Arminda Correia

[drh]

I have seen evidence of one LP by this soprano, and I actually own one 78 RPM record in which she sings, 10" English Columbia J 906, both sides containing songs by Portuguese composer Ruy Coelho from his Cancoes de Saudade e Amor: Menina e Moca on one side and Graca on the other. In each the composer is piano accompanist. Information about both the composer and the soprano being hard to come by in the English-speaking world, or at least this part of it, I was wondering if perhaps any of our members living closer to Portugal might be willing to share any knowledge about either or both? I'm particularly curious whether Correia and Coelho might have made other records together, especially other selections from Cancoes de Saudade e Amor.

I should add that, although I speak not a word of the language, I find this record ravishing and the very little else I've heard by Coelho, albeit a bit uneven, in the "unjustly neglected" category at its best (especially his second violin sonata, with its imposing sonorities at both ends).

[melvind]

Here is a pretty good wikipedia article about the composer. It is in Portuguese, but Google Translate does a good job of getting it into English. I've never heard of him before and am now wanting to hear some of his music.

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruy_Coelho

[drh]

Here is a pretty good wikipedia article about the composer. It is in Portuguese, but Google Translate does a good job of getting it into English. I've never heard of him before and am now wanting to hear some of his music.

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruy_Coelho

I expect some is on YouTube--is *anything* not on YouTube?--but if you want physical media, finding any won't be easy. Probably the best bet is a CD on the PortugalSom label, PS 5012, which includes The Princess with Two Iron Shoes, Passeios de Estio, and the two violin sonatas. I believe it is a collection of material previously released on other labels. The second violin sonata I find particularly attractive, perhaps because violinist Vasco Barbosa and pianist Grazi Barbosa, neither of whom has crossed my field of view otherwise, clearly believe deeply in the music and do everything possible to project it with conviction.