In this video series Maximillian Rudd performs his new arrangement of the Brazilian Popular Suite by Heitor Villa-Lobos. The suite, originally written for solo guitar, is here reimagined for guitar and small ensemble, giving this classic work new life.
In these five videos showcasing each of the movements, Rudd joins forces with Brighid Mantelli (flute), Vicki Hallet (clarinet), and Jeanette Carnie (cello). These striking live performances are raw and unedited, highlighting the beauty of the arrangement and the unencumbered artistry of the musicians.
Rudd initially premiered the arrangements in a live concert series which enjoyed wide critical acclaim. As a result, the video series was commissioned by Frank de Rosso OAM.
Heitor Villa-Lobos
Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) was raised in the suburb of Laranjeiras, where the urban music of Rio de Janeiro, known as choro, would come to influence him greatly. Choro has its roots in the European salon dances of the nineteenth century, such as mazurkas, waltzes and polkas. As it developed, it combined with elements of Afro-Brazilian rhythms like lundu and maxixe, and is still widely performed and studied in Brazil and abroad. Villa-Lobos and the sound of Rio are inseparable, as shown in this work for solo guitar, in which Villa-Lobos celebrates choro and its impact on the trajectory of the guitar in Brazil.
Maximillian Rudd 