Customer Reviews

Braga Santos: Symphony No. 4 ; Symphonic Variations

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Fellow classical music reviewer J Scott Morrison, in his review of Joly Braga Santos's Symphony No. 2, was so convincing in his enthusiasm for this largely-unknown 20th-century Portuguese composer that I obtained not only that CD but this one as well. Both CDs are certifiable "winners." There is little that I can add to Scott's comments on the 2nd Symphony and its discmate (the "Crossroads" Ballet); I agree with all that he has written. But there is plenty worthy of comment for this 4th Symphony, coupled on this CD with his "Symphonic Variations."

Braga Santos (1924-1988) spent the early part of his musical career studying under a Portuguese composer of the previous generation, Luis de Freitas Branco, who would appear to have influenced all of Braga Santos's compositions through and including the 4th Symphony, all of which were written while he was still in his 20s. (The excellent booklet notes, by Álvaro Cassuto, the conductor for this Marco Polo series and clearly the principal champion of the music of Braga Santos, go on to state that Braga Santos subsequently studied with Herman Scherchen and Virgilio Motari, and that his later works reflected a more avant-garde compositional style, something that I have yet to look forward to.) Despite his Iberian roots, there is little in his music that brings to mind a characteristically Iberian style (say, that of Manuel de Falla). Instead, there is a more "international" flavor to these works, including some fairly obvious similarities with a number of better-known composers: Bax, Bruckner, Hanson, Nielsen, Ravel, Respighi, Rimsky-Korsakov, Sibelius and Vaughan Williams come to mind at various points throughout the 4th Symphony, and the Symphonic Variations have their Ravelian and Respighian touches as well.

The symphony (Braga Santos's longest, at some 53 minutes), is in four rather evenly divided movements, save for the last movement, which concludes with a stirring epilogue in the form of a chorale that largely accounts for its greater length. Each of the movements is full of good tunes, incorporated with real craftsmanship and a high regard for orchestral color. One can hear the ravishing lushness of Ravel, the motivic cells of Sibelius (even successfully combined with the Ravel touches in several places), brilliant splashes of orchestra color that readily remind one of Respighi, frequently modal writing reminiscent of Vaughan Williams, side drum tattoos that bring Nielsen to mind, and so forth. The epilogue-in-the-form-of-a-chorale that concludes the work does so on a very high note; with its use of timpani ostinato and a chorale theme that is of a definitely "Romantic yearning" bent, it reminds me in most respects of the final-movement coda to Hanson's "Romantic" Symphony, even to its brilliant modulations in the closing bars.

What is exceedingly difficult to put into words is the fact that all of this works, and works brilliantly, without seeming obvious or "pastiche-like." Each movement is a fully-developed entity having its own themes (and ear-catching tunes), with its own immediate appeal, yet the four movements fit together with perfect logic. Tis a puzzlement that this work has labored pretty much in obscurity for a half-century, for it is a "can't fail" audience-pleaser that need make no apologies.

The "Symphonic Variations" (which is the opening track on the disc) is, according to the booklet notes, based on a popular song from the Alentejo region of southern Portugal. It is a catchy tune, even a pretty one, where the "theme and variation" idea is utilized as a formal device for displaying the virtuoso and coloristic capabilities of the orchestra; a "Concerto for Orchestra" without actually being one, so to say. The work is "of a piece" with the 4th Symphony in terms of its obvious craft and its immediate - and seemingly lasting - appeal.

This last point deserves a small bit of additional commentary. Seldom, when listening to something totally new to me, do I latch on to it as I seem to have with these two Braga Santos works. My music library is literally littered with roadkill, stuff I gave a try to that in the end just didn't make an impression on me. Not so for these works; each time I listen to them (and it's been a few times already, just for purpose of putting these thoughts together), I find something new to appreciate in what Braga Santos has crafted.

Marco Polo has done us an outstanding service by committing to disc a major portion of Braga Santos's symphonic output (including all of his symphonies), under the direction of Cassuto. The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland is a fine group that does justice to both these works, and the sound is excellent.

This is truly a composer who deserves to be "rescued from obscurity," and Cassuto and Marco Polo have done themselves proud in their efforts. I hope to have the opportunity to hear a Braga Santos work performed "live" some day, now that all this "heavy lifting" by Cassuto and Marco Polo has brought his works before the listening public.

