Leopoldo Miguéz - Gigue [Giga] (No.5 da Suíte à antiga) (Luís Kolodin, piano)

Support the Brazilian Piano Institute by becoming a subscriber: catarse.me/institutopianobrasileiro Support the Brazilian Piano Institute getting closer: patreon.com/BrazilianPianoInstitute Gigue (No. 5 from the Suite à l'antique [Antique Suite] Op. 25), by Leopoldo Miguéz, performed by Luís Kolodin. This work is dedicated to his friend Alberto Nepomuceno, who also composed a famous antique suite. This is probably the first recording of this work in the world in its solo piano version. The Suite à l'antique, by Leopoldo Miguéz, also exists in an orchestral version and a four-hand piano version, composed by the composer himself. Link to the original video with the complete suite:    • Leopoldo Miguez - Suite à l'Antique Op.25 ...   - Leopoldo Américo Miguéz was born in Niterói in 1850 and was a prominent figure in Brazilian musical life during the transition from the 19th to the 20th century. Having spent part of his childhood and youth in the Iberian Peninsula, he began his musical studies in Porto, Portugal, with Nicolau Medina Ribas, and later with Giovanni Franchini. Although he demonstrated musical aptitude from an early age, his father initially guided him toward a commercial career, an experience that later contributed to his work as a public administrator. Upon returning to Brazil in 1871, he began a career combining commercial activity with musical performance, eventually dedicating himself exclusively to music from 1881 onward. His work is part of the transition from imperial Brazil to republicanism, a period in which Miguéz played a central role. He composed works such as the Symphony in B-flat, written in 1882 for an official event, and the Hymn to the Proclamation of the Republic, which won a national competition in 1890. His compositions also include the symphonic poems Parisina, Ave, Libertas!, and Promethée, and the operas Pelo Amor! and Os Saldunes, all marked by traces of European Romanticism. His compositional language is often associated with the aesthetics of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt, although it also engaged with structural models from the Germanic tradition of Beethoven. As a conductor and administrator, Miguéz assumed the direction of the newly created National Institute of Music in 1890, where he implemented far-reaching pedagogical and structural reforms. During his tenure, which lasted until his death in 1902, he promoted the acquisition of instruments, books, and scores, and established contacts with European music education institutions. His administration, though marked by rigidity, was known for its pursuit of excellence and modernization of teaching, which led to a period of significant reorganization of the academic musical environment in Brazil. Throughout his life, Miguéz played an important role in promoting Wagnerian aesthetics in the country and was a central figure in the creation of the Centro Artístico, an association that brought together musicians and intellectuals from Rio de Janeiro. His work, predominantly focused on orchestral and chamber music, avoided the use of thematic or rhythmic elements associated with music of popular or folkloric origins in Brazil, distinguishing him from the following generation of Brazilian composers. His work circulated primarily in circles linked to the urban elite and official institutions, reflecting both his cosmopolitan profile and the political and cultural context of the First Republic. Although his music remained little performed for a long time, Miguéz's career had a significant impact on the institutional environment and musical practices in the country. His legacy as director of the National Institute of Music and as a composer committed to the aesthetic ideals of European Romanticism contributed to the formation of a new standard of professionalization and artistic training in Brazil, leaving lasting marks on the history of Brazilian music. Our thanks to Luís Kolodin and Joel Bello Soares (in memoriam) for providing us with access to the score. Image and video editing: Douglas Passoni de Oliveira Curated and revised by: Alexandre Dias