Saber Ouvir - Eurico Tomás de Lima (1908–1989); Miguel Campinho, piano.
Numérica Double CD 1249, 2013. www.numerica-multimedia.com
It is rare that a new recording of an unknown composer captures the complete attention of the listener and that each work is of a consistently high level from both the composer and the performer. We are indebted to the young Portuguese pianist Miguel Campinho, for the undertaking of recording and co-producing the complete Sonatas and Sonatinas of Eurico Tomás de Lima [...]
Campinho's playing is always powerful with a purposeful direction. His technique serves him well through lucid phrasing, uncannily clearly executed passages, judicious pedaling, all combined with a sensibility for this music that brings it to an exciting and vivid life. Campinho is a pianist to watch - and to listen to - reaffirming the title this CD, "Saber Ouvir."
Nancy Lee Harper
Piano Journal 104, 2014
| 2014_piano_journal_review.pdf |
TOMÁS DE LIMA Sonatas: No. 1 in c♯; No. 2 in e; No. 3 in a; No. 4 in F. Sonatinas: No. 1 in A; No. 2 in C. Algarve: Suite for Piano. Ilha do Paraíso:Suite in Six Pictures • Miguel Campinho (pn) • NUMÉRICA 1249 (2 CDs: 140:25)
It’s just as unfair to call Eurico Tomás de Lima (1908–1989) the Portuguese Medtner as it is to call Medtner the Russian Brahms—but it’s fairer than calling him the Portuguese Messiaen or the Portuguese Carter. [...]
Old-fashioned? Certainly, there’s nothing in any of these compositions that betrays its date of composition. Rather than pursue the new paths represented by the avant-gardes of his time, Tomás de Lima seems (on the evidence here) to have preferred to develop the virtuoso romantic tradition of the generation before him. Thus, for the most part, these are technically challenging works notable for their heroic striving (try the dramatic Finale of the Second Sonata), their elaborate textures, and (most striking, I think) their often bittersweet harmonies. But unless you have a dogmatic commitment to art that chases the moving target of the cutting edge, you’ll find plenty to enjoy here—certainly, enough to make you wonder why this music has remained so little known (Tomás de Lima doesn’t even get an entry in the latest Grove). [...]
We’re told that Tomás de Lima was a virtuoso pianist himself—and that he was a persuasive advocate for his own music. Apparently, he made some radio recordings back in the day—but I’ve never heard them, and about half of these new performances are advertised as world premiere recordings. In any case, he has a committed advocate in Miguel Campinho. There may be a touch of strain in some of the denser passages, and a want of color in spots where Tomás de Lima plays on delicacy; but for the most part, the performances grip your attention. Perfectly adequate sound, too. All in all, a welcome introduction to an essentially forgotten composer.
Peter J. Rabinowitz
Fanfare Magazine
Miguel Campinho presents Eurico Tomás de Lima and the Portuguese Piano Tradition - Interview.
Fanfare Magazine 37:2, Nov/Dec 2013.
Eurico Tomás de LIMA (1908-1989)
Collected Works Vol. 2
Sonata no.1 in C# minor (1933) [18:51]
Sonata no.2 in C minor (1935)* [22:07]
Sonatina no.1 in A major (1938)* [7:23]
Algarve (Suite for Piano) (1941) [14:30]
Commentary on CDs 1-2 in Portuguese (audio text) [10:35]
Sonata no.3 in A minor (1948; 2nd version, 1963)* [7:55]
Sonatina no.2 in C major (1950) [9:34]
Sonata no.4 in F major (1954) [17:45]
Island of Paradise (Suite in six tableaux) (1966) [21:20]
Commentary on CDs 1-2 in English (audio text) [10:42]
Miguel Campinho (piano)
rec. Auditorium of the Academy of Music, Paços de Brandão, Portugal, 6 and 10 August 2012
* World première recordings
NUMÉRICA PRODUÇÕES MULTIMEDIA NUM1249 [73:18 + 67:07]
[...] The music is unashamedly romantic and full of the most disarmingly glorious melodies one could wish for and with a distinctly recognizable Iberian flavor. While sonatas 1 and 2 are extremely romantic in style the sonatina no. 1 in which de Lima shows he was searching for a somewhat contemporary feel is nevertheless still delicious. The first cd ends with de Lima's 1941 suite which describes various aspects of Portugal's Algarve. It is so appealing that it encourages thoughts of a visit. [...]
This music shows a wonderfully creative composer and his development down the years. It is always pleasing to find someone whose music has been unfairly ignored suddenly emerge from the shadows. There is more to be discovered and these recordings show how worthwhile that will be. Miguel Campinho is a powerful advocate of the music of his countryman. The recording of these works was quite clearly a labour of love and his commitment to his chosen project is very evident. I am so grateful to have been able to discover yet another composer new to me. I would urge any lover of twentieth century piano music to explore this disc and I can guarantee that the music will captivate them just as it did me.
Steve Arloff
MusicWeb International
Eurico Tomás de LIMA (1908-1989)
Collected Works - Volume 2
Sonata No. 1, in C-sharp Minor (1933) [18:51]
Sonata No. 2, in E Minor (1935) [22:07]
Sonatina No. 1, in A Major (1938) [7:23]
Algarve (Suite for Piano) (1941) [14:30]
Sonata No. 3, in A minor (1948 rev.1963) [7:55]
Sonatina No. 2, in C Major (1950) [9:34]
Sonata No. 4, in F Major (1954) [17:45]
Ilha do Paraíso (Suite in six tableaux) (1966) [21:20]
Miguel Campinho (piano)
rec. Auditório de Academia de Música de Paços de Brandão, 6, 10 August 2012.
