Sao Paulo So/Karabtchevsky - Heitor Villa-Lobos: Symphony No.1 'O Imprevisto', Symphony No. 2 'Ascensao'

Heitor Villa-Lobos�s first two symphonies take the European tradition head-on, absorbing French models prevalent in Brazil in the early 20th century. The confident swagger of the First Symphony is characteristic of Villa-Lobos�s �Brazilianness�, while the cyclical Second Symphony filters myriad influences including the music of Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Debussy and Puccini. Its slow movement heralds the affecting melodic content that would later become the trademark of the Bachianas Brasileiras [Naxos 8.557460-72]. This is the sixth and final volume of an acclaimed complete edition of Villa-Lobos�s symphonies in which �Karabtchevsky leads the way� (Gramophone).