This month saw me occupied with a long-drawn project. For a long while I had been trying to record Brazilian music “other than” that by Villa-Lobos, Music that I believed people should get to know. Originally there were only two composers I thought would make a wonderful combination, Lorenzo Fernandez and Fructuoso Vianna (I once played the latter's gorgeous Preludio # 4 as an encore, following a performance of Prokofiev’s # 3 with Ashkenazy in Prague, and both he and his wife, also a pianist in her youth, were amazed at the composer's pianism). Ever since 2000 when I started playing a lot of Brazilian music, I’ve had quite a few people writing in and asking when I would record those as well as also how to get the parts. A couple of years back, in Australia, some young pianists came backstage most enthusiastic over what they had heard at my recital and desperate to get hold of the scores. A group of them then went off to Xerox my own copies ‘just around the corner’, leaving me feeling slightly apprehensive in case I never saw those again: some were manuscripts and the only ones available! Of course the kids were duly back, each holding quite a few pages having copied the whole lot! I suppose one could call that a recipe for success! Well, it's now been done and I am thrilled about it.

There are 5 composers altogether; ‘Villa’s presence is assured in two of my favourite encores: Valsa da Dor and A Lenda do Caboclo. Apart from the two other composers mentioned above, Alberto Nepomuceno and Camargo Guarnieri complete the list.

Once “Alma Brasileira” comes out - this time recorded for Intrada-France (any of you remember my 1st LP, ever, for EMI?) to celebrate ‘l’Année du Brésil’. I hope many people will enjoy my journey down memory lane. Look out for its launch in mid-June in France, and by September it should be released internationally.

I was asked to write an Introduction and although I am no writer, finding out that no translation of ‘my’ text actually ever said accurately what I meant when writing it, I had to do it myself in the three languages I’m familiar with: a task only made harder by deadlines and 'word counts', especially when my computer twice crashed on me. Concerts, any day: so much more enjoyable! Here goes, read the preview before it's out!

“Alma Brasileira”
Whilst preparing for this recording in Paris, I experienced some very intense emotions. Unforgettable memories often made me break into tears. This music evoked the near-tangible presence of my parents, the tenderness of sweet childhood lost forever, the unavoidable suffering of dear ones, the purity of innocent love, the sumptuous colours and perfumes associated with that fertile land, my beautiful Brazil. The solitude in the life of an artist at work is not conducive to reminiscence, but despite many years living abroad, I have never felt the strength of my origins so vividly. What title could best describe all these feelings, Saudades - an almost untranslatable expression of nostalgia? or Valsa da Dor - waltz of pain?

I first heard the music of Lorenzo Fernandez when aged nine; then proceeded to win five consecutive times a competition where his music was performed. I played to Fructuoso Vianna and also met Camargo Guarnieri. There was alas no personal encounter with the great Villa-Lobos, but by the time I went to Paris aged fifteen, I was already imbued with the wealth of his unique musical language: riches that would stay with me for life.

With the advent of Brazil’s 500 th anniversary, proud of my cultural heritage, I started to take real pleasure in performing the music of my country. By then I had added courage to maturity, and could delve deep into this music which is so visceral, rather like me!

In this CD, I want to emphasise the nostalgic, sentimental and dreamy aspects of the Brazilian character, more heartfelt than the carefree exuberance that ensues from rhythmic gaiety.

We begin with Prece, which I dedicate to Ude, my dearest cousin. Of course, there are dances: Galhofeira, Dansa Negra, Cateretê, Corta-Jaca, Jongo; but what I would like my listeners to discover apart from the ingenuity of Nepomuceno, the inventive chromaticism of Fernandez, the sophistication of Guarnieri and the genius of Villa-Lobos, is the passion and wit of Fructuoso. This emotional journey ends with his exquisite Prelúdio no. 4 - evidence of an astounding knowledge of the keyboard - an ‘abraço’ which grips my Brazilian soul.

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