May 14, 2018

  • Exploring Theme with the Brasil Guitar Duo

     Brouwer: The Book of Signs

    Brasil Guitar Duo (Joao Luiz, Douglas Lora)
    Delaware Symphony Orchestra/David Amado
    Naxos 8.573603
    Total Time:  64:25
    Recording:   ****/****
    Performance: ****/****

    While there are a good many solo concertos for a classical guitarist to choose from, there are fewer for a guitar duo.  Most familiar are those by Rodrigo and Castelnuovo-Tedesco.  The literature though continues to be expanded and this new Naxos disc brings together a couple more recent works, one by famed Latin American composers and guitarists, Leo Brouwer (1939-), and one by guitarist-composer Paulo Bellinati (1950-) who is known for his applications of Brazilian rhythms in his music.

    Brouwer’s The Book of Signs (2003) was commissioned by guitarists Costas Cotsiolis and John Williams.  The concerto is cast in three movements and is for string orchestra with guitar duo.  The first two movements are explorations of theme and variation technique.  Most striking is the opening “The Signs of Memory” whose title appropriately connects with a thematic quotation from Beethoven’s own set of 32 Variations on a theme in c, WoO 80.  Sometimes the melody is quite present in the variation while at other times it can be discerned being pulled apart.  It is a rather fascinating exploration where it serves both as melodic material and even a harmonic linear underpinning to the soloists.  Often, there is an almost Baroque quality to Brouwer’s writing here with interesting harmonic expansion.  The style of the orchestration feels tied into an almost filmic narrative (a la Alberto Iglesias or Javier Navarette).  The 18 variations move between some that explore the shape of the line but then pull it apart into more jagged outlines always within a more traditional harmony.  It is a rather somber movement all the same that seems to be deconstructing more traditional harmony as much as the theme itself at times.  From this sad opening, Brouwer shifts to a more sentimental sound for a second set of variations in the central movement where he explores various melodic and rhythmic ideas heard in his other work.  The melody itself is rather beautiful with an often simple open string harmony pulsing calmly underneath to drive it forward, like a slow movement in a Vivaldi concerto.  The harmonic color happens rather wonderfully as the guitars lay out the theme here often creating gorgeous turns of phrase.  The final allegro is cast in a rondo form and has a unique five-note syncopated rhythm that unifies the movement.  This is a variation itself on a cinquillo Africano.  The rich harmony and flowing guitar lines make this an equally gentle piece with spurts of dissonance to create signposts along the way.  The recurrence of the primary “A” idea itself is varied as the movement progresses.  It is a rather interesting idea to create a concerto that essentially is focused on the concept of variation.  It works perhaps because the sense of familiarity of a romantic theme helps draw the listener into the piece.   We are in more familiar “Spanish” guitar territory here with the music feeling like a reminiscence of Rodrigo.  This said, Brouwer’s concerto is really a rather lengthy work with a 45-minute performance time!  Each movement is somewhat designed to be able to stand on its own perhaps.  Even the final movement tends to pull back from the sort of virtuosic conclusion one might suspect.  The work does not feel so much like a concerto as a work that uses guitars and strings in a symphonic texture.  There is some really beautiful music here and as a whole the work is rather engaging.  The central movement has some quite heart-melting moments that will likely make it a favorite of the piece.  The guitars feel like they get to finally break out more in the final movement which is emotionally satisfying.  If the Delaware Symphony wanted to have a moment to shine on disc, this is certainly that moment with gorgeous playing throughout this work that really allows their string section to shine.

    In his Concerto Caboclo (2011), Bellinati explores the music of Sao Paulo State.  Often played on a ten-string guitar (viola caipira), the local country music style of the region is integrated into the composer’s musical language.  The work was commissioned by the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra for the Brasil Guitar Duo who perform it here.  The title refers to a Brazilian person of mixed ancestry connecting to the people who perform this “country music” (musica caipira).  By exploring this unique music, Bellinati joins the list of composers such as Villa-Lobos who utilized this music in their work as well.  The concerto is cast in three movements.  The opening “Toada” is a slower andante that is a song with a rhythmic pattern, the baiao, that is adapted here.  The way Bellinati uses the two soloists as if it were a single instrument is harder to discern aurally, though Naxos’ imaging helps this a little more.  It is no doubt quite impressive visually though.  The movement begins with the two soloists introducing the theme and harmonic direction of the music.  This is then eventually expanded to include a gorgeously-orchestrated full orchestra accompaniment that sometimes doubles the melodic material or shifts into the background harmonically.  Bursts of orchestral color also help set up structural signposts for cadenza-like moments that really let the duo shine.  The folkish quality of the music continues in the central “Modo di Viola” which intimates the sort of call-and-response style of this particular musical style.  The melodic idea again is fairly traditional with more parallel thirds and sixths.  The music is simply beautiful.  The final movement, “Ponteado”, explores ostinato of open and stopped strings while also increasing the virtuosic requirements of the players as they are assigned equally these folk playing styles.  The movement gives us an increased tempo that further adds to the excitement and growing exhilaration of the music as it zips along with interesting jazzy syncopations from the orchestra.  The melodic content and different rhythmic ideas help this work standout which is then coupled with plenty of good soloist exploration and fine orchestral support.

    Bellinati’s work has an almost pops-like quality to it and certainly should find its way into concert repertoire with its engaging melodies and accessible harmony.  Its displays for the soloists also helps increase attention and the beautiful orchestral writing draws the listener in to this wonderful little work for guitars and orchestra.  Certainly, the jazzier qualities discerned in the music help.  The music is simply gorgeous and the Delaware orchestra responds quite well with a fine accompaniment and well-captured sound.

    While Brouwer’s name is the one that may catch the eye of the casual music browser, it is very likely that listeners will be returning more to the Bellinati work on this release as it does stand out.  This may be due to its more cultural flavors that are employed.  But both works use harmonic language that helps draw the listener in while exploring their unique thematic material.  In many ways, the entire album is an exploration of theme and variations which helps tie the pieces together quite well.  Hopefully some of Bellinati’s other orchestral music is on the way and certainly listeners will want to seek out further recordings of the outstanding Brasil Guitar Duo.