ideas of “hallucination” in their own musicallanguage, meaning a continual modificationof its expression of unity similar to thedevelopment of a mental image within theframe of hallucination; in the understandingof a form of liberation of the soul. Theexposition and re-exposition of the thematiccomplexes behave in this sonata always withthe same meaning as a continual modifica-tion of an expression of unity which havetheir maximum expression whilst aredeveloping as a chain of abstract images likein a dream until the moment where we canlisten to the fluttering of the Queltehues(Chilean bird) in the wet and cold air ofsouthern Chile. The last part of this work isa coda, which is a passage ending the sonata,it pretends to imitate electronic soundsvisualised as giant white clouds betweenearth and blue sky, reflected in the PacificOcean on days of brilliant colours andscents, especially in September, at the end ofwinter and at the beginning of Spring.

(Information supplied by Christian Vásquez)

INTERVAL

TWELVE STUDIES FOR GUITAR(Manuscript, 1928)

No. 1. E Minor – AllegroNo. 2. A Major – AllegroNo. 3. D Major – Allegro ModeratoNo. 4. G Major – Poco ModeratoNo. 5. C Major - AndantinoNo. 6. E Minor - Poco AllegroNo. 7. E Minor – AniméNo. 8. C Sharp Minor – ModeratoNo. 9. F Sharp Minor - Tres peu AniméNo. 10. B Minor – VivoNo. 11. E Minor – Lento, Piu Mosso,

Animato, LentoNo. 12. A Minor – Animato

HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS(1887-1959)

The manuscript dated 1928 is an autographcopy of the Studie for guitar. There is noexplanation of why each page was stamped‘reproduit par les soins des Editions MaxEschig’ by the publishers which made itappear that this was a finished work. The1928 version was carefully hand written byVilla-Lobos with detailed markings andfingerings, however, the publishers madethis edition available in 1952 with theexception of Study No.1 (1953). The

question arises of why Villa-Lobos revisedhis finished work of 1928? The answer is thatmaybe the revision was suggested by AndrésSegovia who wrote a preface to them in1929. Nonetheless, the 1928 version offeredmore valuable information to the guitaristwishing to play the Studies. This version isclear and precise and very well written, thecomposer’s notations are meticulous inclarifying the thematic musical structure aswell as, the lines with full size noteheads, thegood fingerings and expression markings.Villa-Lobos used sectional divisions thatcould be translated in a new theme ofvariation maximising textural and timbralcontrasts together with harmonic progres-sions and in the absence of these used:arpeggios, planing or slurs.

Study No.1 is an exercise in right handarpeggios whilst the left hand forms newchords using a prolonged basic harmonicprogression and it ends with an open stringinstead of a harmonic. Study No.2 is playedwith broken chords and slur and had clearinstructions at the end of the piece, theguitarist has to pluck at the same time withboth hands on the same string. Study No.3 isvery much influenced by guitar music fromthe 19th century and makes great use of theslur which makes this Study slightly joyful.Study No.4 explores the richness of harmoniesincorporating peculiar cadences andmodulations by repeating four voice chords.Study No.5 exploits the counterpoint and itsintroduction is a pedal in thirds continuingwith a modal melody with deep melancholy.

Study No.6 employed extensive use ofchords and its harmonies resembled therhythm of the Argentine tango. Study No.7 isa piece of great virtuosity, the introductoryscale stretched towards the middle section inarpeggio, this Study has an unmistakableBrazilian flavour full of lyricism, employinga re-exposition of scales outlined with strongrhythmical elements. Study No.8 is full ofarpeggios and slur markings played inconjunction with right hand glissandi. Thefirst phrase appears on the bass imitating thesound of a cello. One can also appreciate ashort ascending ligado followed by anarticulated scale. Study No.9 is reached byidiomatic techniques of the kind of chordalstructures, slurring and arpeggios. It has amonotonous rhythm to recreate life in thecountryside. In Study No.10 Villa-Lobosprofusely used passages which involved asingle finger; the thumb played across one ormore adjacent strings, which are indicated

with a slur marking. As with Studies 2, 3, 7and 12, Study No.10 asked for anaccomplished level of virtuosity, above all inthe middle section when a pedal on thesoprano holds up a melody on the bassproducing a big crescendo at the end, whichis based on African rhythms. Study No.11 hasa beautiful effect in the opening when thecomposer combined glissando and ligato;like Study No.8, the first phrase is played onthe bass to simulate the cello. The middlesection used a campanella effect. In StudyNo.12 the composer called for the index andmiddle fingers to pluck two strings at thesame time, the so-called “parallel chords”.The middle section of this Study is quitecontrasting with a melody on the fifth stringand with pedal on the sixth one.

Villa-Lobos’ final work was to be the scorefor the film Green Mansions, starring AudreyHepburn and Anthony Perkins, which wasnever produced. The music was commis-sioned by MGM (1958). Villa-Lobos wasresponsible for both conducting andrecording. Unfortunately it was replacedwith music by Bronislav Kaper. From thescore the composer put together his famousForest of the Amazons. It was recorded byUnited Artists with the voice of the Braziliansoprano Bidu Sayao, a male chorus and theSymphonic Orchestra of the Air. It was abrilliant recording issued on LP and tape.Villa-Lobos died in Río and was buried witha state funeral in the Såo Joåo BatistaCemetery in Río, just before the capital wastransferred to Brasilia.

© J. Sylvester, LACCS, 2007All Rights Reserved

CHRISTIAN VÁSQUEZ(b. 1965)

CARLOS PÉREZ,GUITAR

Variaciones Sobre el Pregón del Manzaneroby Ana Maria Reyes, World Prémiere.

Tres Ensayos sobre un Boceto de Kandinskiby Maximo Diego Pujol, European Prémiere.

FRIDAY 1st JUNE 2007 AT 7.45pm.PURCELL ROOM, SBC.

DIRECCION DE CULTURA, MINISTERIO DERELACIONES EXTERIORES, EMBASSY OF CHILE,

IN ASSOCIATION WITH LACCS.