SIMONE LEITÃO

• J.S. Bach: Italian Concerto - I. [Allegro]

“Simone Leitão’s pianistically orientated Bach interpretations [are] inherently musical. Note the conversational feeling she conveys in the part-writing throughout the C minor Partita’s Allemande and Courante, her unusual left-hand phrasings in the Rondeaux and the headlong Capriccio’s perky yet unexpected accents... Her chiaroscuro voicings almost transform the Book 2 C-sharp major Prelude into a kaleidoscope, while the Fugue recalls Glenn Gould’s détaché attitude... Following a delightfully dashing Book 2 D minor Prelude, Leitão enlivens the Fugue’s alternating triplet and duplet phrases with a sense of ‘swing’ that is better heard than described... Leitão’s best Bach-playing abounds with imagination and soul.”

Jed Distler, Gramophone [February 2018]

“I enjoyed her exuberant and instinctive approach.”

Lehman, American Record Guide [January/February 2018]

“the playing here is blessedly sensitive and rhythmically aware, and there is no question that Leitão feels the music deeply. Indeed, Leitão says that the works she plays here are among the ones she has known and loved for many years, and often uses in her recitals. Under the circumstances, the fact that she takes a somewhat Romantic view of the music is entirely understandable, as is her willingness often to employ dynamic shadings on the piano that did not exist on the harpsichord, for which the music was actually written... the Italian Concerto is especially fine, rhythmically strong and with well-thought-out contrasts among the three movements... There is a richness and emotional involvement to Leitão’s performances of Bach on this disc that will draw in listeners who, like the pianist herself, believe that the music transcends its time and the circumstances of its composition.”

Mark J. Estren, InfoDad [December 2017]

"Brazilian pianist Simone Leitão shows her artistry in an all-Bach program that confirms what I said about her almost six years ago in my review of her Bach/ Mehmari/ Ginastera/ Rachmaninoff release on MSR. In addition to the flair she displayed in the earlier program, she shows a stunning sense of rhythm and a sensitivity to small increments of time that pay big dividends... Emotion and technical prowess are in perfect accord in the present recital..."

Phil Muse, Audio Society of Atlanta [September 2017]

Claude Debussy said that Bach encompassed all the music in him. Robert Schumann defined: “with time, all sources of inspiration become familiar, but only one source remains the unutterable inspiration for all composers: Bach.” Shostakovich simply stated: “Bach is humankind’s best friend.” The indescribable joy I felt playing Bach’s music from an early age, influenced me to choose my profession. Born to a numerous family in a small town in the mountains of Minas, Brazil, my protestant background naturally led me to his texts. This CD is an account of the works which I often use to open recitals; pieces which have grown with me over the years. I simply want to document my devotion to the universal identity of Bach’s music. The works I have chosen are from the Weimar and Cöthen periods of Bach’s life, when he devoted a substantial amount of his time to keyboard works. My relationship with Bach’s music is a very personal one; it leads me to something close to a religious ecstasy and definitely shows me the direction I should follow, in life and in art.

Brazilian pianist Simone Leitão, born in the State of Minas Gerais, maintains a highly active career as soloist, chamber musician and recitalist both in Brazil, and around the world. One of Brazil’s most sought after pianists, Leitão is known for her intense vitality, ample technical means, strong rhythmic drive and passionate performances. Her industrious personality has gained notoriety through numerous relevant cultural enterprises over the past six years, which have fostered youth academic training, chamber music-making and audience building in Brazil. She is the founder and artistic director of Academia Jovem Concertante (Touring Youth Orchestra Academy) since 2012, Rio International Chamber Music Week since 2012, and Minas International Chamber Music Week since 2014. Leitão keeps a busy performance schedule, with more than 40 appearances a year, performing in major concert venues, including Canergie Hall, São Paulo Symphony Hall, Cecília Meireles Hall, Knight Concert Hall, and others. She has collaborated with noted conductors, including Eduardo Marturet, Allastair Willis, Apo Hsu, Ricardo Castro, Daniel Guedes, Luiz Fernando Malheiro and Guilherme Bernstein. As a recording artist, Leitão released a solo recital on MSR Classics in 2011 [MS1405], which earned strong critical acclaim. She has toured China and since 2012 has toured Brazil with orchestras three times a year. Her 2013 tour performance of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2 and Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.1 with the Barra Mansa Symphony Orchestra was subject of Pare, Olhe, Escute (Stop, Look and Listen), a 50-minute documentary by award-winning director Katia Lund that appeared on Brazilian television for 10 months. Simone Leitão holds a Bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Rio, a Master’s degree in piano performance from the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance and musicology from the University of Miami Frost School of Music in Florida. She studied with Ivan Davis in the United States (himself a former pupil of Horowitz), Geir Braaten in Norway and Linda Bustani in Brazil. [ www.simoneleitao ]


