Echoes of the Brazilian Nationalism Movement in Four Works for Viola and Piano (1950-82)

Abstract

The requirements for this thesis consist of three parts: a recording of four works for viola and piano by Brazilian composers, which includes: M. Camargo Guarnieri’s Sonata (1950), Francisco Mignone’s Três Valsas Brasileiras (1968), Radamés Gnattali’s Sonata (1969), and Cláudio Santoro’s Sonata No. 2 (1982), a CD liner notes to accompany this recording, and a final solo recital with the performance of these four works. The recording was produced in February and March, 2018 at the University of Alberta’s Convocation Hall on a Hamburg Steinway Model D-274 concert grand piano with pianist Janet Scott Hoyt. The recital was presented at the same venue on June 11, 2018. The essay introduces individual analyses of these four works exploring elements from the Brazilian nationalism movement in the development of the repertoire for viola and piano. This study also examines the importance of violists Perez Dworecki (1920-2011), George Kiszely (1930-2010), and Johannes Oelsner (1915-2009) in the growth of the instrument (viola) in Brazil. Listen to the recording here - https://ualberta.aviaryplatform.com/r/vx05x26p8x