Villa-Lobos Anyone?

[snyprrr]

That's a great work! Listen to the Eduardo Mata performance.

Yes, that's The One I have. Sumptuous Dorian sound.

[TheGSMoeller]

I think Naxos has done a great job with Villa-Lobos, the Bachianas Brasileiras with Kenneth Schermerhorn and now the symphonies, but the chamber discs are perfection, Sonia Rubinsky's piano discs and the chamber disc featuring the group Mobius.

 

[snyprrr]

Ahhh, a year with HVL?!


1) I was thinking of the Violin Sonata No.3... or the Piano Trio No.1,... or PT3... I thought the String Trio was just as high profile as the SQs...

2) Any thoughts on out-of-the-way HVL Masterpieces? The last disc I got was the MarcoPolo 'Genesis'- recommended here and rightly so. Also Choros 8-9 on MarcoPolo, and 'Uripuru'(?) with Mata. That's all the HVL I have (SQs with Besslers (great great performances), and the Quintetto/Choros).

3) I'm tempted by the Piano Concertos 1-5, but I fear the Reviews of the music have already put me to sleep. Cello Concertos? One doesn't hear ANYTHING about HVL CCs- there's an MDG disc of the 'Complete' CCs which lasts 38 minutes!!!

4) Symphonies 6,7,8,9,11, and 12 appeal to me but I really don't want to track down the individuals- what's your fav amongst this bunch? I heard great things about 11.

[North Star]

Just get the BIS set with all the Chôros & Bachianas. Floresta do Amazonas is cool too.

[snyprrr]

Just get the BIS set with all the Chôros & Bachianas. Floresta do Amazonas is cool too.

Yea, I saw that- like the holy grail, eh? haha- ahhh, let's see... mm... $5.42... nah, not today!

[Mirror Image]

Ahhh, a year with HVL?!


1) I was thinking of the Violin Sonata No.3... or the Piano Trio No.1,... or PT3... I thought the String Trio was just as high profile as the SQs...

2) Any thoughts on out-of-the-way HVL Masterpieces? The last disc I got was the MarcoPolo 'Genesis'- recommended here and rightly so. Also Choros 8-9 on MarcoPolo, and 'Uripuru'(?) with Mata. That's all the HVL I have (SQs with Besslers (great great performances), and the Quintetto/Choros).

3) I'm tempted by the Piano Concertos 1-5, but I fear the Reviews of the music have already put me to sleep. Cello Concertos? One doesn't hear ANYTHING about HVL CCs- there's an MDG disc of the 'Complete' CCs which lasts 38 minutes!!!

4) Symphonies 6,7,8,9,11, and 12 appeal to me but I really don't want to track down the individuals- what's your fav amongst this bunch? I heard great things about 11.

Do you own the other Roberto Duarte discs on Marco Polo, snyprrr? Those are the ones to get next.

[snyprrr]

Do you own the other Roberto Duarte discs on Marco Polo, snyprrr? Those are the ones to get next.

The 'frenetica' 'africanus' or something? Yes, I'm in the "what's after the Duarte discs" mode right now.

Here's my general problem with ALL these mid-century, massive output fellas: whether I start at the bottom (usually just 'plain' Piano Music), or start at the top (usually Symphonies), I always end up in the middle- a no-man's land where there are hidden Masterpieces in [plain sight, and lots of drecky dreck to made through- not quite 'Symphonic', not quite 'Chamber'...

soooo, I end up thinking ALL Composers have this- and I've been proven right/wrong a few times. SOOOO... with HVL, AFTER THE DUARTE DISCS (haha), do we go straight on down to the 'Nonetto' and the harp Quintetto (1958?)... I mean, we have no HVL Piano Quintet, one Sextetto Mistico (somewhat hard to get),... the 'Quartetto simbolico'... the wind quintet 'Choros'...


AND... after the Symphonies, all we have is those 'Sinfoniettas' and 'Suites'... and those Cello Concertos that add up to 38 minutes. No Violin Concerto. 5 Piano Concertos no one really seems to get excited over... what am I missing?


Aye aye aye... I'm hyperventilating... seriously... haha... this is what happens with Martinu, Villa-Lobos, Milhaus, Francaix, Malipiero,... ack, I'm just choking on thin air here, haha!! I HAAAAAAVE CONQUERED MARTINU though!!!!! woo hoo!!! on to the next one-

[Mirror Image]

I don't think there's much of a choice in terms of many of these orchestral works if you look beyond the Duarte Marco Polo discs. He recorded some rare works that have yet been recorded again like Discovery of Brazil Suites 1-4, Rudá, Rudepoema (orchestrated version), Danças características africanas, Dança frenética, Dança dos mosquitos, Erosão, Gênesis, and Dawn In A Tropical Forest.

I would skip most of the concertante works with the exception of the Guitar Concerto (probably his best concertante work). They're not VL at his best. Check out the Violin Sonatas and Piano Trios, though. Those are quite nice works.

