The Baby's Family of Villa Lobos

I know this lp is on Naxos, what isn't nowadays?? Here's my transfer of The Baby's Family by Villa Lobos performed by the excellent Cuban pianist, Jose Echaniz. The record date from 1955.

I'm rather amazed at just how versatile a musician was Heitor Villa Lobos. The man could write convincingly in pretty much any idiom and for any combination of instruments and voices. Gosh, he arranged a whole bunch of Bach inspired music for an orchestra of cello's! If that isn't gumption, I don't know what is. Yes, I do...try Handel's Royal Fireworks Music in the original scoring....30 oboes or so???

Here is music obviously inspired by the likes of Schumann, Debussy and Bartok. Miniatures that quite flavorfully capture a child's eye view of the people and world around him or her. This is simple, precious music that is meant to draw people in, especially younger people. It is unintimidating and welcoming, the kind of stuff that whets the appetite. Pianist Echaniz is a convincing interpreter (I am working on his incredible take on the compete Iberia of Albeniz) and he carefully crafts each little piece with its own distinctive voice. It's really all too bad that more pianists have not given this cycle a go, don't you think?

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Piano Music of Milhaud, Villa Lobos and Stravinsky

Interesting twentieth century piano music today. Lenore Engdahl performs Milhaud's Saudades de Brasil along with short works of Villa Lobos and the estimable French pianist Marcelle Meyer does great justice to Stravinsky in Three Movements from Petrushka and Serenade in A.

Admittedly, I know little of these two ladies of the keyboard. Engdahl had a long career as an artist, performing from the 1940's through the 80's. It would appear that she was a renowned teacher too, as witnessed by a quick google search. Though from the upper midwest, Ms Engdahl plays these pieces inspired by Brazil with great authority and is fully within the idiom. Really nice listening and I am pleased to have found this old MGM lp. I'd like to find more by Lenore Engdahl

Marcelle Meyer

Marcelle Meyer was one of the greatest French pianists of the last century, an artist well regarded by Ravel, members of Les Six, and Stravinsky. These masters apparently valued her musicianship since she served their music with an equal and total devotion and always avoided over dramatising the score. In other words, she was not one for effect but let the music speak directly and honestly to the listener. Her performances of Stravinsky are absolutely magnificent - Petrouchka is not easy stuff and she makes it sound so natural and unforced, like watching Fred Astaire dance.

I am not totally sure on the date of the Engdahl - MGM record and the Meyer - Haydn Society lp. I would guess late 40's for Meyer and mid 50's for Engdahl. This two records really make for some neat listening...really.

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Robert Whitney conducts music of Villa Lobos and Norman Dello Joio

I was so glad to find this, one of the Columbia recordings that the Louisville Orchestra made before the orchestra launched its own, highly acclaimed "First Edition" label. Here we have two wonderful works, Villa Lobos' "Erosion, or the Origins of the Amazon" and Norman Dello Joio's excellent symphony "The Triumph of St Joan." My transfer is from one of those infamous Columbia Special Products lps and recordings date from the early 50's.

Without question, Robert Whitney was one of the two or three best friends that a 20th century composer could possibly have. Possessing a varied repertoire, a good orchestra and and a drive to "spread the word" Whitney probably led more world premieres than any other conductor, maybe with the exceptions of Koussevitzky or Hanson, I am not sure. Hardly a flamboyant man, he was methodical, serious and totally devoted to his beloved Louisville. Listen to ths record and you will see what I mean.

I especially like the Dello Joio work. If you like the format, and idea, of Hindemith's Symphony Mathis der Maler, you will enjoy the Dello Joio. It is a wonderfully scored work and highly descriptive. For the life of me, I cannot understand why it is not more of a repertoire piece.  My only explanation is that Dello Joio's inate conservatism might have something to do with this. Anyway, if you do not know this work, I cannot think of better advocates then Whitney and Louisville.

As a filler, I have included, from a Vox lp, the fine Polish pianist Felicja Blumenthal performing Villa Lobos' excellent Bachianas Brasileiras No. 3. Blumenthal is accompanied by the Trieste Philharmonic in a mid 50's recording.

Please allow for some surface noise in this program. Thanks!

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How about an orchestra of cellos under Heitor Villa Lobos?!

Well..ok..I've been busy this weekend, but probably not the RIGHT kind of busy! My son is off with his buddy and the wife is sleeping off a stomach virus and here I am....blogging away!

An orchestra of cellos! This truly is different. How many pieces do you know that are expressively written for an orchestra of cellos? Metamorphosen and then....I can "hear" the silence. Anyhow, this rather interesting LP was found by me as part of free lot available on craigslist. The prolific composer Heitor Villa Lobos assembled New York's finest cello players, during the 1950's, into the Violincello Orchestra and either arranged music for them to play or, wrote specifically for them. Villa Lobos was a cellist by trade so he knew the instrument intimately and, obviously loved it deeply. Here, we have his Fantasie Concertante on Side 1 and arrangements from Bach's Well Tempered Klavier on Side 2.

Though admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of the thought of a cello orchestra, I can admire the musicianship and dedication to the concept by Villa Lobos. This LP was released in 1959 by Everest and unfortunately, my copy is the mono version though the cover here says stereo. If anything, this is an interesting novelty, worth a listen.

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