Heitor Villa-Lobos - String Quartets (Cuarteto Latinoamericano)

Information

Composer: Heitor Villa-Lobos

CD1:

• (01-04) String Quartet No. 6
• (05-10) String Quartet No. 1
• (11-14) String Quartet No. 17

CD2:

• (01-04) String Quartet No. 3
• (05-08) String Quartet No. 8
• (09-12) String Quartet No. 14

CD3:

• (01-04) String Quartet No. 7
• (05-08) String Quartet No. 15

CD4:

• (01-04) String Quartet No. 2
• (05-08) String Quartet No. 12
• (09-12) String Quartet No. 16

CD5:

• (01-04) String Quartet No. 5
• (05-08) String Quartet No. 10
• (09-12) String Quartet No. 13

CD6:

• (01-04) String Quartet No. 4
• (05-08) String Quartet No. 9
• (09-12) String Quartet No. 11

Cuarteto Latinoamericano
Saúl Bitrán, violin
Arón Bitrán, violin
Javier Montiel, viola
Alvaro Bitrán, cello

Date: 2004
Label: Brilliant Classics (recorded by Dorian)

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Review

ARTISTIC QUALITY: 10 / SOUND QUALITY: 10

Originally released on Dorian, these fine performances constitute the only complete cycle currently available of the 17 string quartets that pepper Villa-Lobos’ entire career. The suite-like, five-movement No. 1, with its adorable “like a jumping bean” finale, is deceptive. Most of these are resoundingly neo-classical works full of acerbic harmonies and typically busy counterpoint, with few overtly nationalistic elements. Of course they sound just like Villa-Lobos, who was himself something of a “nationalistic element” when you come right down to it. The series reaches its culmination in the large works composed around the time of the Second World War, Nos. 7-11, which really do constitute landmark 20th century contributions to the form on a par with those of Shostakovich and Bartók.

For the most part, this is tough and serious music, and it receives tough and serious performances from the Cuarteto Latinoamericano, whose rhythmic verve and slightly astringent timbre works beautifully in clarifying the dense thicket of the composer’s effusive counterpoint. Occasionally the very intensity of both music and performance becomes a bit overbearing, but then no one is suggesting that you listen to 17 quartets in a row. Overall, both the works themselves and these performances remain astonishingly consistent in quality. Sonically you couldn’t ask for better. At budget price, this is a very attractive proposition for anyone who fancies either the composer or chamber music in general. [9/24/2004]

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday

More reviews:
https://www.amazon.com/Villa-Lobos-String-Quartets-Heitor/dp/B00020Q2ZU
https://www.amazon.com/Villa-Lobos-Complete-String-Quartets-Heitor/dp/B0027ZD0NK

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Heitor Villa-Lobos (March 5, 1887 – November 17, 1959) was a Brazilian composer, described as "the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music". Villa-Lobos has become the best-known South American composer of all time. A prolific composer, he wrote numerous orchestral, chamber, instrumental and vocal works, totaling over 2000 works by his death in 1959. His music was influenced by both Brazilian folk music and by stylistic elements from the European classical tradition, as exemplified by his Bachianas Brasileiras (Brazilian Bachian-pieces).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heitor_Villa-Lobos

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Cuarteto Latinoamericano, formed in Mexico in 1981, is a Latin Grammy winning string quartet based in Mexico City. They are quartet-in-residence at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh from 1987 until 2008. They have toured extensively in Europe, the Americas, Israel, China, Japan and New Zealand. The recipient of a Mexican Music Critics Association award in 1983 and "most adventurous programming" awards from CMA/ASCAP in 1997, 1999 and 2000, the group has introduced more than a hundred works written for them and has participated in over a hundred world premieres.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuarteto_Latinoamericano
http://www.cuartetolatinoamericano.com/

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