Innocent Mischief
Eduardo Monteiro plays
piano music from Brazil,
reviewed by
BILL NEWMAN
Meridian CDE 84551
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Meridian compact disc Piano Music of Brazil complements Eduardo's live Wigmore Hall event quite beautifully.
Listen -- Francisco Mignone: Sonata No 1 -- Moderato I (track 1, 0:02-1:06)
© 2007 Meridian Records
Apart from the works I have already mentioned in his live event, Villa-Lobos' Saudades das selvas brasilieras (Animado; Un poco animado) represents the true essence if the Master's uncanny ability to recapture the sombre nostalgia of the jungle. Although written in Paris (1927), it fuses the Tropics with the Paris people. Musically concerned, one derives ideas from the other, as in real life. Full of swagger and innocent mischief, the left hand melodic-rhythm is the calming factor.
The Tango Op 61 by Marlos Nobre (born 1939) is dour, gruff-sounding harmonically and rhythmically akin to the popular Astor Piazzolla. There is also a surging violence suggestive that, in other respects it became the trademarks of Revueltas and Ginastera in their rather way-out personal concepts.
Listen -- Marlos Nobre: Tango (track 13, 0:01-1:02)
© 2007 Meridian Records
In Preludios 1, 2, 3 and 12 by Cláudio Santoro (1919-1989) -- politically a convinced leftist and aesthetically a twelve-tone electronic music specialist, improvised jazz also plays its part, as does the bossa nova and their icons Morae and Jobim. The pianist wisely decided not to progress further with me in that direction!
Cartas Celestes Volume 1 by Almeida Prado (born 1943) is a mammoth work almost nineteen minutes in length, resembling an astrologist's survey of the galaxy: Venus; The Milky Way; Hercules; Lyra; Scorpio; Globular Cluster Messier; 13-Nebula Andromeda Nebula 6960/95. They each make their well-defined appearances accompanied by other constellations, stars, more nebulae and meteors. The work's conclusion is a further visit to the Milky Way, the dawning of a new day picturing the glare of blinding sunlight. After two plays, I can imagine its immediate success back in 1974 following the São Paulo authorities' commission and première at the Municipal Planetarium.
Listen -- Almeida Prado: Cartas Celestes Volume 1 (track 18, 0:02-1:21)
© 2007 Meridian Records
Copyright © 29 March 2008
Bill Newman, London UK
Eduardo Monteiro - Piano Music of Brazil
CDE 84551 DDD Stereo FIRST RELEASE 75'53" 2007 Meridian Records
Eduardo Monteiro, piano
Francisco Mignone (1897-1986): Sonata No 1 (Moderato; Andantino, quasi Allegretto; Moderato); Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959): Impressões Seresteiras; Saudades das selvas brasileiras (No 1 Animado; No 2 Un poco animado); Hommage à Chopin (Nocturne; Ballade); Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez (1897-1948): Très Estudos em forma de sonatina Op 62 (Allegro con brio; Moderato; Allegro scherzoso); Leopoldo Miguéz (1850-1902): Nocturno Op 10; Marlos Nobre (born 1939): Tango; Cláudio Santoro (1919-1989): Préludio No 1 - Lento Expressivo; Préludio No 2 - Andante (cantabile); Préludio No 3 - LLento Expressivo; Préludio No 12 - Andante Expressivo; Almeida Prado (born 1943): Cartas Celestes Volume 1 (Sunset's gateway, Night (Vesper - Venus); Milky Way; Galaxy NGC 224=M31 (Andromeda Nebula); Meteors; Constellation I (Hercules); Globular Cluster Messier 13; Meteors; Globular Cluster Messier 13; Constellation II (Lyra); Globular Cluster Messier 13; Nebula NGC 6960/95; Meteors; Alpha Piscium; Meteors; Milky Way; Venus; Dawn's gateway; Morning) |
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BILL NEWMAN TALKS TO EDUARDO MONTEIRO
Record Box is Music & Vision's
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