HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959): Symphony No. 2 "Asenção", New York Skyline Melody.

Description: This slow-moving series reaches its penultimate release with a 51-minute symphony whose actual dates of composition are unknown. Bearing the composer's own opus number of 160, some have speculated that it was never finished until just before Villa-Lobos' conducted its premiere in 1944 (we know that it was begin in 1917) but, stylistically, it plainly comes from the series of five symphonies which were described by V-L as in the style of D'Indy. It has some cyclic elements and places where you might actually think of D'Indy's school of late Romanticism but there are also Brazilian rhythms and colors that are unmistakeable. It was recorded nine years ago. Let's hope we don't have to wait too much longer for 5 & 10 and the completion of the cycle! Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra; Carl St. Clair.