NUMERICA NUM1249 [73:18 + 67:07]
I pride myself on knowing something about the highwaysand the byways of piano music - both at home and abroad. However pride often comes before a fall! Nevertheless, I cannot imagine how I have got to the age I am, after many years of classical music listening, having missed the works of Eurico Tomás de Lima. One thing that life has taught me is that there is a wealth of music out there that demands to be explored: it is quite simply finding time and opportunity to do it. [...]
I enjoyed virtually every bar of this 2-CD set of Eurico Tomás de Lima’s piano music. Miguel Campinho is a most persuasive advocate for these works. As I mentioned earlier, it is hard to imagine how I can have overlooked this composer. I guess that is because he has not been extensively recorded before - at least out of Portugal. Furthermore it is hardly likely that de Lima will feature in many piano recitals in the United Kingdom.
If I was to describe this music in a short sentence it would be ‘Poulenc meets Chopin with introductions from Beethoven’ however, that would be doing all four composers a grave injustice. Yet it gives the innocent ear an idea of what to expect.
John France
MusicWeb International
TOMÁS DE LIMA
Miguel Campinho, piano
Numerica Multimedia NUM 1249
This release on ‘Numerica’ chronicles the piano works of one of Portugal’s most important composer-pianists of the last 150 years, Eurico Tomas de Lima (1908-89). The two-disc set, the second volume in the series, presents all Tomas de Lima’s Piano Sonatas, along with two Sonatinas and two suites, and are inspired by and portraying elements of his native land.
It makes for enjoyable listening, with several works notable for their poignant lyricism, glorious colouristic effects and a distinctly nationalistic flavour. The works on offer here span 33 years (1933-66), and it is certainly interesting to trace the evolution and exploration of the various styles which Tomas de Lima assimilates over this period. His earlier works are of a late romantic style - for instance, Sonata No.1 (1933 - listen especially for the second movement, with its heart-wrenchingly beautiful theme and searching harmonic progressions), but only a few years later in Sonatina No.1 in A minor the composer has begun to explore a quasi-neoclassical language not too far away from that of Poulenc. Sonata No.3 of the late 1940’s certainly has great bite to it, being immediately more hard-edged than any of the other works here, and less overtly emotional. [...]
Compositional weakness is not such an issue with the later works, and the Sonatinas are much more convincing in their economy of means and immediacy of expression. The two Suites here are fine sets of Tableaux which successfully portray an essence of Portugal. In the case of Algarve, ‘commentaries’ were written for Tomas de Lima by Fernando de Araujo Lima.
Miguel Campinho is an audibly enthusiastic advocate of his compatriot’s music [...]
Eurico Tomas de Lima is undoubtedly a composer whose works should be heard, and many of them would be effective in any piano recital. Their vernacular charm and exuberance are blended with influences of Poulenc, Debussy, Rachmaninov and Liszt.
Christopher Guild
Musical Pointers
SABER OUVIR - EURICO TOMÁS DE LIMA, VOL 2
Miguel Campinho - Piano
Artistic Coordination / Production: Miguel Leite
Label: Numérica
Support: RDP Antena 2
Sponsorship: Reitoria da Universidade do Minho
This recording, which now will be accessible to the general public, constitutes Volume 2 of the anthology “SABER OUVIR” [“Know how to Listen”], with artistic coordination by Miguel Leite. In it are recorded for the first time (World Premiere) a collection of solo piano works of reference from this notable portuguese composer, whose manuscripts and memorabilia are in the care of the University of Minho. These assets were generously and opportunely donated to the University by the Composer’s only son - Eurico Adolfo Lapa Thomaz de Lima. [...]
According to the artistic coordinator of the Anthology, the release of this double CD is an uncommon musical event in Portugal. We have recorded for posterity a collection of musical works of great artistic merit from a Portuguese pianist-composer, whose legacy we must publicize, study and publish, be it in recordings or also in the most useful print publication of his music.
After we recorded, in Volume 1 of the Anthology, a collection of shorter piano works which gave the public a brief panoramic of the creative path of Eurico Tomás de Lima through four decades of artistic production, with this Volume 2 we complement it with the recording of four great Sonatas for piano, two Sonatinas, the “Algarve” suite, and the “Ilha do Paraíso - Férias na Madeira” [“Island of Paradise - Holiday in Madeira”] Suite. These are all pianistic works of great breadth, of great technical and interpretative difficulty, and of great importance in this composer’s catalogue.
We can even say that, some shorter piano pieces by the composer notwithstanding, the release of these two Volumes of the Anthology covers practically the Complete Works for Solo Piano of Eurico Tomás de Lima (1908-1989).
[Translated from the Portuguese]
DACAPO, Revista Musical Portuguesa
Ambitious project, supported by the University of Minho, where the pianist Miguel Campinho presents the works of composer Eurico Tomás de Lima, deceased in 1989. In this second volume, in a double take, Campinho interprets four sonatas, two sonatinas, and two suites. A rich legacy, one that surprises us, to listen to repeatedly.
[Translated from the Portuguese]
Rui Branco, Jornal de Notícias, April 27, 2013