Celebrating the centennial of the birth of composer Gabriel de Paula Machado, pianist Olga Kopylova releases the album SAUDADE, in which she honors the legacy of one of the most distinguished names in Paraná’s music.

About a decade ago, Kopylova first encountered Machado’s works when she performed as a soloist in a concert in Ponta Grossa, the composer’s hometown. Written between 1945 and 1952, the pieces revive forms from the classical tradition, such as the barcarolle, waltz, nocturne, mazurka, and prelude, which flourished during the Romantic and post-Romantic periods, through masters like Chopin and Scriabin. However, Machado distinguishes the classical models, either by recreating the conventional structure of the pieces or by incorporating innovative elements that expand their formats. An example of this is the free improvisation in his “Valsa Triste“, which establishes a dialogue between the past and the present. The album features standout pieces like “A Valsa em Quatro Tempos “, a work divided into four movements, dedicated to his wife and three daughters, and “Os Quatro Prelúdios“, contrasting works resembling the four movements of a sonata. The recordings also included some of his works inspired by rhythms from Brazilian folklore, such as “Cantigas de Roda“, “Estudo em Forma de Samba“, “Tema Brasileiro” and “Sambando“.

Kopylova’s unique interpretation reveals rare perspectives and nuances present in the musical language of the composer, whose work evokes the essence of the Belle Époque in its touching melodies, but proves to be completely contextualized in the present moment.