TRAVELS IN MY HOMELAND

PORTUGUESE PIANO MUSIC
VASQUES-DIAS • LOPES-GRAÇA

JOANA GAMA

‘One of my favourite works is Années de Pèlerinage, by Franz Liszt, in which the pieces relate to paintings, sculptures, poems or legends. I realise now that one of the things that has moved me since I was a child is the possibility to access other forms of art and life through music. For this reason, I decided to research the works Viagens na Minha Terra, by Lopes-Graça, and Lume de chão, by Vasques-Dias, for my PhD. This recording with Grand Piano provides the possibility to present two very personal perspectives on Portuguese culture, sharing its traditional and emotional particularities through the piano.’ – Joana Gama

Listen to an excerpt from
VASQUES-DIAS, A.: Lume de chão –
Made up of Memories and Affections: Ao lume (‘By the fire’)

DIAS, A.V.: Lume de Chão / LOPES-GRAÇA, F.: Viagens na Minha Terra

GP792

Fernando Lopes-Graça and Amílcar Vasques-Dias

About this Recording

Fernando Lopes-Graça (1906–1994) and Amílcar Vasques-Dias (b. 1945) are linked in their musical reflections on Portuguese identity, but at widely differing points in that country’s history. Lopes-Graça transformed traditional songs into poetic and hard-edged statements, helping to create a ‘national collective spirit’ that would not be bowed by dictatorship. Vasques-Dias’s approach to folk culture is based on more personal feelings and emotions, recalling the countryside of his childhood and its landscapes today.

AMÍLCAR VASQUES-DIAS (b. 1945)

LUME DE CHÃO: TECIDO DE MEMÓRIAS E AFECTOS
(’FIREPLACE: MADE UP OF MEMORIES AND AFFECTIONS’) (2004) (29:41)

I. Acender o lume (‘Light the fire’) (01:44)

II. Eira do Outeiro (‘Threshing floor of Outeiro’) (01:29)

III. Azinheira de silêncio (‘Holm oak of silence’) (04:34)

IV. Espadelar (‘Scutching’) (01:23)

V. Assedar (‘Heckling’) (02:16)

VI. Fiar (‘Spinning’) (01:29)

VII. Linho (‘Linen’) (02:45)

VIII. Tear-Tecer (‘Loom-Weaving’) (01:43)

IX. Ao lume (‘By the fire’) (03:09)

X. Acácia de ninhos (‘Acacia of nests’) (01:28)

XI. Alçapão (‘Trapdoor’) (02:10)

XII. Cerejas-pão (‘Cherries-bread’) (02:03)

XIII. Sobreiro (‘Cork oak’) (02:46)

FERNANDO LOPES-GRAÇA (1906–1994)

VIAGENS NA MINHA TERRA (‘TRAVELS IN MY HOMELAND’)
19 PEÇAS PARA PIANO SOBRE MELODIAS TRADICIONAIS PORTUGUESAS
(‘19 PIECES FOR PIANO ON TRADITIONAL PORTUGUESE MELODIES’) (1954) (34:56)

I. Procissão de Penitência em São Gens de Calvos
(‘Penitence Procession in São Gens de Calvos’) (02:45)

II. Na Romaria do Senhor da Serra de Semide
(‘In the Pilgrimage of Senhor da Serra in Semide’) (01:19)

III. Noutros tempos, a Figueira da Foz dançava o Lundum
(‘In the olden days, Figueira da Foz danced the Lundum’) (01:58)

IV. Um Natal no Ribatejo (‘A Christmas in Ribatejo’) (02:08)

V. Em Alcobaça, dançando um velho Fandango
(‘In Alcobaça, dancing an old Fandango’) (01:43)

VI. Em Ourique do Alentejo, durante o São João
(‘In Ourique do Alentejo, during the St John Festivities’) (02:45)

VII. Acampando no Marão (‘Camping in the Marão’) (01:08)

VIII. Em São Miguel d’Acha, durante as trovoadas, mulheres e homens
cantam o bendito (‘In São Miguel d’Acha, during the storms, women and men sing the Bendito’) (01:55)

IX. Em terras do Douro (‘In the Douro valley’) (01:05)

X. Nas faldas da Serra da Estrela (‘At the foot of Serra da Estrela’) (01:41)

XI. Em Silves, já não há moiras encantadas
(‘In Silves, there are no more enchanted moorish maidens’) (01:03)

XII. Cantando os Reis em Rezende (‘Singing the Reis in Rezende’) (02:04)

XIII. Em Pegarinhos, uma velhinha canta uma antiga canção de roca
(‘In Pegarinhos, an old woman sings an ancient spinning song’) (01:13)

XIV. Na Citânia de Briteiros (‘In Citânia de Briteiros’) (02:32)

XV. Em Monsanto da Beira, apanhando a margaça
(‘In Monsanto da Beira, gathering the margaça’) (01:20)

XVI. Na Ria de Aveiro (‘On the Aveiro Estuary’) (01:56)

XVII. Em Setúbal, comendo a bela laranja
(‘In Setúbal, eating the lovely orange’) (01:60)

XVIII. Em Vinhais, escutando um velho romance
(‘In Vinhais, listening to an old romance’) (01:46)

XIX. Os adufes troam na romaria da Senhora da Póvoa de Val-de-Lobo
(‘The adufes rumble at the pilgrimage of Senhora da Póvoa of Val-de-Lobo’) (01:33)

TOTAL TIME: 64:41

JOANA GAMA

Joana Gama (b. 1983) is a Portuguese pianist who has participated in multiple projects, both as a soloist and within collaborations, not only in classical music, but also in the fields of cinema, dance, theatre, and experimental music. This recording is the outcome of years dedicated to the research and performance of Portuguese music. In 2017, Gama defended her doctoral thesis Performance Studies on Portuguese Contemporary Music for Piano: the particular case of evocative music of elements of the Portuguese culture at the University of Évora, supported by a scholarship from the Portuguese government.

www.joanagama.com

MULTI-COMPOSER COLLECTIONS WITH A GEOGRAPHICAL THEME

GP725

Piano Recital: Lourenço, Sofia - DADDI, J.G. / VIANNA DA MOTTA, J. (Portuguese Piano Music)

‘This is a must have album if you are a fan of Portuguese piano music from the Romantic era...This album features Sofia Lourenço in refreshing and emotionally rich performances.’
– Record Geijutsu

GP758