Odeon "Tango Brasileiro"
Faceira "Valsa"
Brejeiro "Tango"

Here are three more Nazareth works. These are the last ones for me for now. Time to move on to the "masters."
Since I'd never heard the waltz before, I analyzed it a bit more. Perhaps I overdid it. Don't bother reading the following if you're not interested.

The fact that Nazareth’s waltz “Faceira” was published posthumously engenders some questions in me and the temptation to take some liberties when playing it. First of all, I hope my opinions about this waltz are not too presumptuous. I have never heard it performed. Since Nazareth didn’t discard this waltz in the trash and chose not to publish it immediately, I believe that he probably intended to continue working on it at a later date. Haven’t we all done that before?

There are some places in this waltz that I feel are somewhat unorthodox harmonically for the style in which Nazareth was writing. For example, the cadence at the end of Section C where he abruptly modulates back to C Major, which is the home key for that section, is quite a shock to me. He quickly modulates back to C Major with these chords: E7, a minor, Bb Major, a minor, G7, to C Major. Play those in succession on your piano. What a disappointing shock to my ears! This was particularly disappointing to me in this most “Chopinesque” section of the waltz. Perhaps this was intentional or perhaps Nazareth intended to continue working on this part at a later date. I prefer to think the latter.

I felt that the sudden shifting from major to minor in Section B was somewhat effective though it was again abrupt in places. Did he plan to continue working on those spots? Who knows? But it’s okay to speculate.

There were a few dynamic markings but no tempo markings in the manuscript. I probably wanted to play it more slowly than it was intended by the composer. But that is conjecture on my part since there were no tempo indications. I also would have liked some pedal indications. The chromaticism requires that one use the sustaining pedal sparingly. I took the liberty of playing the first quarter note on the first beat in the bass as a dotted half note at times when I felt it needed to sound sustained but the chromaticism would have caused the notes to blur if the sustaining pedal were used.

Overall, I liked this little waltz. In my fantasies it is reflective of Nazareth’s life. He experienced great joy, but also tremendous tragedy and heartbreak which led to his probable suicide.

Yes I can hear the Brejeiro is a bit taxing. Some weak spots in the LH, and the whole could just be a bit more snappy and rhythmic. But nothing really to bitch about, a very competent and likeable performance.

The Faceira is a pretty innocuous piece without too much substance. The better salon music, I'd say. You play it very well.

Best for last ! The Odeon is a great piece, I see why Poznak chose it to open his CD. You play it almost as well. Congratulations for a great job in such a short time ! In only wonder why the output volume is so much higher than the other two.

Well we seem to have a nice Nazareth collection now, probably pretty unique on the web. They are all up the site.

That was a nice perky, toe-tapping piece. The Brejeiro one. I think you played it with a good 'bounce'. Dynamics were good too. The part with the RH octaves slowed down a tiny bit, but it sounds like a hard spot. Thanks for introducing me to Nazareth. I just found another one of his Tangos in my book, Remando. Do you play it?

btw- Chris - I couldn't listen to the other pieces because all three opened up as the Brejeiro.

I sight read through Remando in my Nazareth book, but it didn't grab me. The Brejeiro is my least-liked of the three I posted. It was also the most difficult to play because of the "leaping" left hand.

Oh bugger all... the cut and paste demon at large. Fixed that. Of course you could have gone to the Nazareth page and use the official links (which I always test )

Just listened to the other two.

I sort of dazed off in there and when I tuned back in it was in that "Chopinesque" section and my first thought was that it was similar to the Melancolique Waltz. But overall I liked this piece. But Wow on the other one, the Odeon. You played that very well. You can hear that you have fun playing it. Light action on the soft part too. Really great!