Francisco Mignone: Concertos and Concertinos

Is there a way to subscribe to The Music of Brazil series from Naxos? I've auditioned quite a few, and there isn't a clunker in the bunch. 

This latest installment is a collection of concertos and concertinos by Francisco Mignone. Mignone was one of Brazil's most important composers. He's often ranked just under Heitor Villa-Lobos in stature. 

As a boy, Mignone played popular music in the Choro style. He had his own orchestra at 13, performing and writing under the name Chico Bororó. He wanted to keep his work in popular music separate from his serious studies. 

It may have worked on paper, but not in practice. Mignone imbues his music with the rhythms and melodies of Brazilian folk music. It came to define the Brazilian classical style, as these four works demonstrate.

The 1975 Guitar Concerto blends several Brazilian dance elements in its finale. The 1957 Bassoon Concerto features extended dialogues between the soloist and the ensemble. Here Mignone references the traditions of embolada, a form of Brazilian poetry. 

The 1960 Violin Concerto has a different character. Mignon strove for a more cosmopolitan style, and he mostly succeeded. But there's still no doubt as to the work's country of origin. 

The São Paulo Symphony Orchestra has been a mainstay for this series. And they don't disappoint. The ensemble plays with energy and finesse. 

Another fine addition to this exceptional series.

Francisco Mignone: Concertos and Concertinos
Guitar Concerto; Clarinet Concertino;
Bassoon Concertino; Violin Concerto
Emmanuele Baldini, violin; Fabio Zanon, guitar;
Ovanir Buosi, clarinet, Alexandre Silverio, bassoon
Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra; Neil Thomson, Giancarlo Guerroro, conductors
Naxos 8574573

Peter Friis Johansson Plays Concertos with Personal Connections

Pianist Peter Friis Johansson presents an impressive program of Swedish piano concertos. All three have a direct relationship to the artist. The earliest is by pioneering female composer Laura Netzel. The other two come from the 2010s, but are very different in style. 

Laura Netzel was a composer and pianist active in Sweden at the end of the 19th Century. Her only piano concerto was never published. It was lost for a while, but when found, it laked the end of the third movement. Johansson completed the concerto. And he premiered the work in 2020 with the Royal Stockholm Orchestra.

This recording pairs him with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. And it's spectacular. Netzel's big melodic gestures rival Edvard Grieg's. And though some sections have heroic grandeur, others evoke quiet contemplation. Johansson makes it all work. His performance is both enthusiastic and engaging.

Johansson commissioned Sven-David Sandström for a concerto. The result was "Five Pieces for Piano and Orchestra." Sandström deconstructs the concept of the concerto. At times the piano and orchestra seem to be playing two different works. They seem to constantly interrupt each other in the process.

Andrea Tarrodi responded differently to Johansson's commission. "Stellar Clouds (Piano Concerto No. 1) uses the piano and orchestra as a single entity. As the title suggests, clouds of sound swirl about, gradually changing and evolving.

In some sense, Johannson owns these works. Two were composed for him, and one he completed himself. His playing is flawless. And his expressiveness and phrasing vary with each work to match its style. And it's the right choice every time. 

A phenomenal collection of music that gives full reign to the artist behind them.

Netzel, Sandström & Tarrodi – Piano Concertos
Peter Friis Johansson, piano
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra; Ryan Bancroft, conductor
BIS-2576 SACD 

Christopher Gunning Concertos - Enjoyable and Engaging

In the liner notes, Christopher Gunning wrote the following.  "My aim has been to provide the soloist with something enjoyable yet technically challenging to play." I'd say he also provided the audience with something enjoyable and engaging to listen to.

This release collects three concertos that show Gunning hits what he aims for. The performances are all first-rate, and with good reason. Each work is performed by the soloist Gunning wrote it for. And Gunning himself conducts the orchestra. 

Of course, there's a consistency in style. Yet each concerto has its own distinctive character. Part of it comes from the soloist who inspired the work, and some from the instrument. 

Flutist Catherine Handley performs the Concertino for Flute and Small Orchestra. The solo part is quite agile, leaning into Handley's strength. And it also has a light-hearted feel, as -- according to Gunning -- befits her personality. 

Michael Whight is the principal clarinetist for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He commissioned the Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra. Gunning pushes the limits of tonality in places. It gives the work a more serious and intense character than the Flute Concertino. 

Guitarist Craig Ogden and Gunning collaborated on many film scores. It was Gunning who proposed writing a concerto for his colleague and friend.

The subtitle "Requerdos do Mallorca" is a nod to the Spanish origin of the instrument. There are traces of Spanish music in the work. But the concerto is mostly cosmopolitan in nature.

A fine addition to Signum's ongoing series of Gunning recordings. Christopher Gunning is an important film composer. These releases show him equally at home in the concert hall.

Christopher Gunning
Concertino for Flute and Small Orchestra
Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra
Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra
Catherine Handley, flute; Michael Whight, clarinet; Craig Ogden, guitar
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Christopher Gunning, conductor
Signum Classics