Vianna da Motta: Piano Music

Album review

José Vianna da Motta (1868-1948) is one of those rare creatures: a Portuguese composer. And so we can but warmly welcome this album which contains several of his piano pieces, played by Luís Pipa. A student of Schwarwenka in Berlin and then of Liszt in Weimar, Vianna da Motta built himself a solid reputation as a concert musician, teacher and composer across Europe, performing with partners in the mould of Sarasate, Casals, Busoni, von Bülow or Ysaÿe. After the First World War (during which he lived in Switzerland), Vianna da Motta returned to Portugal, where, at the age of 50, he contributed greatly to building up the country's musical life: as Director of the Lisbon Conservatory, and the organiser of a series of concerts, today Portugal enjoys his substantial legacy. As a composer, he was not the most prolific: but his output was a cornerstone of a Portuguese musical movement. Following Liszt, Chopin and Wagner – and also Scriabin in his later works – he composed pieces for piano, of which we have a fine range here, and orchestral works, and a few Lieder (in German, of course), and mélodies in Portuguese, plus a little chamber music. Without a doubt, it is high time to pay a little attention to this likeable figure. © SM/Qobuz