Camargo Guarnieri - Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4; Abertura Festiva (John Neschling)

Information

Composer: Camargo Guarnieri

• Symphony No. 1
• Abertura Festiva
• Symphony No. 4 'Brasília'

São Paulo Symphony Orchestra

John Neschling, conductor

Date: 2003

Label: BIS

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Review

This second pairing of Brazilian symphonies fails to live up to the promise of the first

Mozart Camargo Guarnieri (1907-93) composed seven symphonies in all. John Neschling’s first issue (12/02) was something of a revelation, featuring two thoroughly attractive examples, plus the Abertura Concertante. Unfortunately, the three works on this second disc – again two symphonies separated by an overture – prove to be neither as entertaining nor as engaging. Guarnieri planned his First Symphony (1944) for several years before he came to write it, but then had to temper his ideas in order to fulfil the requirements of an orchestral competition. The resulting work is earnest and well put together, but rather charmless, the music seeming to frown constantly. There is some impressive orchestral writing, nonetheless, and the work was the springboard for the more compelling works that followed.

The Fourth (1959-63), like No 1 in three movements (fast-slow-fast), also began life as a competition entry, for the inauguration of the new capital of Brasilia. However, the composer was appointed to the jury so could not submit an entry and as a result the symphony was worked at in dribs and drabs, often set aside for other tasks. Guarnieri stated that while not specifically descriptive, it could be taken as a metaphor for the transformation of the landscape into the finished city. I find the result formulaic and remarkably soulless, so perhaps he was more successful – or prophetic – than he knew.

The São Paulo orchestra clearly relish their task, as before, and make a good case for both larger pieces. Most engaging is the brief Festive Overture (1971) with lots of percussion. Neschling directs with energy and the sound is first rate.

-- Guy Rickards, Gramophone

More reviews:
ClassicsToday  ARTISTIC QUALITY: 9 / SOUND QUALITY: 10

https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/mar04/Guarnieri_symphony1-4.htm

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/nov/28/classicalmusicandopera.shopping8

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Camargo Guarnieri (February 1, 1907 – January 13, 1993) was a Brazilian composer. He was born in Tietê, São Paulo, and studied piano, composition, and conducting in São Paulo and Paris, where his teachers include Charles Koechlin, among others. A key figure in the Brazilian national school, Guarnieri served as a conductor, a member of the Academia Brasileira de Música, and Director of the São Paulo Conservatório. His extensive oeuvre includes symphonies, concertos, operas, chamber music, piano pieces, and songs. He was regarded by some as the most important Brazilian composer after Heitor Villa-Lobos.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camargo_Guarnieri

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John Neschling (born May 13 1947, Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilian conductor. He studied under Hans Swarowsky and Reinhold Schmid in Vienna, and under Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa in Tanglewood. Neschling has been music director of Teatro Nacional de São Carlos in Lisbon, Sankt Gallen Theater in Switzerland, Teatro Massimo in Palermo and the Bordeaux Opera. During the twelve years under his leadership (1997–2008), the São Paulo State Symphony became a first rate international orchestra, and recorded a series of CDs of Brazilian and international music, winning five Diapason d'Or and one Latin Grammy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Neschling

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