Bob Zeidler

I have little to add to the other estimable reviews printed here other than to say that, as an aficionado of minor composers and out-of-the-way repertoire, I have listened to hundreds of symphonies and other orchestral works from leading but often completely neglected composers of many nations, and have never heard a series of symphonies more impressive than those of Joly Braga Santos. How many so-called 'minor' symphonies have provided pleasure by virtue of their skillful orchestration, their clever handling of thematic development, or their inventive architecture....while failing to imprint upon the musical memory any melodies of distinction or, even less, of simply any resonance. Yet here, in the 4th symphony of Mr. Braga Santos, we have all of the characteristic virtues of masterful composition along with the very rare facet of memorable melodies. Melodies, in fact, that contain the essence of beauty and power that typifies the highest artistic achievements. Everyone who loves music should buy this disc. Every music director should consider programming this or other works of this composer. If music like this were programmed more often audiences would appreciate classical music more so than they do in this time in which programming relies too often on a formula of juxtaposing the same old orchestral repertoire with modern works that usually sacrifice melody and shape for sound effects and architectural ingenuity. To the Andrew Littons of the world.....please champion this music!

If you don't like Braga-Santos's 3rd and 4th symphonies, all I can say is that you must be immune to the joy that classical music can bestow. Full of brilliantine orchestration and sheer musical craftsmanship, the 4th deserves not just to be played, but to be a standard. The fourth movement contains, in additional to the chorale-like coda discussed by other reviewers, not one but two memorable and stirring melodies. Perhaps labeling Braga-Santos the Portugese Tchakovski might help. Anything to get his symphonies 2 thru 4 played.

Crystalline performance by the orchestra that, for all its success, only hints at what a major ensemble could do with this piece.

Why a Symphony like this goes unrecorded and unplayed is beyond me. Both the Symphony and the Variations are wonderful, gloriously played and tuneful. The last movement of the symphony is just stunning in its virtuosity culminating in a grand hymn like coda. The rest of Joly Braga Santos' works are worth discovering but for those wanting more of this, his 5th and 6th are more atonal but still major discoveries.

What a magnificant symphony. It is simply stunning! And the "Hymn to Youth" of the last movement is beyond belief. Get this one. You'll play it again and again.

Since first hearing this symphony about a year ago (and immediately buying the CD), I've listened to it at least twenty times; and with each re-playing, it continues fresh and seems to grow even more beautiful. It's the most exciting piece of music I've discovered in at least the last 10 years, and I have yet to grow tired of hearing it (I can't imagine ever doing so). As a lover of classical music for over 70 years, I consider its last movement to be one of the most gloriously joyous pieces of music ever written, coming close in joyousness to the finale of Beethoven's Ninth. I almost never enthuse this strongly about anything, but Braga-Santos's 4th deserves extraordinary enthusiasm.

This is the first time I bought a disc without ever hearing the music; doing so solely on the basis of reviews that I read here at Amazon. Well, I must thank all of the previous reviewers...the piece simply blew me away!

It is thoughtful, expansive, joyous, and simply beautiful. I will say, however, that if your taste runs only to Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, and Beethoven...that perhaps you will not be that enthusiastic about this symphony. But if you like anything at all by Bruckner, Sibelius or Copland; then you will love this work. If someone asked me today to name my top 10 symphonies, the Braga-Santos symphony number 4 would now be on my list. It's that good.

Ralph Hesse

If you have got this far, you will already have an idea of what awaits you in the music of Braga Santos. So I would just give a brief summary about the composer. He lived from 1924 to 1988 where he died as a result of a stroke. Although he was composing through the middle of the 20th century, for much of the time he avoided the musical trends of the period, obviously thinking there was still more that could be said within a tonal framework. Around 1960 he changed his style of composition, exploring the musical trends that had been occurring during his life. He wrote his first four symphonies in a short period between the ages of 22 and 27. These are all a product of his tonal period, and to any lover of the Romantic Symphony, all four are deserving of being in their collection.

