This is the last disc in the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra’s survey of Guarnieri Symphonies under John Neschling for BIS. Let’s hope that it doesn’t mean the end to its exploration of Guarnieri’s music, for this latest release only confirms the impressive talent evident on previous issues. The Fifth Symphony has an interesting first movement comprised of alternating sections of slow and fast music. Guarnieri’s late style is lean, not especially tonal, and highly contrapuntal–but so communicative and emotionally straightforward is his expression that the idiom never becomes a barrier to enjoyment. Like Bartók, he found a way to be at once modern and a man of the people, though the finale of this very symphony includes a chorus based on a silly poem about a river (written by the composer’s brother) that maybe carries the populist element a bit too far.
The Suite Villa Rica was assembled from a film score, and as such it features more relaxed, atmospheric writing with plenty of dance elements. The work’s 10 short movements breeze by in 20 minutes of pure delight. Symphony No. 6, also in three short movements totalling only about 20 minutes, strikes me as a masterpiece. Its orchestration, muscular and utterly transparent with nary a note out of place, beguiles the ear, and the Triste (Sad) slow movement has a haunting beauty that will stay with you long after the work ends. The finale’s concision and directness (it lasts just slightly more than four minutes) reveal the hand of a master. As with previous releases in this series, Neschling and his orchestra sound terrific, and the strings show a bit less strain than the last time around. Terrific sonics, terrific music–Guarnieri merits very serious attention, no doubt about it. More, please. [4/23/2004]
