FRANCISCO MIGNONE (1897-1986): String Quartets Nos. 1 and 2, Barcarola, Minueto from the Opera O Contratador de Diamantes, 2 Essays, 3 Spanish Songs, Seresta No. 2 for Double Quartet (La Catrina String Quartet).

Description: A very attractive hour's worth of music from a Brazilian composer who compares favorably with Villa-Lobos in his wide variety of talents, love of his country's folk musics and prolific creativity. Except for the Barcarola (1932), the original works for quartet(s) all date from 1956-58 (the others are transcriptions), the end of Mignone's first stylistic period of nationalism: much of the folk music comes from Brazil's northeast; slow movements tend to be serenade-like (or, in Portuguese, seresta), fast movements are often very animated and dance-like. In the Essays, two six-minute works of 1958, Mignone achieves a perfect mix of folk and "serious" elements. Cuarteto Latinoamericano.