Symphony no. 3 'War' is practically inviting, rather than anything dread-or-menace filled, particularly its two early movements. Sure, there are military brass tootlings and snatches of familiar battleground tunes, yet the music sounds almost perky and appealing, with rather dainty conclusions.
Once we get to the second half of the symphony, with its themes of battle and sacrifice, the music becomes more of what I had in mind. These portions are also my favorite of the Third Symphony, for they seem imbued with weight and portent.
Compared to his first two symphonies, Villa-Lobos employs more percussion and ancillary sounds, making his textures even more colorful and thick. After having heard a lot of orchestral music from the composer recently, hearing him use col legno, a string effect I don't believe I have heard from him before, becomes a special sound in this music, rather than merely a gimmick.
I can't say this work is particularly tuneful, where I think the composer is more concerned with overall mood and atmosphere. According to the liner notes, the score for Symphony no. 3 apparently calls for an ad libitum chorus at some point, and it seems a missed opportunity to not employ the São Paulo Symphony Chorus after they have appeared in so many collaborations of Villa-Lobos on both Naxos and BIS. It would have certainly set the work apart from the earlier CPO recording of the same symphony.
Well, if I didn't expect a War Symphony to be lush and Romantic, certainly its thematically-linked Symphony no. 4 'Victory' shouldn't be more grim and tense than its earlier sibling composition, right? Think again... the work opens with a confused fright, showing a slight modernism missing in the previous symphony.
When the xylophone pops into the opening movement, I am reminded of John Barry, particularly his work on those early James Bond films. And indeed, these early symphonies from Villa-Lobos are beginning to sound like film scores to me. Perhaps it is due to the composer's lack of tight structures or tightly-knit ideas in lieu of Impressionistic moods and atmosphere which leads to me to these thoughts. Yet it is said with best of intentions, and is merely a comparison in my mind's eye for a description of this music.
Isaac Karabtchevsky goes for a big, boomy sound in these symphonies, amplified by the São Paulo Hall. This is great for a big, Romantic atmosphere, where the strings, bass drum, and cymbals can fill up the whole space. Some of the individual sounds get washed up in the blowsy sound, like the distant ratchet, although the piano and harp come through pretty well.
These symphonies, so far, are not going to set my world on fire, but it is a pleasant 70+ minutes in Villa-Lobos' free-flowing, colorful orchestral style. He certainly has an individual musical voice, yet these are beginning to sound like film scores. Hopefully, innovation comes his way between the Victory Symphony of 1919 and Symphony no. 6 of 1944, the Fifth Symphony now lost to the annals of time.
Listen on YouTube
Works
Symphony no. 3 'A Guerra' (31.46)
Symphony no. 4 'A Vitória' (31.23)
Performers
São Paulo Symphony Orchestra
Isaac Karabtchevsky, conductor
Label: Naxos
Year: 2013
Total Timing: 63.09
Find more Villa-Lobos recordings HERE!
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