Para Claude Debussy, Bach “abarca para si toda a música.” Robert Schumann foi mais longe: “com o tempo, todas as fontes ficam mais próximas, mas só um compositor continua sendo fonte inesgotável de inspiração para todos os outros: Bach.” Shostakovitch simplifica: “Bach é o maior amigo da humanidade.” O estudo e perfomance da música de Bach foram determinantes na minha decisão de me tornar pianista. Nasci em uma pequena cidade nas montanhas de Minas, famiília numerosa e Bach sempre foi meu refúgio. Por ter uma criação protestante, me sentia naturalmente ligada aos textos de Bach, mais do que a qualquer outro compositor na minha infancia. O estudo de sua música de certa forma, forjou meu caráter e personalidade musical ao longo dos anos. As obras aqui registradas são algumas das que uso na abertura de recitais, peças que me acompanham por toda a vida. Quero simplesmente deixar aqui minha devoção à identidade universal da música de Bach. As obras que escolhi são do período de Weimar e Cöthen, quando ele se dedicou mais aos textos para teclado. Minha relação com música de Bach é bem pessoal, ela me leva a um certo extase religioso e me mostra a direção que devo seguir, na vida e na arte.

Com uma carreira ativa como recitalista, camerista e solista de orquestras nas Américas, Europa e Ásia, Simone Leitão é uma das mais atuantes pianistas brasileiras e mantém anualmente uma agenda de cerca de 40 concertos. A artista mineira, de Caratinga é conhecida por sua performance intensa, ampla capacidade técnica, forte direção rítmica e personalidade, e também vem ganhando notoriedade por divulgar a música clássica brasileira no exterior através do projeto Brasil Classical Series e por idealizar programas culturais que democratizam a música erudita no Brasil, como a Academia Jovem Concertante e a Semanas Internacional de Música de Câmara do Rio de Janeiro e de Belo Horizonte, ambos projetos criados e dirigidos por ela desde 2012. Simone possui D.M.A. (Doctor of Musical Arts) em Piano Performance e História da Música pela University of Miami (Estados Unidos), classe de Ivan Davis, discipulo de Horowitz, Mestrado pela Norges Musikkhögskole (Academia de Música da Noruega, Oslo) e Bacharelado em Música pela Uni-Rio. Sua tese de doutorado foi sobre Momoprecoce para piano e orquestra de Villa-Lobos. Já colaborou com maestros como Eduardo Marturet (Miami Symphony Orchestra), Apo Hsu, Alastair Willis, Ricardo Castro, Luiz Fernando Malheiro, Daniel Guedes e Guilherme Bernstein. Leitão se apresenta anualmente em importantes salas de concertos, como Carnegie Hall, a Sala São Paulo, e a Sala Cecília Meireles. Em maio de 2015 ela retornou ao Carnegie Hall para mais um recital anual e saiu aclamada pela crítica de Nova York por sua performance de Ravel e Villa-Lobos. Em 2016 fez uma extensa na Dinamarca gravando para Danish Radio obra de Turina com Ensemble Midtvest.

[ www.simoneleitao ] JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)
PARTITA NO.2 IN C MINOR, BWV 826
I. Sinfonia
II. Allemande
III. Courante
IV. Sarabande
V. Rondeaux
VI. Capriccio

THE WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER, BOOK I
PRELUDE AND FUGUE IN C MINOR, BWV 847
I. Prelude
II. Fugue

THE WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER, BOOK II
PRELUDE AND FUGUE IN C-SHARP MAJOR, BWV 872
I. Prelude
II. Fugue

ITALIAN CONCERTO IN F MAJOR, BWV 971
I. [Allegro]
II. Lento
III. Presto

THE WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER, BOOK II
PRELUDE AND FUGUE IN D MINOR BWV 875
I. Prelude
II. Fugue

CHACONNE (from Violin Partita No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004)
Transcribed by FERRUCCIO BUSONI
 



MSR Classics