# Heitor Villa-Lobos, please recommend me a few good albums



## FPwtc (Dec 3, 2014)

I really love a couple of Tom Jobim albums called Jobim and Urubu which feature some beautiful orchestral works, and I was reading he was influenced by Villa-Lobos. Could someone recommend me some good albums that feature key works in definitive performances please?

PS I hope everyone on this forum is doing OK and staying healthy and safe, without music I don't know what I would do at present.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Try these:


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

The greatest performance of the _Forest of the Amazon_ is the abridged one conducted by the composer himself in the United States.

https://www.discogs.com/Heitor-Vill...on-Brazil-Heitor-Villa-Lobos/release/10667550

You can always fill the gaps with the tracks from another recording if you wish.


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## RICK RIEKERT (Oct 9, 2017)

Jobim admired Villa-Lobos and was inspired by him, but his music was not really influenced by him. That is to say, there are few specific points of reference to Villa-Lobos' music. Jobim was attracted especially to Villa-Lobos' eclecticism and strong sense of nationalism. Villa-Lobos said that art should be national in character but universal in its groundwork and reach the majority of people. Villa-Lobos showed Jobim that there were no sharp boundaries between the classical and the popular. Both men realized that including popular music in their work was an effective way to achieve an authentic nationalist Brazilian expression. Interestingly, Jobim once overheard Villa-Lobos tell composer Claudio Santoro that he considered Jobim to be a worthy successor.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Julian Bream, preludes


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

Check out these two albums, both CDs in my collection. I've known the Bachianas Brasileiras album for decades, my mother bought it when I was about twelve

Bachianas Brasileiras 1, 2, 5 and 9









Guitar Concerto, Preludes and 12 etudes


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

This one is pretty solid, in my book:


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Perhaps not the greatest performance in the world (the sopranos are definitely a bit strained) but wonderfully colourful music.


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## FPwtc (Dec 3, 2014)

Wonderful thank so much everyone!


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

senza sordino said:


> Check out these two albums, both CDs in my collection. I've known the Bachianas Brasileiras album for decades, my mother bought it when I was about twelve


I was about to bring up De Los Angeles. She sings the Bachianas Brasileiras perfectly - floating around the rhythm. Sure, the sound is a little dated, but it's still worth hearing.


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## Heliogabo (Dec 29, 2014)

An essential recording, by the composer:


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## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

I quite like these.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Just my two cents.


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## leonsm (Jan 15, 2011)

Another good Bachianas setting


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## FPwtc (Dec 3, 2014)

RICK RIEKERT said:


> Jobim admired Villa-Lobos and was inspired by him, but his music was not really influenced by him. That is to say, there are few specific points of reference to Villa-Lobos' music. Jobim was attracted especially to Villa-Lobos' eclecticism and strong sense of nationalism. Villa-Lobos said that art should be national in character but universal in its groundwork and reach the majority of people. Villa-Lobos showed Jobim that there were no sharp boundaries between the classical and the popular. Both men realized that including popular music in their work was an effective way to achieve an authentic nationalist Brazilian expression. Interestingly, Jobim once overheard Villa-Lobos tell composer Claudio Santoro that he considered Jobim to be a worthy successor.


This is very interesting, thanks for the information. Are there any other works similar to the work on side 2 of Urubu by other composers or is it a unique Jobim sound?


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## RICK RIEKERT (Oct 9, 2017)

_Urubu_ is an original and, I believe, unique combination of Música Popular Brasileira, a term that comprises many Brazilian popular music styles, bossa nova, Brazilian regional music (such as capoeira rhythm), sounds of nature (including simulated bird calls, incidentally, Jobim said music is improved birdsong, computerized and arranged), and classical music. The instrumental compositions on side 2 are essentially modern impressionistic tone poems which clearly show the influence of Debussy, who Jobim cited as a frequent source of inspiration.


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## strawa (Apr 1, 2020)

This was my first Villa-Lobos, so I have a sentimental connection. But you can find as well an album with the same repertoire by M. A. Hamelin, and he's excellent. The set is good, it brings together both the lighter side of Villa, As Três Marias, with the heavier and more agressive, Rudepôema, which I understand is not for everyone. In the middle, the famous Prole do Bebê.









Also, I always like to suggest listening to Choro n° 10, known as Rasga o Coração. It's like our Ode to Joy.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

In case you're still interested, BBC Music magazine this month has it's "free" disk devoted to Villa-Lobos. A terrific performance of my favorite work of his: Uirapuru. Choros 8 and 10, 9th symphony and two works I was unfamiliar with: The Sewing Women and Two Legends.

I first got to know some of his music as the music director at the time, Eduardo Mata, liked programming music South of the Border. The local critics hated it. Then he left for Dallas and we rarely heard that repertoire. But now I play with a conductor who is from Brazil and his programs include a lot of otherwise neglected music from Brazil, Mexico, even Cuba. Such a refreshing change from the usual central European repertoire that most groups play.


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## Knorf (Jan 16, 2020)

Rogerx said:


> Just my two cents.


Villa-Lobos is one of my favorite composers, and I've played a decent amount and listened to many recordings of his music. This box set is a huge achievement and an easy top recommendation.


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## christomacin (Oct 21, 2017)

Aside from the Bachianas Brasileiras and the Guitar Concerto, here are some good ones:

Complete works for Solo Guitar (Fabio Zanon)








Chôros 1-7 Adrian Leaper (Conductor), Orquesta de Filarmónica de Gran Canaria (Orchestra)








Alfred Heller (Conductor), Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)


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