Villa-Lobos

[Beyond Within]

Has anyone else here heard any of his work? Ive heard a few of his etudes...its interesting.

[Peter]

Isn't there a piece called Brasiliana for 8 double basses? I seem to recall hearing it many years back. I know he often used rather eccentric techniques such as on the piano one hand playing only white notes and the other all black.

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'Man know thyself'

[v russo]

Originally posted by Peter:
Isn't there a piece called Brasiliana for 8 double basses? I seem to recall hearing it many years back. I know he often used rather eccentric techniques such as on the piano one hand playing only white notes and the other all black.

Hector Villa-Lobos was an excellent 20th century composer. He combined western techniques with the folk and popular music of his homeland Brazil. He was heavily influenced by Bach and wrote a bunch of music in the asthectic of Bach filtered through a modern and south american sensibility. I recommend him highly. He was a prolific composer. He has many symphonies, string quartets (all very interesting!), piano and various chamber works, along with song settings and some musical generes that he has created on his own. He gave certain names to musical forms that he created by this melding of bach (western classical) and brasilian (folk, popular)that are worthy of hearing. His melody's are sumptious, his harmonies pungent and his forms are quite interesting. He also used the modern techniques of dissonace and repetition, though the music overall is quite tonal. Check out the "Bachianas Brasileiras" series of pieces- for this combination of western/latin american- and his "Choros" series as well...



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v russo

[Beyond Within]

All I have heard is his Classic Guitar compositions. They are tonal for sure, but very very experimentally chromatic. I didnt know he did more than classic guitar until now, interesting...

[Gurn Blanston]

V.
Thanks for that review. I have been seeing his string quartets available here and there and been wanting to try them, just needed to be pushed over the edge. Think now I have been.


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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Rutradelusasa]

His music is indeed very interesting and, being myself a brazilian, it is really nice the way he develops and manipulates tunes, folk tunes or not.
Even native tunes and childhood tunes aren't free from his hand and got transformed by him in great style.

For those interested I recommend the book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books
and cds with him and Bidu Sayão, a great Brazilian soprano, specially Floresta do Amazonas, great cantata.

[v russo]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
V.
Thanks for that review. I have been seeing his string quartets available here and there and been wanting to try them, just needed to be pushed over the edge. Think now I have been.

Good Gurn! enjoy. I think you will find this man a very unique and under-rated composer. The first time I heard one of his quartets (the 6th I think) I was blown away.



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v russo

[leonardooliveira]

Villa-Lobos composed a piano piece called Rudepoema, and dedicated it to the pianist Arthur Rubinstein - who was his friend. Highly recommended. (Own Rubinstein badly could play it... : P)

[v russo]

Originally posted by leonardooliveira:
Villa-Lobos composed a piano piece called Rudepoema, and dedicated it to the pianist Arthur Rubinstein - who was his friend. Highly recommended. (Own Rubinstein badly could play it... : P)

thanks for the tip!