Fand Catalogue

  

Batuque

for Piano Solo • for Piano Duet

Commemorative edition (contains both solo and duet versions presented together)

Murillo Santos

The Batuque is an African dance that was brought to Brazil by black slaves during the seventeenth century. It consists of a circle of people clapping their hands, with two solo dancers in the centre, improvising their steps. One characteristic is the Umbigada or Semba, a gesture in which the dancers touch their bellies together regularly, at the end of the downbeat. This is probably the origin of the Samba, the most popular Brazilian dance.

I premiered Murillo Santos’ Batuque for piano solo in Europe, and had the privilege of enjoying the composer’s friendship from the 2000s. In 2016 he generously arranged his Batuque (written in 1987) for four-hands piano duet and dedicated it to the Bretas–Kevorkian Duo, and we premiered it in the same year. In early 2019, the composer gave permission for the two versions of Batuque to be published, and was most enthusiastic about the prospect. Sadly, though, he died before the project’s completion. The present edition is thus commemorative, and brings together both piano solo and four-hands piano duet versions of the piece.

—Patrícia Bretas, pianist

Sample pages

(Click to enlarge)

		Composer	Title	Grade	Forces	Total duration
		Murillo Santos	Batuque for Piano Solo • for Piano Duet Commemorative edition (contains both solo and duet versions presented together)	8 to Advanced (post-Grade 8)	Piano, Piano duet	2¾ mins
	#	Composer	Movement		Forces	Duration
	1	Murillo Santos	Piano Solo		Piano	2¾ mins
	2		Piano Duet		Piano duet	2¾ mins

Recorded performance

Patrícia Bretas, piano
Patrícia Bretas & Josiane Kevorkian (Duo Bretas–Kevorkian), piano duet
 
The solo recording is taken from the 2010 CD, Ourocap apresenta Patrícia Bretas piano solo.
The duet recording is of the live premiere of this version, given in March 2016.
 
These recordings appear courtesy of Patrícia Bretas.
 

Catalogue code: FM215 • Published: 22nd June 2019
Entry last updated: 22nd June 2019