Violin Sonatas

Dear Listeners,
The pianist João Paulo Santos and I have performed the three sonatas recorded on this CD many times in concert. In our view, they are masterpieces of the literature for these two instruments, and, two in particular, those by Freitas Branco and Villa-Lobos, are still little known by music lovers. This seems strange, since the works reflect the incontestable talent of two major composers, one Portuguese, the other Brazilian, who were, in their time, masters of their art. We hope that the interpretations presented here will contribute to greater appreciation for these works.
Bruno Monteiro

Bruno Monteiro, Violin
Bruno Monteiro is herald by the daily Público as “one of Portugal´s premier violinists”. Fanfare describes him as having a “burnished golden tone” and Pizzicato states that his performances are “technically and expressively outstanding”. The Strad characterizes his playing as “ardent and heroic”and MusicWeb International refers to interpretations that reach an “almost ideal balance between the expressive and the intellectual”. Finally, Gramophone praises his “unfailing assurance and eloquence”.

João Paulo Santos, Piano
Born in Lisbon in 1959, the pianist João Paulo Santos is a graduate of the Lisbon National Conservatory. With sponsorship from the Gulbenkian Foundation, he completed his piano studies in Paris with Aldo Ciccolini (1979 – 84). For the past four decades, he has been associated with Teatro Nacional de São Carlos (the Lisbon Opera House), first as Principal Chorus Conductor and now as Director of Musical and Stage Studies. Artistically Santos has distinguished himself as an opera conductor, concert pianist and researcher of lesser-known and forgotten works by Portuguese composers.