Description:

One of the greatest Portuguese composers of the late 20th century, Lopes-Graça spent three years in Paris when he was in his 30s, where he learned the French musical style of the time and, at the same time, fused modern music with Portuguese folk music to write simple, beautiful works. He was interested in twelve-tone music, and while he admired Schoenberg, he also realized that it was not "the music he wanted to be" and devoted himself to the unique development of Portuguese music by writing works from the heart. All of his works, which incorporate folk songs and popular Portuguese melodies, have a familiar atmosphere. The album includes not only melodies of Portuguese origin, but also Hungarian and Russian songs, which showcase Lopes-Grasa's inquisitiveness.