Villa-Lobos: Hommage a Chopin - download (MP3 & FLAC)

2010

“Villa-Lobos's claim that his music was 'the fruit of an immense, ardent and generous land' at once disarms familiar criticism of extravagance and formlessness. To regard such largesse through the blinkered eyes of someone exclusively nurtured on a more restrained and economical diet is unacceptable. There may be tares among the wheat but such strictures hardly apply to the music in this Vol 1 which commences with the enchanting Prole do bebê, Book 1 (the Second Book is a tougher, altogether more astringent and percussive experience, while a Third Book is sadly lost). Intimately associated with Artur Rubinstein (who rearranged Villa-Lobos's miniatures, omitting some and ending 'O Polichinelo' with an unmarked rip-roaring glissando), Prole dobebê is here played complete. Sonia Rubinsky makes light of a teasing rhythmic mix in 'Morenhina' (No 2) and in 'Caboclinha'(No 3) she relishes Villa-Lobos's audacity; his way of making his seductive melody and rhythm surface through a peal of church bells. Again, despite strong competition from Alma Petchersky on ASV in the no less delightful Cirandas, Rubinsky scores an unequivocal success, ideally attuned to the central and beguiling melody of 'Terezinha de Jesus' (No 1) with its forte e canto instruction, and allowing the fight between the carnation and the rose (No 4) to melt into a delicious love duet. Much celebrated in her native Brazil and also in America, Sonia Rubinsky is excellently recorded.”