The Quirks of Villa-Lobos

 

...are fully at the fore in this chamber music.

The Nonetto and Quatuor have the correct numbers associated with their titles, nine and four respectively. Interestingly, Villa-Lobos adds to those generic title descriptors in most unusual ways.

In the Nonetto, it is through a host of exotic and indigenous percussion (listed below). There are almost 20 percussion instruments in the score, in addition to requiring three players, so the term nonet is deceiving.

Furthermore, Villa-Lobos adds a chorus to both the Nonetto and the Quatuor. This aspect not only blows the typical number of players out of the water, but also adds a lyrical and percussive element to the music. This places these works in a category of the unusual, for sure.

The recording in question was originally put onto LP by Capitol Records, the performance dating from 1957. When introduced on CD by Cherry Records and its sub-label Él, they added a 1940 performance of the same two chamber works, as well as some solo guitar compositions played by Julian Bream, Andrés Segovia, and Laurindo Almeida, filling out the album nicely.

I mention these dates to warn listeners that this recording lies on the historical side. The 1940 performances are indeed scrappy sounding, thus I prefer the 1957 performances led by the great choir master Roger Wagner and his eponymous Chorale and pick-up ensemble.

The 1967 performances are older sounding as well, often reminding me of silver-screen cinema scores, no doubt aided by the wider vibrato from the winds and singers. But to hear these rare chamber works from Villa-Lobos is to come to this recording, whose sonics exist for better or worse, depending on your tolerance of older sound.

The Quatuor is written for flute, saxophone, harp, and Celeste, plus the odd addition of women's voices who ululate non-lexically. The Nonetto comes with flute, oboe, clarinet, sax, bassoon, harp, Celeste, percussion, and mixed chorus, where the composer strangely includes the last two as part of the nine.

As to the music, it is definitely modern, yet I hear more Impressionism than anything else, no doubt raised by the inclusion of a harp and Celeste amidst the composer's visit to experimental France. The chorus provides long lyrical lines and some unusual harmony, but also grunts and yelps amidst the 'traditional' chamber instruments.

If you are not a-feared of trying something new, listeners will find much to enjoy here from Brazilian composer Villa-Lobos. Certainly, his is a singular compositional voice, and it is the chamber music which is often his finest. These could certainly be described as curious, and need a modern recording, but what a fun exploration nonetheless.

The solo guitar music is more appealing, not only in its populous style, but also in its stereo, upfront-placed splendor. Only the Julian Bream offerings are a little recessed, sonically speaking, but it is always a delight to hear the British virtuoso guitarist.

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This recording receives The Oozy Keep exploration award. Yet, I am not much of a historical recording listener, so this remains more of a curio than an essential key into The Keep.

Not for the faint of heart or those averse to the unusual.