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1887-1959
Villa-Lobos is a Brazilian composer.
The composer's musical style is tough to pin down. He definitely honors his country's music through the lens of artistic Classical Music, but his approach is more in the vein of Béla Bartók rather than any Nationalistic Romanticisms, yet with a keen sense for rhythm, especially relating to dance.
Villa-Lobos spent time in Paris, the center of Nouveau art at the time, and so I also hear musical elements ala Stravinsky. Primitivism, Neo-Classicism, and certainly various brands of Modernism. Yet, I also detect populist leanings at times too, moments where he lushly soars cinematically, where he often has a fair hand with tunes as well.
He was an extremely prolific composer and composed across many genres, both large form and small, vocal and instrumental alike. I know Villa-Lobos' music mainly from his orchestral, concertante, and vocal contributions, yet there is so much more. Hopefully I can expand my knowledge and search into his works.
Recordings and reviews currently on hand (Click below to visit):
1974: Guitar Concerto (Bream/Previn)
1986: Guitar Concerto (Romero/Marriner)
1989: Harmonica Concerto (Bonfiglio/Schwarz)
1993: Harmonica Concerto (Reilly/Smola)
1991: Symphonic Poems & Ballets
1993: Sacred Music
1994: Danças
1994: Discovery of Brazil Suites
1995: Solo Guitar Music
1996: Bachianas Brasileiras (Tilson Thomas)
1997: Piano Concertos
2001: Forest of the Amazon
2005: Bachianas Brasileiras, Vol. 1
2006: Bachianas Brasileiras, Vol. 2
2007: Bachianas Brasileiras, Vol. 3
2008: Chôros, Vol. 1
2008: Chôros, Vol. 2
2008: Chôros, Vol. 3
2009: Chôros & Bachianas (Box Set)
2009: Symphonies
2009: String Quartets
2010: Forest of the Amazon
2011: Choral Music
2019: Harmonica & Guitar Concerto, Chamber Music
2023: Cello Concertos