BRESIL 1900

Jean-Louis Beaumadier – piccolo; Maria Jose Carrasqueira - piano

Bresil 1900 features the flute music of three composers who lived in Rio De Janiero during the second half of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. This was a time of upheaval in Brazil with political and social upheaval, including the abolition of slavery and the proclamation of the Republic. One lesson I often need reminding of is that putting a composer and his or her music into historical context adds tremendously to the understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of their music.

Two of the composers are new to me - Pattapio Silva, who died aged 26, and Joaquim Antonio da Silva Callado Jr , who died aged 32. The third featured composer is Belgian born Mathieu-Andre Reichert - it is a true delight to know that the composer of Seven Daily Exercises lived in Brazil! Don’t get me wrong, I love these exercises, but I now have a much wider appreciation of Reichert as a composer and a man. Now I have heard more of his music I can imagine him performing and teaching in that colourful land, influencing and being influenced by the Brazilian way of playing. He died in Rio in 1880 aged 50.

All fourteen pieces on this CD represent the Salon style of the time in the form of Romances, Polkas, Idylls, Tarantelles and Souveniers. They are melodic, poetic and virtuosic, and all written for the flute, not the piccolo, as far as I can tell from the accompanying notes.

Having listened to the playing of Jean-Louis Beaumadier many times, for he is a prolific performer, I am again reminded that he is a musician first and a flautist second, and, by the way, he plays his flute music on the piccolo. As a professional piccolo player myself, I would never betray the instrument with which I earn my living, but rather, as always, see it as a means to a musical end. Beaumadier wants to tell us about this fabulous music, and he tells us with his instrument, the piccolo. I don’t think of them as transcriptions or adaptations. In fact, I don’t notice they are not played on the original instrument. They are just pieces of music, played with respect, affection and brilliance.

Rosamund Plummer has extensive performing experience in Australia, UK and USA, and is currently Principal Piccolo with the Sydney Symphony, and combines a busy family life with her work as a part time lecturer in Flute at the Conservatorium of Music.