Heitor Villa-Lobos
Bachianas Brasileiras Complete
Sergio & Odair Assad
Heitor Villa-Lobos: Obra Completa Para Violao Solo
(2004)
Azulão
with soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian
Following on the enormous success of her first recording for CBC RECORDS -
Joyous Light (CBC SMCD 5215) – the stunning young Canadian lyric soprano ISABEL
BAYRAKDARIAN turns her attention to the seductive colours and rhythms of Spain
and Latin America. The centre piece of this recording is the vocal evergreen,
Bachianas Brasileiras # 5 for soprano and eight cellos by Brazilian composer
Heitor Villa-Lobos. --an Amazon reviewer
Villa-Lobos
Heitor Villa-Lobos (Composer), et al
The portions of Bachianas Brasileiras most of
us are familiar with are on this CD. Originally recorded in 1958,this title was
digitally remastered at Abbey Road Studios in 1998. It is stunning. Victoria de
los Angeles is the soloist and when I discovered this recording I found the
exact voice for Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5., Aria. And Villa-Lobos' conducting
is like his music - enormous range and power. I own several editions of
Bachianas Brazileiras and only listen to this one. --an
Amazon reviewer
A Floresta Do Amazonas De
Villa-Lobos
Joao Carlos
Assis Brasil, Ney Matogrosso
and Wagner Tiso,
with Jaques Morelenbaum
(Kuarup)
Bach Bachianas / Arleen Augér, The Yale Cellos of Aldo Parisot
Heitor Villa-Lobos (Performer), et al
I am a professional cellist, and I have many versions of the Villa Lobos works. There can be no doubt that this recording is the definitive one. All the music is glorious, the arrangements are brilliant, and the singing is top-notch(although it is the cello choir that is the "raison d'etre" on this album) Aldo Parisot has always been able to show his students how to create a luscious "liquid" sound, and this album bathes the listener with a hint of Heaven. At least one of the players on this album is now a principal cellist of a major orchestra, and every single player is equally accomplished. There is nothing bad to say about this album. Put it in your car's CD player, roll down the windows, and crank the volume to Max. It's the closest to Heaven you'll get till you get there. --an Amazon reviewer
Villa-Lobos
Heitor Villa-Lobos (Composer), Norbert Kraft (Performer)
Heitor Villa-Lobos was a remarkable
20th-Century Brazilian composer whose works mixed elements of jazz with the
flavors of South American folk music. In his compositions one can hear the
premonition of later musical forms to come: salsa, rhumba, even a taste of
tango, but the over-riding factor is the melodic jazz, which is so reminiscent
of Villa-Lobos' contemporary Django Reinhardt. One also hears the bravado of
Spanish flamenco, complete with its pounding rhythm and complex phrasings.
Villa-Lobos may just be the first truly international composer, in that his work
reflects the input of numerous influences from around the globe. Indeed, he was
toying with jazz fusion before the term was even invented.
Out of all of his total output, his compositions for guitar were relatively few,
but they are also the most long-lived and the most celebrated. That's because
Villa-Lobos, who had performed as a street musician, had a clear sense of how he
thought the guitar should be used as an instrument of expression. After just one
listening it is easy to recognize both the beauty and importance of his works.
It's also easy to recognize just how talented the guitarist, Norbert Kraft, is.
And I don't mean this strictly in technical terms. Even the great Segovia
admitted that he found Villa-Lobos' pieces difficult to play, but Kraft sounds
like he's doing it with his eyes closed. He's loud where he needs to be, and
quiet when the music calls for it. You can tell he is very passionate about
Villa-Lobos. As another reviewer has pointed out, Kraft is Canadian and, at
first, that seems like heresy. But there's something very appropriate about a
foreigner mastering Villa-Lobos' international music. It is definitely in
keeping with the spirit of the works. I think that after hearing these
definitive interpretations of his six-stringed masterpieces, Villa-Lobos would
be pleased. --an Amazon reviewer
Bachianas Brasileiras Complete
Books About Villa-Lobos
Heitor
Villa-Lobos: A Life
by David P. Appleby
Also See:
Bidu Sayao
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