he gives a fair assessment of Villa Lobos' strength/weaknesses. He has a lot of excellent piano music as well.

FTFY

I am about 3/4 of the way through Sonia Rubinsky's 8 CD set of the piano music.  Almost all of it deserves the comment "this music should be much better known than it currently is".

[Maestro267]

I wonder when volume 5 of the Karabtchevsky symphony cycle is coming out. It's been 21 months since the last disc (Sym. 12/Uirapuru/Mandu-carara) was released. I would've thought that a disc would've been released to coincide with Villa-Lobos' home country hosting the greatest sporting event of them all, the Olympics. But obviously that didn't happen.

Although I do recall that the first pair of discs was released within 6 months of each other, then we had a considerable gap before volume 3, with volume 4 following quickly. So this means when volume 5 does come out, volume 6 should theoretically follow within a year of that.

[Mirror Image]

Looking through some of my older posts in this thread and, man, I sounded like a complete jerk (probably still do...), but sorry to those I responded to that took what I said wrongly...you certainly weren't off-the-mark in your reactions.

Boy, this thread is already up to page 14? That's impressive, especially since it's Villa-Lobos. Certainly not to everyone's tastes I'm sure.

[Mirror Image]

For US GMG members, the Villa-Lobos set of SQs on the Dorian label is $29.99 (w/ free shipping and free two-day shipping, of course, for Prime members). I haven't seen this particular this low before. For my money, it's much more beautifully presented than the Brilliant Classics reissue. This set also comes with a DVD of some performances and the members of the Cuarteto Latinoamericano discussing VL's music. Definitely worth looking into if you don't own this set and don't like the cheap presentation of the Brilliant Classics set.

[asin]B01DE364EK[/asin]

[Zeus]

Ordered through the link above.  Thanks for pointing that low price out.  I haven't been able to find cheaper anywhere.  And I know cheap!

Hope GMG gets a commission!

[Maestro267]

I wonder when volume 5 of the Karabtchevsky symphony cycle is coming out.

Well, this question has been answered now. Obviously it'll take a few more listens to familiarise myself with them, but I love the symphonies 8, 9 & 11 on volume 5.

[Christo]

Let me push this superb disc:

[asin]B004GX91YS[/asin]

I don't know as much as his work as Mirror Image, but from what I know, he gives a fair assessment of Villa Lobos' strength/weaknesses. He has some fine piano music as well.

Half a year ago, it was dirt cheap at JPC - but the price had gone up again when I was planning to order it. Waiting for the next opportunity.