Re: Guia Pratico of Villa-Lobos

"Lookingglass" <Shemakhan@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:FJOdnbkBQOEoeWvZnZ2dnUVZ_omdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Raymond Hall" <raytoby3@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ZQtJg.20672$rP1.15832@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Picked up Sonia Rubinsky's readings of Guia Pratico, (the ones written by
the composer for piano), of the original 137 songs that Villa-Lobos
published, that comprised the document Guia Pratico, during several
visits he made throughout his native Brazil (1905-1913). Similar to
Bartok in his search for ethnic and regional songs (before disappearing
for ever), Villa-Lobos collected thousands of songs throughout many of
the regions of Brazil, of which the Guia Pratico comprised the
publication of 137 of them. Many are based on children's rounds, even
though the treatment that Villa-Lobos rendered on them, was somewhat more
complex and sophisticated.

Certainly music not designed to be played on the piano by children,
(unless exceptionally gifted), many of the songs were designed for choral
performance.

Anyway, in short, the piano music of nine of the Guia Pratico (there
exist eleven, and Naxos are getting Rubinsky to record the other two),
are superb little gems of mostly 5 or six little pieces for each of the
Pratico. None are longer than 2:46 (A Condessa of No.V), with the
tantalisingly short Carambola of No.VIII lasting a mere 0:29. All are
slightly 'orchestrally' written for the piano, (mercifully free of stock
scales and arpeggios), and chordal in texture, imbued with a South
American dash of harmony, and rhythm. There are 46 short pieces in the
nine Pratica on the 63 minute CD, and particular gems are The Little
Limping Girl, The Rosebush, Caranguejo, and one could go on. Each will go
back and play their own favourites. Frankly, I just sat back and listened
to the whole lot of them, with no sense of fatigue at all. Each has a
title, and if the song texts are really required, then the Naxos site has
a PDF file available.

Ray H
Taree, NSW


Thank you for this Ray... I love Villa-Lobos' music. Do you have a catalog
# for this recording?

Thank you.

It is Naxos 8.570008.

Heitor Villa-Lobos, Piano Music 5 (Guia Pratico Nos.1 to 9, based on
Brazilian Traditional Songs).

Actually the 5th Villa-Lobos CD for Naxos that Rubinsky has recorded, and
possibly the most sheerly enjoyable. Villa-Lobos at his most accessible, not
that the other volumes aren't enjoyable either, but I just had to mention
this one.

Ray H
Taree, NSW


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Guia Pratico of Villa-Lobos
    ... the composer for piano), of the original 137 songs that Villa-Lobos ... published, that comprised the document Guia Pratico, during several visits ...
    (rec.music.classical.recordings)
  • Re: Guia Pratico of Villa-Lobos
    ... by the composer for piano), of the original 137 songs that Villa-Lobos ... published, that comprised the document Guia Pratico, during several ... Bartok in his search for ethnic and regional songs (before disappearing ...
    (rec.music.classical.recordings)
  • Guia Pratico of Villa-Lobos
    ... Picked up Sonia Rubinsky's readings of Guia Pratico, ... of the original 137 songs that Villa-Lobos ... Certainly music not designed to be played on the piano by children, ...
    (rec.music.classical.recordings)