At the time of his death in 2010, Almeida Prado was one of Brazil’s most internationally admired composers, one who created music of unique sonority and colour, rooted in his native country. In Aurora (‘Dawn’) he employs his newly developed ‘transtonality’ to radiant effect, while the Concerto Fribourgeois features a collage technique. In his Piano Concerto no.1 Almeida Prado explores a cogent structure in which the soloist opens up, rips apart or transforms the theme and variations, in a work that is both grandiose and luminous.

One of the most prolific composers to emerge from Brazil, José Antônio Resende de Almeida Prado began as a cultivator of nationalism.

This new release is the latest in our ‘Music of Brazil’ series, co-produced with the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to promote music by Brazilian composers dating back to the 18th century. The initial release in the series, Alberto Nepomuceno’s Symphony in G minor, Série brasileira and Prelude to O Garatuja (8574067) recorded by the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra and Fabio Mechetti, was a Gramophone Choice: ‘The entire programme is played with panache… we have a lot to look forward to. Urgently recommended.’

The Nepomuceno disc was also selected as one of ‘The Best Classical Recordings of 2019’ by WQXR: ‘[Nepomuceno’s] energetic melodies are met with matching exuberance by conductor Fabio Mechetti and the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra.’

Succeeding instalments include sonatas for violin and piano by Leopoldo Miguez and Glauco Velásquez (8574118), performed by Emmanuele Baldini and Karin Fernandes; and Heitor Villa-Lobos’s concertos for guitar and harmonica, as well as a couple of chamber works (8574018), featuring world-renowned guitarist Manuel Barrueco and harmonica player José Staneck, with the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra under Giancarlo Guerrero.

Brazilian pianist Sonia Rubinsky was awarded Best Recording of the Year in the Classical Category of the 2009 Latin Grammy Awards for the eighth volume of the complete piano works of Heitor Villa-Lobos, recorded for Naxos (8570504). She recently recorded Magna Sequentia I (8574026) and II (8574027), her own compilation of dance movements by J.S. Bach arranged into large suites, in which she employed a historically-informed approach.

Brazilian conductor, Fabio Mechetti, was appointed music director and principal conductor of the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra in 2008. He was the first Brazilian to become director of an Asian orchestra when he was appointed principal conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Mechetti also led the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra for ten seasons and was subsequently named music director laureate. In addition to his Carnegie Hall debut with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in 1993, Mechetti has appeared as guest conductor with orchestras such as the Seattle, Rome and BBC Scottish Symphony orchestras, the Buffalo and Rochester Philharmonic orchestras, and various orchestras in Mexico, Spain, Brazil and Venezuela.