[kishnevi]

I just ordered this.
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=133939
On sale this month (which is one reason I got it.)

[snyprrr]

I don't think there's much of a choice in terms of many of these orchestral works if you look beyond the Duart Marco Polo discs. He recorded some rare works that have yet been recorded again like Discovery of Brazil Suites 1-4, Rudá, Rudepoema (orchestrated version), Danças características africanas, Dança frenética, Dança dos mosquitos, Erosão, Gênesis, and Dawn In A Tropical Forest.

I would skip most of the concertante works with the exception of the Guitar Concerto (probably his best concertante work). They're not VL at his best. Check out the Violin Sonatas and Piano Trios, though. Those are quite nice works.

Well, I've obviously not tried the Choros or the Bachianas. I've just spent hours familiarizing myself (just on amazon), and here's what I got. Very confusing for me:

CHOROS

Choros 6 for Orchestra

Choros 8-9 - got that one

Choros 10 for Chorus & Orchestra - MTT?

Choros 11 - the big one- Ondine

Choros 12


BACHIANAS

1 + 5 for 8 cellos (1 with voice)                6 for chamber

9 for strings or voices

2,4,7,8 - orchestra- these are the ones I have questions about. Make sense for me pleeeze??

3 for piano + orchestra - seems rare on disc (like all this, I thought there were more recordings, but, no)


Barring the BIS Box (for now), what's the skinny? I hear MOST versions have "inaccuracies" that only the Naxos rectifies (BIS too?). What's going on here?

[Mirror Image]

Well, I've obviously not tried the Choros or the Bachianas. I've just spent hours familiarizing myself (just on amazon), and here's what I got. Very confusing for me:

CHOROS

Choros 6 for Orchestra

Choros 8-9 - got that one

Choros 10 for Chorus & Orchestra - MTT?

Choros 11 - the big one- Ondine

Choros 12


BACHIANAS

1 + 5 for 8 cellos (1 with voice)                6 for chamber

9 for strings or voices

2,4,7,8 - orchestra- these are the ones I have questions about. Make sense for me pleeeze??

3 for piano + orchestra - seems rare on disc (like all this, I thought there were more recordings, but, no)


Barring the BIS Box (for now), what's the skinny? I hear MOST versions have "inaccuracies" that only the Naxos rectifies (BIS too?). What's going on here?

This should be helpful for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Heitor_Villa-Lobos

As for the inaccuracies regarding VL's scores, this is true at least of the older copies a lot of these conductors were using. The Schermerhorn and Minczuk cycles both use the newest editions, which the printed errors have been fixed. So, in this regard, it really comes down to performances and for me Schermerhorn has the better cycle of Bachianas Brasileiras. There seems to be more drive in his performances.

[snyprrr]

This should be helpful for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Heitor_Villa-Lobos

As for the inaccuracies regarding VL's scores, this is true at least of the older copies a lot of these conductors were using. The Schermerhorn and Minczuk cycles both use the newest editions, which the printed errors have been fixed. So, in this regard, it really comes down to performances and for me Schermerhorn has the better cycle of Bachianas Brasileiras. There seems to be more drive in his performances.

Just spent some YT time- I'm convinced I like all the BBs and will have to look at Schwemwehorn.

The big orchestral Choros  are much more diverse and bewildering. From my brief sampling of intros, Choros No.6 jumped out at me as being just the kind of thing I like.

And I sampled the Late Symphonies, and I just about like all of 6-12- No.11 being the one I was least keen on (I also didn't listen to the choral No.10). Oy, I really wasn't planning on getting the whole Box. ugh

[Christo]

I was quite wrong about Villa Lobos. I think that Symphony 3 is a fine work. It is moving, especially the slow movement, memorable and exciting. Maybe the last movement is rather densely scored, but I have been delighted to find this symphony. Which symphonies are best? I like no 4 and also have no 12.

Some of the lesser-known orchestral Bachianas brasileiras, esp. Nos. 4, 7 and 8, and Schermerhorn's final Naxos recording was a monumental achievement and is still a fine choice for these pieces especially, also ask for a recommendation. :-)

[Brian]

From naxos.com, conductor Isaac Karabtchevsky says:

"A plan of action, both ambitious and optimistic, was thus drawn up: first, to address all the symphonies in the period 2011-2016; second, to focus on 13 other orchestral works and bring the project to a conclusion by the year 2020. This latter selection was to include Uirapuru, The Odyssey of a Race, Suite for Chamber Orchestra No. 1, Danças Africanas, Danças Diabólicas, Danças Dos Mosquitos, Danças Frenéticas, The Discovery of Brazil, Rudepoema, Francette et Pià, Cello Concertos Nos. 1 and 2, and the Fantasia Concertante for 32 Cellos.

