Search - Alberto Nepomuceno, Maria Ines Guimaraes :: Nepomuceno: Piano Works

I recommend to buy it.

02/02/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alberto Nepomuceno was a great brazilian composer. His music is romantic and joyfull and even his concertos aren't fastidious to hear."

Recommendable repertoire

L. Sarro | Brazil | 11/21/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"It's time to recognize the beauty of Nepomuceno's music for piano. His style reminds Brahms, with even great power. Take for example the exquisite Sonata Op. 9, in three highly appealing movements, or the beautiful Suite Antiga Op. 11, which easily conquers one's attention. Unfortunately, the performances here are weak. It's a pitty that this music has always been neglected by great pianists, as Tagliaferro, Guiomar Novaes, Izabel Mourão, Cristina Ortiz, Max Barros or Flavio Varani.



I guess the best performance is that of Impromptu Op. 27 no. 2. Miguez Proença's recording on Leblon has more energy, but Guimarães' thoughtful approach is more colorful and accurate in touch. She plays better the great Sonata also. Proença's faster and irregular tempos ruin the musical speech (the tender coda of 1st section is annoying in Proença's hand).



Suite Antiga is good here, but again a little slow. I like very much Belkiss Mendonça's on Paulinas, although the greatest recording of this work is an arrangement for chamber orchestra made by the composer himself.



Both nocturnes for left hand are nice. The Nocturne Op. 33 is too slow. I pretty much prefer Ana Cândida's recording on Funarte, Galhofeira is better played by Miriam Ramos and the last five pieces are minor works for left hand, and I don't know other recordings of them.



For this album to become more interesting, I think that minor works should have been replaced by greater ones, such as Thême et Variations Op. 29 or Feuilles d'Album (both works have received fine recordings by Miguel Proença)."