Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez was a prolific figure in Brazilian music, serving as a composer, conductor, musicologist, professor, and co-founder of the Conservatório Brasileiro de Música.
Composer Biography
Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez, a Brazilian composer, was initially intended by his parents to be a doctor, but health challenges led him to pursue music as a therapeutic outlet.
Composition History
Many works recorded for 'The Music of Brazil' series, including some on this album, are world premiere recordings or have never been available outside Brazil.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez believed that after World War II, music would move away from intellectualism towards a more direct expression of the human soul, possibly evolving from neo-Classicism to neo-Romanticism.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez acknowledged early influences from Beethoven, Wagner, and Debussy, but later developed a musical language that captured both Brazil's societal struggles and its nostalgic nature.
Performer Biography
Clélia Iruzun, the pianist on this album, is a celebrated Brazilian pianist based in London who has performed over 30 piano concertos and had works dedicated to her by prominent composers.
Historical Context
This album is part of 'The Music of Brazil' series, a project by the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote music by Brazilian composers dating back to the 18th century.
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