Already during the first contacts in search of suitable repertoire and for obvious musical reasons linked to interpretation and the enormous proliferation of existing work in this area, we began to reject the idea of entering the field of bossa nova and similar genres.
In Germany we had participated (Carmen Durán and I) in many classical concerts and recitals including Villa-Lobos, Lorenzo Fernández, Francisco Mignone, Camargo Guarnieri, Osvaldo Lacerda, Valdemar Henrique, Cláudio Santoro, as well as Luís Bonfá, Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque, Toquinho and other sacred monsters of this great species.
When walking through, among other masterpieces, the Aria from the HVL's Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, that Carmen Durán
had already sung on various occasions, first-time in the International Spring Festival (Musikfestival Heidelberger Frühling)
with orchestral accompaniment (8 Cellos of Philarmonisches Orchester Heidelberg), and often repeated, also in recitals with
piano and guitar accompaniment, we immediately realized that the best solution was to concentrate on the work of Villa-Lobos
and prepare a full program as an artistic challenge to pay tribute to this unique figure of the Brazilian and world music.
From work to work - and experiment to experiment - we ended up setting a program, as shown on this page, with 6 original
Villa-Lobos pieces, masterfully arranged by Alberto Conde, adding later 5 compositions of his own, with the texts mentioned
below, also written especially and exclusively for this project.
Finally it may not be entirely superfluous to note that the composition method of Villa-Lobos and his personal creative concept
seem to invite us to seek all the possibilities his great inventions and harmonic proposals give us in order to revitalize his work or
at least certain facets of it, dealing with our technical and performing conditions, i. e. differently from the classic style, conventio-
nally known as art or erudite, with a set of instruments such as a string quartet, the 8 cellos from Bachianas No. 5 or a symphony
orchestra and mixed choir of Choros No. 10, but with the clear intent of a surely valid proposal for an artistic approach which
Villa-Lobos (who, during his life and even after, so little public/official recognition received in Brazil) in his unflagging enthusiasm
and prodigious open mind, certainly not only would give his blessing but also his most enthusiastic applause.
So we understand and intend. So we hope. Respectfully bowed before the genius, Brazilian and universal.
And with great eagerness to the interested public.
[Copyright © by jrBustamante, 2012]