Guarnieri: Piano Music

The short individual pieces in this collection, the “Valsas,” “Improvisos,” and “Momentos,” reveal the gentler side of Guarnieri’s musical language. The waltz is a form in which every Brazilian composer has expressed his national character, so that it has become almost a new, distinctive form of its own. Guarnieri’s Valsas are all in minor keys and are characterized by internal melodies played by both hands and entwined with chromatic modulations and ornamentation. Their mood is one of longing, now almost entirely liberated from its dance-like character. The effect of all these pieces, many of which are extreme miniatures, is one of gentle nostalgia. This recital is divided into three groups, each containing a varied selection of short pieces and ending with a sonatina. There is no chronological order, as decades often passed between composition and publication, which did not seem relevant to the organization of the program. Martin Jones has been one of Britain’s most distinguished solo pianists since his international breakthrough in 1968, when he received the Dame Myra Hess Award. He has released over 90 recordings of rarely performed music, including the complete works of 18 composers.