Piano music of Ginastera and Villa-Lobos

Fred S. Sturm, piano

From the Liner Notes:

Hector Villa-Lobos (Brazil, 1887—1959) and Alberto Ginastera (Argentina, 1916—1983) are without any doubt the giants of Latin American classical music. In fact, in my opinion they were two of the most exciting composers ever, from any part of the world. Both were extraordinarily creative, and each evolved a style that has its basis in the cultural heritage of his native country. Sometimes this involved the use of folk materials in a self-conscious effort to create a “national” music, as many composers were doing during the same period. But in the case of these two, it was not mere artifice: that “national character” simply became a part of their being. Villa-Lobos liked to say, “I am Brazilian Folk Music.”

A Lendo do Caboclo (Villa-Lobos, 1920) is one of Villa-Lobos’ most popular short works. Very Brazilian in character, it features a syncopated melody over a lightly swinging, triple/duple base. (??Lenda?? is roughly equivalent to “ballad,” while caboclo means a native person—aboriginal or of mixed race).

Doce Preludios Americanos (Ginastera, opus 12, 1944) was commissioned by publisher Carl Fischer as part of a series of contemporary works by composers of the Americas.

Track List:

01) A Lenda do Caboclo, Villa-Lobos [3:00]

02) Doce Preludios Americanos, Ginastera [12:10]
 i. Para los acentos [0:26]
 ii. Triste [1:07]
 iii. Danza criolla [1:23]
 iv. Vidala [0:57]
 v. En el primero modo pentáfono menor [1:06]
 vi. Homenaje a Roberto García Morillo [0:49]
 vii. Para las octavas [0:30]
 viii. Homenaje a Juan José Castro [0:49]
 ix. Homenaje a Aaron Copland [0:56]
 x. Pastorale [1:32]
 xi. Homenaje a Heitor Villa-Lobos [0:47]
 xii. En el primero modo pentáfono mayor [1:42]

03) A Prole do Bebê, no. 1, Villa_lobos [18:27]
 i. Branquinha, a boneca de louça [2:25]
 ii. Moreninha, a boneca de massa [1:49]
 iii. Caboclinha, a boneca de barro [2:42]
 iv. Mulatinha, a boneca de borracha [2:02]
 v. Negrinha, a boneca de pau [1:23]
 vi. Pobrezina, a boneca de trapo [2:02]
 vii. O polichinelo [1:40]
 viii. Bruxa, a boneca de pano [3:00]

04) Danzas Argentinas, Ginastera [8:05]
 i. Danza del viejo boyero [1:15]
 ii. Danza de la moza donosa [3:27]
 iii. Danza del gaucho matrero [3:15]

05) Piezas Infantiles, Ginastera [2:23]
 i. Antón Pirulero [0:50]
 ii. Chacarerita [0:36]
 iii. Arroz con leche [0:50]

06) Bachianas Brasileiras no. 4, Villa-Lobos [15:49]
 i. Preludio (Introduçao) [4:09]
 ii. Coral (Canto do Sertão) [3:39]
 iii. Aria (Cantiga) [5:07]
 iv. Dansa (Miudinho) [3:37]

07) Suite de danzas criollas, Ginastera [8:43]
 i. Adagietto pianissimo [1:51]
 ii. Allegro Rustico [0:38]
 iii. Allegretto cantabile [1:51]
 iv. Calmo e poetico [1:46]
 v. Scherzando—Coda [2:35]

Total Program Length: 69:00

Recording Information:

© 2004, Fred S. Sturm, contact
Produced by Sturm und Drang, Albuquerque, NM

Fred Sturm can also be heard on the Sturm und Drang releases, American Rags, Brazilian Tangos, Afro-Cuban Dances, and Brazilian Soul