Villa-Lobos: Ciclo Brasileiro

The long awaited second release in Marcelo Bratke’s complete piano music of Villa-Lobos. All the works on this CD have a direct reference to Brazil and come from two different periods of Villa-Lobo’s artistic output.

This month sees the eagerly awaited volume 2 of Villa-Lobos piano music from Joanna Brzezinska. Simple, sweetly naïve melodies and energetic, unrelenting rhythms carried by boundless surging vitality. Such is the sound of Brazil which Villa-Lobos succeeded in conveying in all his works, particularly those featured on this CD. Joanna Brzezinska has a particular affinity for this unique Brazilian composer, her playing wonderfully conveys the sensuality, sweetness and brazen impetuosity of his music.

With sparkling articulation, pianist Pola Baytelman probes deeply to the heart of whatever music she plays. Born in Chile, Baytelman made her debut with the Chilean Symphony Orchestra at age 17, and has since played with numerous orchestras. She studied at the University of Chile’s National Conservatory as well as at New England Conservatory and the University of Texas, Austin. Baytelman is an active recitalist and particularly enjoys playing music by women and by Spanish and Latin American composers, as this beautiful recording so clearly demonstrates.