Essay VIII: a key work in the piano output of Christopher Bochmann

Christopher Bochmann's pianistic language is based on a fairly conventional instrumental technique, inherited from the 19th century pianistic tradition, yet encompassing characteristic features developed by authors associated with the 2nd Viennese School and post-serialism, as well as significant experiences in the fields of free forms and aleatoric music. The permeability to a neoclassical sensibility, probably stimulated by contact with Nadia Boulanger in the formative years, has remained over time and manifests itself from time to time, both in the use of techniques, genres and forms of the past, but also, more comprehensively, in a constant search for balance and proportionality, across all of Bochmann’s works. From 1991, the year he composed Essay VIII, for solo piano, Bochmann inaugurated his maturity phase, based on what he calls a “unified technique”. The significant consistency of his instrumental language from then on results, to a large extent, from the synthesis of previously explored elements that Essay VIII operates, as I intend to demonstrate throughout this essay. Furthermore, we shall see how specific traits, not always particularly idiomatic, of Bochmann’s pianistic idiom enhance the aural understanding of the compositional principles that structure the work in analysis, and how a successful performance of the work depends largely on the understanding and highlighting, through specific performance practices, of the composer’s choices

Entre o século e o claustro: Espaços temporais e espaços espirituais na ópera francesa do séc. XX

French operatic production of the 20th century is considerable; three of these operas – Miguel Mañara, Don Juan de Mañara, by Henri Tomasi (1944); Dialogues des Carmélites, by Francis Poulenc (1956) and Saint François d'Assise, by Olivier Messiaen (1983) – take place on the intersection between temporal and spiritual spaces and ways of life in different historical moments. Bearing in mind historiographical, aesthetic and stylistic elements, through an analytical method based on particularities of both text and music, as well as vocal writing and/or orchestration features, the present essay will consider the relationship between regular and secular ways of life in the above mentioned works, while providing insight about their social and ideological contexts

Luís de Freitas Branco: 14 Prelúdios para Piano

O presente trabalho consiste numa edição crítica, acompanhado de nota histórica e analítica, de 14 Prelúdios para Piano de Luís de Freitas Branco (Dez Prelúdios dedicados a José Vianna da Motta e Quatro Prelúdios dedicados a Isabel Manso). O comentário crítico encontra-se disponível em Português, Inglês e Francês

Pedro de Freitas Branco et Ravel : une analyse critique de quelques enregistrements

Pedro de Freitas Branco (1896-1963) was seen by his contemporaries as Ravel’s favourite conductor; indeed the French composer asked F. Branco to share with him the artistic direction of a concert in Paris, in which his Concerto en sol was to be premiered, in early 1932. Their friendship and artistic collaboration continued to grow thereafter. The present study analyses some of the extant recordings of Freitas Branco conducting Ravel’s works and discusses some features of his interpretations that may explain the composer’s admiration for his artistic personality

Esboço Biográfico

O presente capítulo expõe elementos biográficos sobre o compositor Luís de Freitas Branco (1890-1955), a partir das fontes disponíveis em arquivos públicos e privados. Foca os antecedentes familiares, a infância e formação inicial do compositor, os anos de estudos em Berlim e Paris, o regresso a Portugal, a actividade profissional no seio do Conservatório e a reforma desta instituição em 1919; de seguida, debruça-se sobre as diferentes fases da maturidade artística do compositor, bem como o seu afastamento progressivo de instituições oficiais

Dialogues intercontinentaux: trois compositeurs portugais au Brésil (Fernando Lopes-Graça, Jorge Peixinho et João Pedro Oliveira)

Malgré les liens historiques et culturels qui unissent le Portugal et le Brésil, les rapports musicaux entre les deux pays tout au long du XXe siècle et débuts de ce XXIe siècle peuvent s’estimer sporadiques et peu soutenus. Du côté brésilien, sont à signaler l’ensemble de l’activité d’un José Eduardo Martins ou les efforts notoires d’un Gilberto Mendes ; du côté portugais, trois compositeurs tentèrent d’approfondir les liens et s’intéressèrent à la vie artistique, musicale et académique brésilienne, ayant effectué des séjours ou même choisi de vivre et travailler de l’autre côté de l’Atlantique : Fernando Lopes-Graça (1906-1994), Jorge Peixinho (1940-1995) et João Pedro Oliveira (né en 1959). À travers l’analyse historiographique de leurs rapports musicaux avec le Brésil, je tenterai de déceler des tendances générales les unissant dans leurs démarches d’échange artistique, ainsi que de dégager des aspects esthétiques découlant de ces échanges dans leurs productions respectives

Luís de Freitas Branco e António Fragoso: análise comparada de obras para piano

Neste capítulo são discutidos aspectos da relação estética que se estabeleceu entre o compositor Luís de Freitas Branco (1890-1955) e o seu discípulo António Fragoso (1897-1918), nomeadamente no que toca a influências mútuas e originalidade individual, através de um estudo comparado de parte da obra para piano de cada um destes autores

META-FORMOSES ou Concerto para Clarinete Baixo e Ensemble de Jorge Peixinho: Importância, escrita idiomática e questões de interpretação

Este trabalho centra-se na obra Meta-Formoses ou Concerto para Clarinete Baixo de Jorge Peixinho; sendo uma das obras mais frequentemente apresentadas e gravadas em Portugal e no estrangeiro, dentro das suas características e formação, revela a influência do intérprete que a estreou, bem como características específicas da linguagem do seu autor. Com este trabalho, pretende-se, por um lado, apresentar a obra de um ponto de vista historiográfico, discutindo, entre outros elementos, as motivações do compositor, a influência de Harry Sparnaay e a representatividade das respectivas apresentações dentro e fora do país, em eventos específicos do meio clarinetístico e de uma forma geral; por outro lado, procuramos aferir a sua relevância no repertório deste instrumento, tanto português como internacional, analisando, na perspectiva do intérprete, a escrita idiomática e a forma como nesta obra é explorado o clarinete baixo. Por último, discutem-se opções interpretativas em função do conteúdo musical da obra

PLANOS AGRÃCOLAS E PECUÃRIOS E SUAS IMPLICAÇÕES NA BOVINOCULTURA DE CORTE BRASILEIRA

In the last seven years, the federal governments published Agricultural and Livestock Plans with the proposal of building and working as mechanisms of improvement Brazil agricultural and livestock activities. In order of agribusiness expression and importance for the country, considerations about the influence of these plans into Brazilian productivity have become increasable relevant. The present paper has as a proposal (1) a comparative analyses of each PAP’ characteristics, in the period of 2000/2001 to 2005/2006, studying the official documents published by the Agricultural, Livestock and Food Supply Ministry; (2) a prospective investigation of productivity datas offered by IBGE/Embrapa and; (3) provide, from simple statistical approach and inference, the real performance of livestock in the last six years, and (4) offer bases that help in formulating hypotheses about the programs effectiveness. Recalculated the productivity index, considering the progress in the disposal of matrices since 2001, concluding by the presence of bias in the indicator. The productivity examination, result in positive performance, but lower than recognized. The figures obtained do not have strong enough to unequivocally independent of environmental variables. It is not possible admit that the PAP’s effectiveness fueling the result of the bovine productive chain.agribusiness, agricultural and livestock plan, productivity and investment in agribusiness., Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Industrial Organization,

Fragments de Mémoire

A publicação consiste na edição musical da obra Fragments de Mémoire, para piano e electrónica, de Jean-Sébastien Béreau. A revisão da partitura foi realizada por Ana Telles