Freitas Branco considered Debussy's opera 'Pelléas et Mélisande' to be the most important event in his artistic development, shifting him from an 'essentially Germanic' style.
Performer Biography
Carlos Damas, the violinist on this album, established himself as a leading violinist in Portugal and was mentored by the renowned Yehudi Menuhin.
Composer Biography
Luís de Freitas Branco, one of the most accomplished and influential Portuguese composers of the 20th century, studied with Belgian composer Désiré Pâque and German composer Humperdinck.
Compositional Technique
Freitas Branco's First Violin Sonata, written in 1907, clearly shows the influence of César Franck's cyclic structure, with thematic cells recurring and mutating throughout the work.
Performer Biography
Anna Tomasik, the pianist on this album, began her career as a solo artist while still a student and has performed extensively in Poland and Portugal.
Critical Reception
The First Violin Sonata won first prize in a competition despite its harmonic language and evolving tonality, which were considered scandalous for the conservative Lisbon milieu of the time.
Sibelius, J.: 5 Danses Champetres / Pieces for Violin and Piano (Musical Soiree at Ainola)
American Album
Journey
Stanford: Music for Violin & Piano
Strauss: Sonata for Violin and Piano Op. 18 / Dvořák: Romantic Pieces for Violin and Piano Op. 75 / Kreisler: Schön Rosmarin; Liebesleid; Syncopation; Marche miniature viennoise