"The loss of the manuscript of Symphony No. 5, Peace leaves an irreparable gap within this formidable project. Sources describe it as a work in the style of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8, known as the "Symphony of a Thousand", for two orchestras, bands, soloists and choirs. Judging by the open-air concerts directed by Villa-Lobos, it would appear to have been a work that built on all the instrumental resources that he had employed up to that point."

...he wrote a piece for 32 cellos?! I gotta hear that.

[snyprrr]

From naxos.com, conductor Isaac Karabtchevsky says:

"A plan of action, both ambitious and optimistic, was thus drawn up: first, to address all the symphonies in the period 2011-2016; second, to focus on 13 other orchestral works and bring the project to a conclusion by the year 2020. This latter selection was to include Uirapuru, The Odyssey of a Race, Suite for Chamber Orchestra No. 1, Danças Africanas, Danças Diabólicas, Danças Dos Mosquitos, Danças Frenéticas, The Discovery of Brazil, Rudepoema, Francette et Pià, Cello Concertos Nos. 1 and 2, and the Fantasia Concertante for 32 Cellos.

"The loss of the manuscript of Symphony No. 5, Peace leaves an irreparable gap within this formidable project. Sources describe it as a work in the style of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8, known as the "Symphony of a Thousand", for two orchestras, bands, soloists and choirs. Judging by the open-air concerts directed by Villa-Lobos, it would appear to have been a work that built on all the instrumental resources that he had employed up to that point."

...he wrote a piece for 32 cellos?! I gotta hear that.

ok, so will will be getting all the Symphonies I suppose. Good, now I can hold off... ain't like grand?

Still, it's a lot of stuff we already have... eh... looking forward to some later Syms. 6/7 was pretty yummy.

[Maestro267]

I've been following the Karabtchevsky Villa-Lobos symphony cycle since the beginning, buying the volumes shortly after release. My favourite is currently No. 4.

I await expectantly the next volume in the cycle. The previous 4 volumes have been released late '12, early '13, late '14, early '15, so if that pattern continues, I may still have some time to wait. Maybe the next one could be released to coincide with the Rio Olympics next summer, as he's a Brazilian composer. Just a guess.

[Spineur]

I came to Villa-Lobos through his guitar works (preludes and Etudes), which are in many ways some of his most European compositions.  Quite beautiful really.  Then I moved to the Bachianas, then to Uirapuru and the Choros.
I have listened to some of the string quartets on the radio, but I do not have any recordings.  At the present time, they are appealing to me.

The guitar works and Uirapuru are my favorites, because they are very homogeneous compositions.  The Bachianas and the Choros mixes different styles, which is why I like to listen to them one at a time.

[Maestro267]

They need to release a boxset of just the Choros. I know BIS have them recorded with the Bachianas, but I already have them and don't need another set.

[Mirror Image]

They need to release a boxset of just the Choros. I know BIS have them recorded with the Bachianas, but I already have them and don't need another set.

You can always purchase the Choros recordings individually on BIS. Probably will be more expensive but it's really the only option in town if you don't want that BIS set.

[snyprrr]

You can always purchase the Choros recordings individually on BIS. Probably will be more expensive but it's really the only option in town if you don't want that BIS set.

I  was soaring with Hindemith when i noticed HVL sitting all alone... and I got out my previous HVL WorksList and began looking through.


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.

2) CELLO MUSIC: From what I see, the big work is 'Cello Sonata No.2', which doesn't really do anything for me at the time (thankfully $$$)

3) VIOLIN MUSIC: Well, you can fit the "Complete" on one CD... from what I heard, Violin Sonatas Nos.1-2 are a little more hot-blooded- No.3 is considered the more mature masterwork... can't find No.3 by itself... does have a bit of Janacek/Enescu/Ysaye to it...

4) STRING TRIO- major work, haven't heard it

4) 3 PIANO TRIOS: from what I heard, I liked No.1, very nicely done in the classic French style. The other two are more expansive, but I thought I heard some of the typical HVL rambling/lounging that I don't need at the moment... maybe try No.1



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)


6) CHOROS: I guess we'd be mostly dealing with No.6(?)

                       8-9 (I have on MarcoPolo)

                       10

                       11 (big Piano Concerto) who do you like this?

                       12


7) BACHIANAS BRASILIAROS(?)- HERE'S WHERE I DON'T QUITE KNOW IF I'M THERE OR NOT. SOMETIMES these pieces just sound like really nice movie music, and other times I get the humid Brazil air wafting through... most tof the movements are fairly short, so we're not dealing with anything in the 10-20min range like the Choros...



MARCO POLO ORCHESTRAL DISCS 1-4: I have the one with 'Erosion'... maybe the best HVL?... there's just too much of him!!



9) 5 PIANO CONCERTOS: everyone says "eh"??

10) CELLO CONCERTO(S): ??

11) VIOLIN CONCERTO- no?








All I have are the 17 String Quartets, that one MarcoPolo/'Erosion' disc, 'Uripuru', and the Hyperion disc of wind music, and the Choros 8-9

What would be the single best avenue from here???