Joly Braga Santos: Complete Chamber Music, Volume Two
Joly Braga Santos (1924–88) was one of the most important composers in twentieth- century Portugal. In his early works his fondness for modal harmony, absorbed from the Portuguese masters of the Renaissance, and his busy counterpoint combine to make him sound surprisingly close to such particularly English composers as Vaughan Williams and Moeran. Although his harmonic language became more astringent with time, it retained a burly sense of humour and a powerful charge of energy, often infused with the spirit of Portuguese folk-dance. The five works on this second volume cover three decades of composition, from the mid-1950s to the mid-1980s, and offer a wide array of instrumental combinations.
Jill Lawson, piano (Tracks 1–7)
Eliot Lawson, violin (Tracks 1, 5–7)
Natalia Tchitch,viola (Tracks 1–4)
Catherine Strynckx, cello (Tracks 1 , 5–7)
Adriano Aguiar, double bass (Tracks 2–4)
Ricardo Lopes, oboe (Tracks 2–4, 8–9)
Nuno Ivo Cruz, flute (Tracks 8–9)
António Saiote, clarinet (Tracks 8–9)
Carolino Carreira, bassoon (Tracks 8–9)
Paulo Guerreiro, horn (Tracks 8–12)
Jorge Almeida, trumpet (Tracks 10–12)
António QuÃtalo, trumpet (Tracks 10–12)
Pedro Monteiro, trumpet (Tracks 10–12)
Jarrett Butler, trombone (Tracks 10–12)
VÃtor Faria, trombone (Tracks 10–12)
IlÃdio Massacote, tuba (Tracks 10–12)
Listen To This Recording:
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Piano Quartet, Op. 28 (1957)
- Piano Quartet, Op. 28
- I Prelúdio
- II Sarabanda
- III Tarantella
- I Largo
- II Allegro
- III Lento
- I Adagio
- II Allegretto
- I Moderato
- II Allegretto
- III Andante
Suite of Dances, Op. 63, for piano, oboe, viola and double bass (1984)
Piano Trio, Op. 64 (1985)
Adagio e Scherzino for woodwind quintet (1956)
Suite for Brass for three trumpets, horn, two trombones and tuba (1985)*
*FIRST RECORDING
FIRST COMPLETE RECORDING
Gustavo Infante :
The second volume of Braga Santos’s complete chamber music brings a good selection of pieces, including some of his late works. A totally biased opinion here, as I love his music. This said, it’s an excellent recording made by excellent musicians, and which certainly complements the Naxos recordings of his orchestral works for all those who are interested in discovering more about his music.
MusicWeb International :
‘As ever Toccata has not stinted in its production values. The booklet is excellent, full but always pertinent. The recording has been well judged, and the performances are fully attuned to Braga Santos’ musical imperatives. There’s also a wide variety of instrumentation to be savoured here. There’s nothing I didn’t like about this release.’
—Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International
MusicWeb International :
‘All works here are played with remarkable assurance, commitment and deep musicality by musicians who clearly love the music. […] In short, this is a very fine release by any count and I urge anyone enjoying Braga Santos’ music to explore it without delay.’
—Hubert Culot, MusicWeb International
Gramophone :
‘We go back to 1956 for the Adagio e Scherzino for wind quintet, and again one is struck by the continuities, especially of gesture. The work was not in fact performed until 33 years later. It’s a fine addition to the repertoire, and one only wishes it were longer. The album closes with the (again, unfortunately brief) Suite for Brass, from 1985. Once again, Braga Santos displays his characteristic ear for sonority here, exploring instrumental textures with confidence and originality (the muted writing in the first movement is particularly memorable.). […]
Performances on both discs, all by Portuguese musicians or musicians resident in Portugal, are of the highest calibre, and the recorded sound (they were recorded at the Centro Cultural de Belém just outside Lisbon) is resonant but clear. I must also mention the excellent documentation, which, as well as the detailed notes by Bernardo Mariano I have already referred to, include depositions from friends and pupils of Braga Santos. A superb project, superbly realised.’
—Ivan Moody, Gramophone
Arcana.FM :
‘Does it all work?
It does, allowing for the fact that some of the pieces here are modest in scope but written most felicitously as to the ensemble required. The performances of the main two pieces – by violinist Eliot Lawson, cellist Catherine Strynckx, pianist Jill Lawson and (in the Piano Quartet) violist Natalia Tchitch – make a strong case for these works to form part of their respective repertoire. The other items mainly feature woodwind and brass players from the leading Portuguese orchestras and bring similar combinations of insight and commitment.
Is it recommended?
Indeed.’
—Richard Whitehouse, Arcana.FM
Fanfare :
‘All the performances seem close to ideal; one never gets the impression that these musicians just threw the music together for the recording. The recorded sound is very good, achieving the right balance between clarity and warmth.’
—Fanfare