Braga Santos showed a mastery of orchestration and form with his first symphony, reaching a peak with the works such as on this present recording. Other reviewers have amply conveyed the pleasures in store for the listener. The two works make a brilliant pairing, and Marco Polo (Naxos) have presented these works in brilliant performances.

The Symphonic Variations which lasts 15 minutes, take the form of such a work a step further than is usually found, in that the variations are blended into a unified and flowing whole more tightly than is usual, giving the effect of a Symphonic Poem. This is a highly contrasted and exciting work with an overriding mood of triumph, making a brilliant opening for the CD. As is typical of much of his music, he moves back and forth between quietly delicate and melodic passages that crescendo to thrilling climaxes. It opens with a gentle statement of the theme, proceeds as described above, and concludes with first a gentle restatement of the theme which quickly rises to a brilliant concluding statement by the brass riding over the full orchestra and coming to an immensely powerful conclusion.

The Symphony, his longest, starts rather like the preceding work with a quiet statement of the theme on solo bassoon over tremolo strings, and then this wonderful work unfolds from there. Braga Santos, as has been perceived by other reviewers, showed eclecticism in his writing. One can detect influences from numerous composers at various points, but it is not as if he lacked originality, needing to base his compositions on ideas he heard from other composers: although his musical language is largely in the style of the late Romantic period, he always speaks with a distinctive and unique voice that is instantly recognisable and immensely appealing, and obviously a product of a different time.

The Symphony is imbued with melody, no more so than in its finale which is structurally more like an epilogue based on the clear statement of a long, flowing and inspiring melody leading to a brief but spectacular conclusion which is a progression of chords stated by full orchestra and ample percussion. In between the quiet beginning of the first movement, and this glorious conclusion, is a Symphony of great inventiveness amply showing again his mastery of the orchestra, of appealing thematic material, and of musical form and development. Although it easy on the ear, the work, in fact, is a challenge for the orchestra, demanding players of high skill to handle such things as his frequent changes of irregular time signatures, to name one aspect particularly present in the fourth movement. Braga Santos fully understood the nature of the symphony, but did not feel the need to be constrained to sonata form.

Like all the other reviewers, I recommend this CD in particular, and, in fact, all of his first four symphonies, to all lovers of the Romantic Symphony. The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland rises to the demands of the occasion, with highly polished playing, and is complemented by superb engineering.

Braga Santos' fourth symphony is a stunning work, and one might feel very reasonable bewilderment about the fact that it's not played more often. It is quite simply a must-hear, full of optimism, life-endorsement, truly memorable tunes and mastery of orchestral coloring. Even though it's the fourth of his six symphonies, it belongs to his early period and is pretty conservative for a work written in 1950 - he developed a more modern style later.

There is a certain eclecticism to Braga Santos' early music, no doubt about that - but the influences are so assuredly handled that it would wrong not to ascribe to him a personal voice. The presence of Vaughan Williams is strong, and so is Sibelius and Howard Hanson (though in my view Braga Santos outclasses the latter), and Debussy in the slow movement - a stunningly written build-up to a quite powerful climax. Vaughan Williams at his best returns in the wistful allegro tranquillo third-movement, while the finale is centered around a powerful chorale (a tune you won't likely forget once heard) which, though sometimes close, manages to stay on the right side of banality to leave a powerful impression.

Apparently, there is an alternative version of this symphony under Pereira on Portugalsom, this time with the ad libitum choral part - I haven't heard it, but have a hard time imagining that it could add very much. That release seems pretty much unobtainable anyway. Besides, that recording didn't have the filler, the inventive and splendidly orchestrated Symphonic Variations. The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland plays enthusiastically, and no wonder. The sound is excellent as well. Don't miss this one, and if you want to check out Braga Santos (and you should), this is the place to start.

Apparently, this release also earned a Cannes Classical Award for the CD Premier category in 2004; well deserved.

So glad to see great reviews on 2 of my all time favorite "unknown works" from Portugal. I have actually more to say about the Variations - about midway into this work begins a beguiling rhapsodic melody that is quite unlike anything else. Listen for musical description of crickets on the hot plains of Portugal at the end. Nice to see these works played so well also. The variations are also on an rare old recording by a Portuguese orchestra transfered to CD years ago, also a classic if you can find it.