HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS: SYMPHONY NO.10 ‘AMERINDIA’ Carla Wood – mezzo soprano; Carlo Scibelli – tenor; Nmon Ford-Livene – bass-baritone Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra and Choral Society UCSB Chamber Choir Donald Brinegar Singers Gisèle Ben-Dor – conductor Koch Classics 3-7488-2 HI TPT: 57’20

It is interesting that Villa-Lobos should, in his later years, turn repeatedly to the symphony as a vehicle for composition; such adherence to essentially nineteenth-century formality during the mid-twentieth century hardly placed him at the cutting edge of modernity. Indeed, many of the characteristics that had made his music fresh and new in his youth sounded tame next to the abstract serialism prevalent in the 1950s, when the tenth symphony was written. That said, it is nonsensical to criticise a work on these grounds, since its historical significance is not as important as the music. The result is sub-titled by the composer as an ‘Oratorio in Five Parts’, due to the narrative elements of the text; this is not a symphony in the traditional abstract sense.

Written to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Sao Paulo, this work primarily conveys the vibrancy and diversity of the Brazilian nation, with its cross-fertilization of native and imported cultures. Villa-Lobos’ style suits this programmatic backdrop perfectly, as he had always been integrating his great knowledge of Brazilian folk music with European influences such as Milhaud and Stravinsky.

The opening movement, The Earth and its Creatures, displays a sense of vivacity depicting the abundance of life in his homeland. The style is very much based on melodic importance, with the constant merging of one thematic strand with another, often being driven by the rhythmic characteristics of folk music. Immediately noticeable is the composer’s talent for orchestration, and the broad colour scheme he employs comes across well on this recording.

...as a world premiere recording it is a great chance to hear this neglected work.

The second movement sees the introduction of the choir; the wordless female voices creep in to the texture with a disembodied mysticism, the like of which Holst would have been justifiably proud. There are several mood changes within the movement that work well and capture the essence of the movement’s title, War Cry. The solo voice enters at the end of the movement to announce the arrival of the people to the site of the city. In this brief section, Nmon Ford-Livene stamps a suitably authoritative tone on the music as the ‘Voice of the Earth’.

The chorus plays a more important role after this, and their singing is excellent in both blend and vocal agility. Throughout the performance they convey the drama with energetic conviction and bring life to Villa-Lobos’ rhythmic structures. Gisele Ben-Dor’s integration of choir and orchestra is an impressive feat, and the balance between the two suffers none of the problems one often encounters on choral recordings.

The main question that arises in regard to the work’s faults lie in its structure; there seems to be an imbalance between the smaller scale of the first three movements and the huge 23-minute tableau of the fourth. However, the use of text as a framework on which to hang music and the myriad local colours help to carry the listener along without loss of interest. The second movement, with its different sections containing contrasting moods, might support the notion that Villa-Lobos was more successful as a miniaturist (as seen in his outstanding earlier piano works such as A Prole do Bebê).

This disc is an enjoyable listen and a great example of the fusion of folk elements into a symphonic form; as a world premiere recording it is a great chance to hear this neglected work.

Gavin Meredith